A recent report from the NHS Information Centre says that diabetes prescriptions now total 8.4 per cent of the annual NHS prescriptions bill in England.
‘Prescribing for Diabetes; England, 2005/06 – 2010/11’, shows that the percentage increase in the total cost of prescriptions for the condition in 2010/11 is four times that when compared to 2005/6.
This takes the cost of diabetes prescribing to £725 million in 2010/11. Diabetes prescribing now accounts for 8.4 per cent of the entire NHS net prescription bill; compared to 6.6 per cent in 2005/06, the report says.
The report also shows that in the same period the number of diabetes prescription items increased by 41 percent to reach 38.3 million items – meaning that one in every 25 prescription items written is now for diabetes.
NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said, ‘Today’s report paints a picture of an ever–increasing drugs bill to cope with the demands of society triggered by diabetes. The portion of the NHS drugs bill accounted for by diabetes drugs continues to rise and is now at 8.4 percent.
‘This information will help people and health professionals see the impact that caring for diabetes has on NHS prescribing; and support the NHS in planning for how to best address the condition moving forward.’
This report can be accessed at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/prescribingfordiabetes05-11
Source: NHS Information Centre
