Community prescribing in the UK

The total number of prescriptions in the UK has doubled from circa 560 million in 1994 to 1,176 million in 2011.

The same trend applies to the number of prescriptions issued per person in the UK in the same period, and has increased from 9.7 in 1994 to 18.8 prescriptions per head.

Figure 1 – Total number of prescriptions issued in the UK, 1994–2012

The total number of prescriptions in the UK has doubled from circa 560 million in 1994 to 1,137 million in 2010.
Trend in total number of prescriptions issued in the UK, 1994–2012

Source: OHE Guide to UK Health and Health Care Statistics

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Figure 2 – Number of prescriptions issued per person in the UK, 1994–2012

The graph shows both the trend of the average number of prescriptions issued in the UK from 1994 to 2012, and the medicines net ingredient cost in the same time period.

Trend in number of prescriptions issued per person in the UK, 1994–2012

Source: OHE Guide to UK Health and Health Care Statistics
Notes: NIC = Net Ingredient Cost

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Figure 3 – Community prescribing in the UK, 1994–2012

The table below summarises the figures used for the graphs in Figure 1 and 2 on this page. The net ingredient cost (NIC) of a prescription has been decreasing since 2004.

	Rxs (m)	Rxs per head	NIC £m	NIC per head £	NIC per Rxs £	Total Cost £m	Total cost per head £
1994	560.2	9.7	4,114	71.10	7.34	4,707	81.35
1995	582.4	10.0	4,456	76.80	7.65	5,071	87.39
1996	598.4	10.3	4,847	83.34	8.10	5,483	94.26
1997	617.3	10.6	5,272	90.41	8.54	5,866	100.59
1998	634.9	10.9	5,678	97.10	8.94	6,233	106.59
1999	655.3	11.2	6,379	108.70	9.73	6,812	116.086
2000	680.5	11.6	6,728	114.25	9.89	7,216	122.54
2001	723.9	12.2	7,362	124.53	10.17	7,849	132.78
2002	762.2	12.8	8,235	138.81	10.80	8,671	146.16
2003	801.8	13.5	9,025	151.53	11.26	9,458	158.80
2004	845.8	14.1	9,690	161.91	11.46	10,164	169.83
2005	886.0	14.7	9,485	157.46	10.71	10,325	171.41
2006	927.4	15.3	9,844	162.48	10.62	10,808	178.38
2007	979.0	16.1	10,061	165.00	10.28	11,134	182.60
2008	1018.9	16.6	10,041	163.50	9.86	11,402	185.66
2009	1086.6	17.6	10,308	166.82	9.49	12,001	194.21
2010	1137.2	18.3	10,662	171.36	9.38	12,385	198.92
2011	1176.1	18.6	10,637	168.36	9.04	12,465	197.28
2012	1218.5	19.3	10,255	162.15	8.42	12,217	193.18

Source: OHE Guide to UK Health and Health Care Statistics
Notes: Rxs = Number of NHS prescriptions

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