To ask the Minister of Health (i) to detail the cost to his Department, for each prescription, minus the cost of the drug/treatment, prescribed by (a) GPs; and (b) pharmacies; and (ii) to outline what steps he is taking to reduce this cost.

The costs associated with the dispensing of prescriptions in primary care in Northern Ireland can be estimated using the Northern Ireland Drug Tariff which sets out the reimbursement costs for most items that can be prescribed, the dispensing fees and any additional allowances that may be payable to community pharmacy contractors. For those items not listed in the NI Drug Tariff, reimbursement prices are detailed via the dm+d database

According to the latest statistical report published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency in 2020/21 the average cost per item of drugs reimbursed was £10.60 with 41.4m items being dispensed in this period - https://hscbusiness.hscni.net/pdf/Annual%2020-21%20General%20Pharmaceutical%20Services%20Report.pdf

The actual cost of a prescription however depends on the dosage, quantity and type of the drug prescribed. A standard dispensing fee of £1.00 is then applied to each item on a prescription. The drug cost plus the dispensing fee and any additional allowances or fees that may be payable for the dispensing of an item, will equal the total cost of the prescription. These costs are in addition to other administrative and professional costs associated with prescriptions including any time that may be required by a medical professional to see the patient and issue a prescription.

With regard to reducing prescription costs I can advise that the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) continues to work with prescribers on the need to optimise medicine use in primary care by encouraging them to prescribe cost effectively in line with evidence. This includes prescribing generically where possible and following the Northern Ireland Drug Formulary for first line treatment options. Prescribers are also expected to review all patients prescribed medicines on a regular basis and to use the Limited Evidence or Stop List to check if the drugs are appropriate, safe and if they are providing the HSC with value for money - Prescribing Stop List | NI Formulary (hscni.net). Indeed, health care prescribers are advised not to prescribe medicines that can be purchased over-the-counter by patients when they are being used to treat minor conditions or self-limiting illnesses, or where there is no evidence base for their use.