| The NHS could save millions a year by prescribing generic drugs to fight cholesterol.
The new figures, released today by the Department of Health, show that around £85million could be saved a year if Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) prescribed generic versions of the drugs pravastatin and simvastatin, instead of their branded counterparts.
Pravastatin and simvastatin are two of five 'statin' drugs that are approved for use in the UK to help combat high cholesterol. Generic versions of these drugs are deemed to be as effective as branded versions in most cases.
'As new drugs become available, the local NHS will increasingly have to look closely at the resources it spends on common treatments to ensure it is getting value for money,' said health minister Andy Burnham.
'Statin prescription is one of the areas that can release the most savings which can be ploughed back into patient care. The figures I'm publishing today show that productivity gains are already being delivered by many PCTs and demonstrate to other parts of the NHS the savings they could make.'
Statin prescriptions cost the NHS around £600million in 2005. The Better Care, better value figures released today show that over £3million has already been saved in the last quarter through changes in the prescribing of statins.
The figures showed that in one example, the Tameside and Glossop PCT could have saved £435,846 a year by increasing the percentage of cases in which they prescribe generic statins. |
