 The figures looked at prescription trends |
Spending on prescriptions rose to �6.8 billion in England last year, up 8.5% from the previous year, latest figures have shown. A total of 617 million items were prescribed by the NHS last year, the Department of Health figures showed, over 5% more than in 2001.
The examination of prescription trends also showed people are being prescribed more items, with an average of 12.5 per head of population, compared to 11.9 in the previous year.
Vouchers
Older people tended to get more medicines on their prescriptions.
The net cost of ingredients per prescription item also rose to �11.10, up by 3.2% from 2001.
But the figures showed the number of items dispensed free increased slightly from 85.4% in 2001 to 85.7% last year.
Statistics on eye tests and the number of glasses vouchers paid for by health authorities in England and Wales were also released.
In the year up to March 31 2003, 10.3 million eye tests were paid for - 1.6% less than in the previous year
The NHS reimbursed vouchers for 1.84 million pairs of glasses between October 2002 and March 2003, down 4.4% on the same period in the previous year.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 