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Prescription Drugs

Answer

The following table shows the number of items dispensed and claimed for reimbursement for each of the categories requested, covering the most recently published 12-month period and the 12 months prior:

Drug group	Financial year	Total number of items
Clonazepam	2022/23	1,048,081
	2023/24	1,059,421
Other benzodiazepines	2022/23	7,156,845
	2023/24	6,814,129
Clonazepam and other benzodiazepines	2022/23	8,204,926
	2023/24	7,873,550
Z-drugs	2022/23	5,316,627
	2023/24	5,113,574
Antidepressants	2022/23	86,263,722
	2023/24	89,131,582
Opioids	2022/23	39,401,517
	2023/24	39,046,206
Pregabalin	2022/23	8,775,699
	2023/24	9,180,793
Gabapentin	2022/23	7,413,759
	2023/24	7,408,375

Source: NHS Business Services Authority.

In addition, the following table shows the patient identifiable information for the number of items dispensed and claimed for reimbursement for each of the categories requested, for the most recently published 12-month period and the 12 months prior:

Drug group	Financial Year	Total number of unique identified patients	Percentage of items where the patient has been identified
Clonazepam	2022/23	85,613	98.22%
	2023/24	85,191	98.16%
Other benzodiazepines	2022/23	1,253,962	97.06%
	2023/24	1,186,001	97.01%
Clonazepam and other benzodiazepines	2022/23	1,324,792	97.21%
	2023/24	1,256,941	97.17%
Z-drugs	2022/23	795,959	98.29%
	2023/24	764,743	98.27%
Antidepressants	2022/23	8,563,148	99.16%
	2023/24	8,747,095	99.22%
Opioids	2022/23	5,593,035	98.92%
	2023/24	5,562,718	98.94%
Pregabalin	2022/23	786,403	99.36%
	2023/24	823,231	99.41%
Gabapentin	2022/23	808,562	99.36%
	2023/24	799,144	99.41

Source: NHS Business Services Authority.

Notes:

1. for clonazepam and other benzodiazepines, this is the number of unique patients who have received any combination of clonazepam and/or other benzodiazepines, and no patient is counted twice even where multiple medications have been received;
2. the figures for pregabalin and gabapentin refer to the combined category of gabapentinoids; and
3. the data in this answer in both tables on opioids, is not directly comparable to data from the previous Parliamentary Questions, PQ137238 and PQ137239, referenced in the question, as these tables refer to opioids in general, while the previous Parliamentary Questions referred to opioid analgesics only.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

31499

Session

2024-26

Related items

Prescription Drugs
Wednesday, 27 January 2021
Written questions
House of Commons

Grouped for answer

Yes

Subjects

Prescription drugs Benzodiazepines Opioids Antidepressants Gabapentin Pregabalin

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk