Cost Effective Prescribing

Prescribing is the most common intervention involving patients in the NHS and as such is the second highest area of spending in the NHS, after staffing.

Statistics from NHS Digital show that in 2016 there were 1,104.1 million items dispensed, an increase of 1.9% or 20.5 million additional items compared with 2015. This was at a cost to the NHS of £9,204.9 million. With increasing numbers of prescriptions, it is imperative that prescribing is cost effective to provide the best value for money for NHS resources whilst also meeting the clinical needs of the patient.

Objectives

After undertaking the training, learners will:

• Have an increased awareness of what cost-effective prescribing means
• Be able to identify and prevent potential medicines waste
• Be able to identify medicines which provide low value or should have restricted prescribing
• Have knowledge of how to access and interpret their prescribing data
• Be able to suggest drug categories and the associated clinical guidance that should be audited in general practice to promote quality and cost-effective prescribing
• Have developed an action plan that can be implemented in their workplace
• Be able to identify barriers to change in prescribing habits and have considered how to overcome these

Successful and safe cost-effective prescribing is reliant on the following principles:

• Robust protocols for prescribing agreed by both clinical and non-clinical staff, which clearly outline the responsibilities of each and when escalation to a clinical member of the team is required
• A commitment from the whole team to cost effective prescribing
• Continuing audit of prescribing activity, with feedback and education