Cheaper Medicine 'Could Have Saved Millions Of Pounds'

A new report by the NI Assembly's Public Accounts Committee has revealed millions of pounds could have been saved if doctors prescribed less expensive medicines.

The report on Primary Care Prescribing found "significant savings" could be made if lower cost prescriptions – which are effective as ones that are more expensive – were given to patients. It also looked at why local prescribing costs appear to be more expensive than in England, Scotland and Wales.

The local cost, per head of population, increased slightly in Northern Ireland, while it fell in the rest of the UK.

Primary care prescribing costs £460m each year in NI, which accounts for around 10% of all health and social care expenditure. However, the report said some £73m could have been saved if GPs in the region prescribed medicines in line with their colleagues in Wales. In addition, an estimated £54m could be generated if the average prescribing costs were reduced by 10%.

Commenting on the PAC report, Michaela Boyle MLA, Committee Chairperson, said: "The Committee acknowledges that the health service has made savings as it has encouraged the prescribing of lower cost generic drugs. However, we believe that significant further saving could be made if the lowest cost versions of generic drugs were prescribed.

"It is clear that prescribing costs per head of population here are not in line with our counterparts. Given that we are the only jurisdiction that has incurred higher costs per head of population in 2013 than 2007, the Committee has concluded that we have been much slower in achieving savings. This money could have been better used elsewhere within the health service at a time of great budgetary pressure."

She continued: "The Department needs to work immediately on finding a suitable solution with community pharmacists on a way forward. Had agreement been reached in 2006 (as in other parts of the UK) the Department would have saved £550,000 in legal costs and £46million would have been released to provide additional, community-based pharmacy services here.

"This is a situation that must change and we will be challenging the Department of Health to ensure that all possible savings are realised."

(JP)