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Family Practice Advance Access originally published online on January 6, 2009
Family Practice 2009 26(2):163-168; doi:10.1093/fampra/cmn100
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

Does a system of instalment dispensing for newly prescribed medicines save NHS costs? Results from a feasibility study

John Millara, Paul McNameeb, David Heaneyc, Sivasubramaniam Selvarajc, Christine Bondd, Sandra Lindsayc and Mary Mortone

a Dingwall Medical Group—Health Centre, Dingwall
b Health Economics Research Unit, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB28 2ZD
c Centre for Rural Health, University of Aberdeen, Centre for Health Sciences, Inverness IV3 3JH
d Department of General Practice and Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen
e John Dewar House, NHS Highland, Inverness IV2 7GE, UK

Correspondence to John Millar, Dingwall Medical Group—Health Centre, Ferry Road, Dingwall, Ross-Shire IV15 9QS, UK; Email: jsmdingwall{at}hotmail.com

Received 7 February 2008; Revised 13 November 2008; Accepted 23 November 2008.


  Abstract

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 per patient (95% confidence interval £0.14–£1.82), 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 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.

Keywords. Family medicine, health economics, pharmacy, prescribing, randomized controlled trial.

Millar J, McNamee P, Heaney D, Selvaraj S, Bond C, Lindsay S and Morton M. Does a system of instalment dispensing for newly prescribed medicines save NHS costs? Results from a feasibility study. Family Practice 2009; 26: 163–168.


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