Question reference: S6W-24239
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 21 December 2023
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 January 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much the NHS has spent on providing over-the-counter medicines via prescription in the last year for which figures are available.
Answer
Data is not currently reported in a format which shows primary care medicines spend by licenced indication, (Prescription only Medicines (POM), Pharmacy medicines (P) and General Sale List (GSL)). A P pack medicine may be prescribed and supplied for a condition not listed under the P licence on the prescription, particularly if that is the right drug for the patient's condition.
For the financial year 2022-23, the primary care drug spend was £1.22 billion. The NHS in Scotland has a policy to prescribe generically where generic drug is available. Generic prescribing accounts for 85% of primary care drug volumes but only accounts for 30% of the cost.