Prescription items and costs by measure (general practice prescriptions, and items dispensed in the community) by BNF chapter

Data values	Data description	Year	Chapter
3,643,202	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Gastro-Intestinal System
12,197,224	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Cardiovascular System
3,846,731	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Respiratory System
9,579,548	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Central Nervous System
2,617,117	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Infections
3,319,306	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Endocrine System
912,466	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Obstetrics,Gynae+Urinary Tract Disorders
263,108	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Malignant Disease & Immunosuppression
1,311,392	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Nutrition And Blood
2,188,131	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Musculoskeletal & Joint Diseases
1,006,307	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Eye
618,377	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Ear, Nose And Oropharynx
2,415,501	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Skin
688,495	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Immunological Products & Vaccines
50,949	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Anaesthesia
6	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Preparations used in Diagnosis
61,484	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Other Drugs And Preparations
789,050	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Dressings
331,052	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Appliances
61,895	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Incontinence Appliances
121,270	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	Stoma Appliances
46,022,611	Items prescribed by GPs	2001-02	All items
3,810,653	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Gastro-Intestinal System
13,719,084	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Cardiovascular System
3,897,846	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Respiratory System
9,954,975	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Central Nervous System
2,587,633	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Infections
3,623,793	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Endocrine System
961,757	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Obstetrics,Gynae+Urinary Tract Disorders
278,092	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Malignant Disease & Immunosuppression
1,457,861	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Nutrition And Blood
2,278,398	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Musculoskeletal & Joint Diseases
1,036,008	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Eye
624,087	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Ear, Nose And Oropharynx
2,406,652	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Skin
660,926	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Immunological Products & Vaccines
53,357	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Anaesthesia
3	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Preparations used in Diagnosis
64,612	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Other Drugs And Preparations
778,478	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Dressings
359,300	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Appliances
66,230	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Incontinence Appliances
131,934	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	Stoma Appliances
48,751,679	Items prescribed by GPs	2002-03	All items
3,946,576	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Gastro-Intestinal System
15,291,070	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Cardiovascular System
3,908,262	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Respiratory System
10,141,947	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Central Nervous System
2,626,136	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Infections
3,902,555	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Endocrine System
1,018,077	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Obstetrics,Gynae+Urinary Tract Disorders
290,251	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Malignant Disease & Immunosuppression
1,582,660	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Nutrition And Blood
2,308,953	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Musculoskeletal & Joint Diseases
1,083,754	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Eye
616,016	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Ear, Nose And Oropharynx
2,354,791	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Skin
690,381	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Immunological Products & Vaccines
53,344	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Anaesthesia
4	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Preparations used in Diagnosis
52,929	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Other Drugs And Preparations
784,646	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Dressings
405,746	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Appliances
68,145	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Incontinence Appliances
142,267	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	Stoma Appliances
51,268,510	Items prescribed by GPs	2003-04	All items
4,125,736	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Gastro-Intestinal System
16,968,784	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Cardiovascular System
3,962,595	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Respiratory System
10,353,655	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Central Nervous System
2,616,943	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Infections
4,190,522	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Endocrine System
1,060,212	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Obstetrics,Gynae+Urinary Tract Disorders
298,026	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Malignant Disease & Immunosuppression
1,747,848	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Nutrition And Blood
2,289,240	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Musculoskeletal & Joint Diseases
1,112,052	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Eye
609,084	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Ear, Nose And Oropharynx
2,322,291	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Skin
723,636	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Immunological Products & Vaccines
54,017	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Anaesthesia
58,843	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Other Drugs And Preparations
765,655	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Dressings
443,245	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Appliances
70,386	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Incontinence Appliances
154,913	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	Stoma Appliances
53,927,683	Items prescribed by GPs	2004-05	All items
4,351,902	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Gastro-Intestinal System
18,460,086	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Cardiovascular System
4,089,371	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Respiratory System
10,632,072	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Central Nervous System
2,670,598	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Infections
4,555,697	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Endocrine System
1,124,024	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Obstetrics,Gynae+Urinary Tract Disorders
311,527	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Malignant Disease & Immunosuppression
1,941,696	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Nutrition And Blood
2,184,900	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Musculoskeletal & Joint Diseases
1,162,118	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Eye
643,639	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Ear, Nose And Oropharynx
2,323,531	Items prescribed by GPs	2005-06	Skin

Showing 1 to 100 of 2,064 rows

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Next update expected:September 2026

Updates

• 30th September 2025: Dataset first published.

Main information

• Designation: Official statistics
• Data provider: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
• Data source: Prescribing Services
• Time period covered: April 2001 to March 2025

Overview

• Summary of dataset and variables:

  'Items' refer to each different medicine or appliance listed on a prescription regardless of quantity or volume. Only items which are dispensed are counted. Net ingredient cost, measured in pounds sterling, is the underlying cost of the item, before any additional fees (for example, dispensing fees to pharmacies) or discounts (NHS clawbacks) are applied. 'Items prescribed by GPs' counts the items prescribed by any Welsh general practice staff member, qualified to prescribe, which are subsequently dispensed in the community in the UK. This is the primary measure of prescribing in Wales because this data shows what is being prescribed to people registered with Welsh general practices and this activity is monitored and influenced by health board policy. 'Items dispensed in the community' counts items prescribed anywhere in the UK, which are subsequently dispensed in the community in Wales. This measure should be used when users are interested only in the items actually dispensed in Wales, and if direct comparisons are being made between different UK countries

• Data collection or calculation:

  Prescriptions data are obtained from Prescribing Services, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership and are based on information on prescription forms sent by the prescriber for payment.

• Statistical quality:

  See associated statistical release and quality report for detailed notes, background and definitions.

• Related reports:
  • Statistical Release

Published by

• Organisation: Welsh Government
• Contact email: stats.healthinfo@gov.wales

Metadata

The metadata for this dataset is not included when you download the data. You can download this separately. This contains all the information from the 'About this dataset' tab.