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| GPs 'wasting millions' on drugs | GPs 'wasting millions' on drugs |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The NHS in England could save more than £300m a year by being more efficient when prescribing drugs, the government spending watchdog says. | The NHS in England could save more than £300m a year by being more efficient when prescribing drugs, the government spending watchdog says. |
| GPs could make more use of cheaper, non-brand versions of the most common prescription drugs, without harming care, the National Audit Office said. | GPs could make more use of cheaper, non-brand versions of the most common prescription drugs, without harming care, the National Audit Office said. |
| It also said at least £100m a year could be saved by reducing wastage, often caused by over-prescribing. | It also said at least £100m a year could be saved by reducing wastage, often caused by over-prescribing. |
| In 2006 the NHS spent more than £8bn on medicines in primary care. | In 2006 the NHS spent more than £8bn on medicines in primary care. |
| That figure represents a 60% real-terms increase in the last 10 years. | That figure represents a 60% real-terms increase in the last 10 years. |
| The government recognises the importance of getting the best value for money for the NHS Lord Hunt, health minister | The government recognises the importance of getting the best value for money for the NHS Lord Hunt, health minister |
| The report identified large variations between primary care trusts (PCTs) in the extent to which GPs prescribed cheaper drugs for the same conditions. | The report identified large variations between primary care trusts (PCTs) in the extent to which GPs prescribed cheaper drugs for the same conditions. |
| The watchdog analysed PCT data on the four most common types of medicines - statins for high cholesterol, renin-angiotensin drugs for high blood pressure, proton pump inhibitors for gastric conditions and clopidogrel for blood clotting. | The watchdog analysed PCT data on the four most common types of medicines - statins for high cholesterol, renin-angiotensin drugs for high blood pressure, proton pump inhibitors for gastric conditions and clopidogrel for blood clotting. |
| Between them, they account for one-fifth of the entire NHS drugs bill. | Between them, they account for one-fifth of the entire NHS drugs bill. |
| The report showed that more than £200m a year could be saved if all PCTs prescribed as efficiently as the top performing 25% of PCTs. | The report showed that more than £200m a year could be saved if all PCTs prescribed as efficiently as the top performing 25% of PCTs. |
| If all PCTs prescribed as efficiently as the top 10% of PCTs, then more than £300m could be saved. | If all PCTs prescribed as efficiently as the top 10% of PCTs, then more than £300m could be saved. |
| Cheaper alternatives | |
| New drugs are normally covered by a patent, giving the manufacturers a chance to recover development costs. | |
| When the patent runs out, other companies can make generic versions of the branded drug which they often sell for a fraction of the price. | |
| The report said some GPs are continuing to prescribe the pricier drugs when there are cheaper alternatives. | |
| The watchdog called on PCTs to compare practices, but expressed concern about the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on GPs. | The watchdog called on PCTs to compare practices, but expressed concern about the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on GPs. |
| The report also found that there was a significant cost to the NHS from medicines being wasted, for example, by being dispensed to patients but not used. | The report also found that there was a significant cost to the NHS from medicines being wasted, for example, by being dispensed to patients but not used. |
| The watchdog said the full cost of wastage is difficult to quantify because of a lack of robust data, but it estimated £100m of drugs were returned unused to the NHS. | The watchdog said the full cost of wastage is difficult to quantify because of a lack of robust data, but it estimated £100m of drugs were returned unused to the NHS. |
| Unused drugs also waste money | Unused drugs also waste money |
| The report said that the Department of Health needed to do more work to establish a robust estimate of the scale of medicines wastage in England and why patients do not take their drugs. | The report said that the Department of Health needed to do more work to establish a robust estimate of the scale of medicines wastage in England and why patients do not take their drugs. |
| Sir John Bourn, of the National Audit Office, said: "There is significant scope for the NHS to improve the value for money of prescribing in primary care." | Sir John Bourn, of the National Audit Office, said: "There is significant scope for the NHS to improve the value for money of prescribing in primary care." |
| But Professor Mayur Lakhani, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "As a practising GP, I also know that many prescriptions are started by hospitals who use a different list of approved drugs which may not represent the best value for money. | But Professor Mayur Lakhani, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "As a practising GP, I also know that many prescriptions are started by hospitals who use a different list of approved drugs which may not represent the best value for money. |
| "It should also be recognised that patients do not like frequent switches of drugs and many are suspicious of reasons for change, seeing it as cost cutting." | "It should also be recognised that patients do not like frequent switches of drugs and many are suspicious of reasons for change, seeing it as cost cutting." |
| He said about 83% of drugs currently prescribed by British GPs were generic, one of the highest levels in the world. | |
| Health Minister Lord Hunt said the government was putting pressure on the NHS to become more efficient in prescribing and it was beginning to have an effect. | Health Minister Lord Hunt said the government was putting pressure on the NHS to become more efficient in prescribing and it was beginning to have an effect. |
| "The government recognises the importance of getting the best value for money for the NHS," he said. | "The government recognises the importance of getting the best value for money for the NHS," he said. |