Wednesday 05 October 2022
The Prescribing Support Unit (PSU) works with healthcare colleagues in primary and secondary care to promote high-quality, cost-effective prescribing in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
HSC is publishing the PSU's annual report today. It looks at the trends in prescribing, and the likely reasons, over the year to December 31st 2021.
Geraldine O'Riordan, Prescribing Adviser said:
"Both the number of prescriptions and the cost of the pharmacy service increased in 2021 compared to 2020, and by significantly more than in previous years. In 2021 the number of prescriptions issued rose by 3.3% to 1.6 million. The cost of the pharmacy service, including fees and minus prescription charges paid by islanders came to £21.15 million, up 19.6% on 2020.
'The Bailiwick secures medicines for islanders often at heavily discounted NHS prices via a complex combination of rebates on drugs dispensed by retail pharmacies and discounts for hospital products.
The increase in cost in 2021 was due to a combination of increased prescribing, new medical devices and medicines approved as "business as usual" and new NICE TAs approved in accordance with the resolutions made by the States of Deliberation in 2020. A full report on the NICE TA project is being planned at the moment and will be published in 2023 '.
Over many years prescribers on both islands have worked hard to deliver the pharmaceutical service at a cost that is affordable. Of note in the 2021 Annual Report, is the number of unwanted prescriptions items that were crossed off by patients or pharmacy staff. Over 100,000 unwanted items were crossed off in 2021, saving a minimum of £500,000 in medicine costs and fees. HSC is hugely grateful to islanders, all the islands' doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and their teams for all of their support during the past often difficult years.
