FOI-02847

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <title>FOI Request – FP34PCD Prescribing Data</title>
</head>
<body>
    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>You asked us:</em></p>

    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>‘I would like to make a Freedom of Information request for FP34PCD prescribing data for private prescriptions for ADHD and CNS drugs for every month between January 2015 and June 2024.</em></p>
    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>Please can you provide prescribing data for the number of private prescription items under section 0404 CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD.</em></p>
    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>I am looking for the number of items prescribed by practice name (i.e. dispensing organisation) in England and dispensed in the UK for every month between January 2015 and April 2025.</em></p>
    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>Please can you send a csv with the following data: </em></p>
    <ul style="text-decoration: none;">
        <li><em>Prescribing period (month and year)</em></li>
        <li><em>Practice name and code</em></li>
        <li><em>Number of items</em></li>
    </ul>
    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on Wednesday 21 May 2025</em></p>
    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.</em></p>
    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>On Friday 13 June 2025 you clarified:</em></p>
    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>I can confirm that the dates in the first paragraph were included by mistake.</em></p>
    <p style="text-decoration: none;"><em>I am requesting the FP34PCD prescribing data for January 2015 to April 2025</em></p>

    <p><strong>Our response</strong></p>

    <p>I can confirm that the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) holds most of the information you have requested which is provided in this response. The information that we do not hold is practice information for private prescriptions. This means that we are unable to provide the practice name and code.</p>

    <p><strong>Prescribing data for January 2015 - February 2025</strong></p>

    <p>I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested. However, under FOIA Section 21, we are not required to provide information in response to a FOI request if it is already reasonably accessible to you.</p>

    <p>The information you requested is available on our Open Data Portal:</p>
    <ul style="text-decoration: none;">
        <li><a href="https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foi-02082" style="text-decoration: none;">https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset<li><a href="https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foli>
    </ul>
    <p>Please see the following link to read FOIA Section 21 in full: <a href="https://www.leggov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/21</p>

    <p><strong>Prescribing data for March 2025 - April 2025</strong></p>

    <p>I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested and a copy of the information and notes explaining it is attached.</p>
    <p>Please read the notes to ensure your correct understanding of the data.</p>

    <p>NHS Prescription Services process prescriptions for pharmacy contractors, appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and personal administration with information then used to make payments to pharmacists and appliance contractors in England for prescriptions dispensed in primary care settings. This involves processing over 1 billion prescription items and payments totalling over £9 billion each year. The information gathered from this process is then used to provide information on costs and trends in prescribing in England and Wales to over 25,000 registered NHS and Department of Health and Social Care users.</p>

    <p><strong>Data Source</strong></p>

    <p>Data in ePACT2 is sourced from the NHSBSA Information Services Data Warehouse and is derived from products prescribed on prescriptions and dispensed in the Community. It includes items prescribed in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey / Alderney, Jersey and Isle of Man which have been dispensed in the community in England. English prescribing that has been dispensed in Wales, Scotland, Guernsey / Alderney, Jersey and Isle of Man is also included.</p>

    <p>The data excludes:</p>
    <ul>
        <li>Items not dispensed, disallowed and those returned to the contractor for further clarification.</li>
        <li>Prescriptions prescribed and dispensed in prisons, hospitals and private prescriptions.</li>
        <li>Items prescribed but not presented for dispensing or not submitted to NHS Prescription Services by the dispenser.</li>
    </ul>

    <p><strong>Dataset</strong></p>
    <p>This dataset shows number of items per presentation for private prescriptions of CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD. The chemical substance and code have been included for information.</p>

    <p><strong>Time Period</strong></p>
    <p>Monthly data – March 2025 - April 2025 (latest month available).</p>

    <p><strong>Organisation Data</strong></p>
    <p>Data for private unlicensed prescriptions is limited to prescriptions prescribed in England and dispensed in the community. Prescribing ICB (Integrated Care Board) is also indicated.</p>

    <p><strong>BNF Code</strong></p>
    <p>The British National Formulary (BNF) Code is a 15-digit code in which the first seven digits are allocated according to the BNF categories and the last eight digits represent the medicinal product, form, strength and the link to the generic equivalent product.</p>

    <p><strong>Items</strong></p>
    <p>This shows the number of times a product appears on a prescription form, not the quantity prescribed.</p>

    <p><strong>Publishing this response</strong></p>
    <p>This information will be published on our FOI disclosure log at: <a href="https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foi-02847" style="text-decoration: none;">https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foilto:foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk" style="text-decoration: none;">foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a> quoting the above reference if you have questions or plan to publish the data.</p>

    <p><strong>Reusing the data and copyright</strong></p>
    <p>If you plan to produce a press or broadcast story based on the data, contact <a href="mailto:communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk" style="text-decoration: none;">communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a>.</p>
    <p>This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence: <a href="http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/" style="text-decoration: none;">http://www.nyright 2025” when reusing the data.</p>
</body>
</html>


Tags: ADHD, CNS, FP34PCD
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log