Does a system of instalment dispensing for newly prescribed medicines save NHS costs? Results from a feasibility study.
Millar, John;
McNamee, Paul;
Heaney, David;
Selvaraj, Sivasubramaniam;
Bond, Christine;
Lindsay, Sandra;
Morton, Mary;
(2009)
Does a system of instalment dispensing for newly prescribed medicines save NHS costs? Results from a feasibility study.
Family practice, 26 (2).
pp. 163-168.
ISSN 0263-2136
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmn100
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BACKGROUND: In view of the increasing cost of general practice of drug prescribing, it is important to look at ways of reducing drug wastage and thereby improve the cost-effectiveness of prescribing. OBJECTIVE: To determine the costs and cost savings to the NHS of instalment dispensing for newly prescribed medicines and to quantify the extra costs incurred by patients. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive either a normal (n = 103) or an instalment (n = 101) prescription. RESULTS: The difference between prescribed and dispensed drug costs in the intervention group was 0.98 UK pounds per patient (95% confidence interval 0.14-1.82 UK pounds), giving a 7% reduction in drug costs. The costs of the additional pharmacy time required to implement the intervention was calculated to be 5.02 UK pounds per patient. CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of a system of instalment dispensing produced savings in the general practice of drugs bill, but these were not large enough to offset additional costs for pharmacists.
