Tranquillisers

Jim Dobbin
To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 May 2009, Official Report, columns 1228-30W, on tranquillisers, in what format information on the number of in-patient prescriptions dispensed is held.

Mr. Mike O'Brien
The extract of the Hospital Pharmacy Audit Index held by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care shows only the total volume (in terms of packs) issued from hospital pharmacy departments in a month. Reporting the total number of packs for selected drugs has little meaning as pack sizes can differ for the same drug or between different drugs. The Department is unable to state the number of prescriptions dispensed or supplied for patients. In addition, the number of patients treated with each pack is not known as a pack could be used to treat one patient or more.