A2 Methadone prescriptions
Key Points 2005/06
Overview
- In Scotland in 2005/06 there were 457,092 prescriptions for methadone mixture, around 90 prescriptions per 1,000 population (Table A2.1).
- The cost of dispensing methadone mixture (dispensing fees and ingredients) for Scotland in 2005/06 was £12,200,215, around £2,395 per 1,000 population (Table A2.2).
Five year trends -2001/2002 to 2005/06
- Methadone prescribing rates have risen by 45% over the last five years, from 62 per 1,000 population in 2001/02 to 90 per 1,000 population in 2005/06. Note that higher prescribing rates do not necessarily mean more volume of methadone as actual doses prescribed could be smaller (Table A2.1).
- The increase in rate of prescribing varies between NHS Boards, for example rates in NHS Highland and NHS Forth Valley more than doubled in the last five years, while rates in NHS Tayside show a 12% decrease. The largest increases in rates between 2001/02 and 2005/06 were seen in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, rising from 92 per 1,000 population to 154 per 1,000 population and in NHS Greater Glasgow, rising from 127 per 1,000 population to 175 per 1,000 population (Table A2.1).
- The cost of methadone mixture prescriptions has seen an overall increase of 6% between 2001/02 and 2005/06. However, there were decreases in the cost between 2001/02 and 2002/03 and another decrease between 2004/05 and 2005/06 dropping from £12,935,828 to £12,200,215 (Table A2.2).
Geographical profile
- Around a third (152,195) of the methadone mixture prescriptions dispensed are in NHS Greater Glasgow (Table A2.1).
- Methadone prescription rates vary across Scotland from 175 per 1,000 population in NHS Greater Glasgow to 12 per 1,000 population in NHS Borders. NHS Orkney (1 per 1,000 population) and NHS Western Isles (less than 1 per 1,000 population) have the lowest rates across Scotland (Table A2.1).
Background information
Prescribed medication can be used for the treatment of drug addiction. Methadone hydrochloride (methadone mixture) is a commonly used pharmacological treatment for opioid dependence. Methadone mixture for the treatment of opioid dependence comprises the majority of methadone prescribing. Other formulations of methadone are used in the treatment of severe pain and palliative care.
There is no national routine information which reports the number of people in Scotland who are receiving methadone hydrochloride mixture, nor information on the cost per person to the NHS. The Prescribing Information System (PIS) at ISD Scotland holds information derived from prescriptions dispensed in the community in Scotland. The system and information held constitute a key part of the pharmacy payment process. However, the PIS does not store patient identifiable information (e.g. name, date of birth, address) that can be used to count the number of people receiving particular medications.
Further information
Although there is no routine information on the number of people receiving a methadone prescription, ISD Scotland has published a paper providing estimates of the number of people receiving a methadone prescription. This paper was published in 2005 and is available at: www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/local/isd_methadone.pdf
The Prescribing Information System (PIS) holds information on a variety of different medications prescribed in Scotland. Information on the data and statistics are available at: http://www.isdscotland.org/prescribing
If you would like further information on methadone prescriptions or on prescriptions of other medications related to drug misuse please contact the Substance Misuse Information Strategy Team at substancemisuse@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk.
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