GPs across Tayside and Fife prescribed almost £16 million of medication to patients in August – but what was the most common prescription where you live?
We’ve looked at the latest data showing what was prescribed in both Tayside and Fife.
And we reveal each area’s top 40 prescribed medications and their costs in the tables below.
The latest data shows the prescription figures for August 2022.
Tayside and Fife: The key stats
Total prescriptions: 1,358,264
Total cost: £15,727,600.81
Most common prescriptions: Omeprazole (41,578 prescriptions). Used to lower stomach acid levels to treat heartburn and indigestion.
Most expensive total cost: Lixiana 60mg (3,957 items costing £323,214.50). Prescribed to prevent blood clots and reduces risk of heart attacks and stroke.
What were the most common prescriptions in my area?
NHS Tayside
Omeprazole topped the charts in both the Tayside and Fife health boards.
Painkillers like paracetamol, co-codamol and aspirin were also among the most-prescribed.
From the top 40 most prescribed medications, the most common health conditions being treated in Tayside were hypertension (high blood pressure), depression, an underactive thyroid and high cholesterol.
Medications for diabetes and an enlarged prostate were also included in Tayside’s 40 most prescribed items.
Overall, GPs prescribed £8.5 million in medications this August.
The most expensive medication in Tayside was Abiraterone, which is used to treat prostate cancer.
It cost £313,157.50 to prescribe it 71 times to patients in August this year.
Fife
It’s a similar story in Fife, with omeprazole also being the number one most prescribed medication.
The most common health conditions being treated with the top 40 prescriptions in Fife were also hypertension, depression, high cholesterol, underactive thyroid and heartburn.
Medications for eczema, as well as vitamins and supplements such as D3 and folic acid were also in Fife’s top 40.
GPs in Fife prescribed £7.2 million of medications in August.
The most expensive prescription in Fife was Freestyle Libre 2 Sensors, used to check glucose levels for diabetes management.
There were 1,382 issued in Fife in August, costing £122,885.
- Are you surprised by the list in your area? What did you think of the monthly costs of prescriptions for the health boards? Let us know in the comments below.
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