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Prescriptions for diabetes now cost NHS England over £1 billion annually

New data from the NHS indicate prescriptions for diabetes (insulins, antidiabetic drugs, and diagnostics and monitoring devices) are currently costing NHS England >£1 billion a year.

According to the latest figures from NHS digital, the cost of prescriptions for diabetes in 2017/2018 was £1,012.4 million compared with £983.7 million in 2016/2017. One out of 20 prescriptions coming from GPs were for the treatment of diabetes. Diabetes treatments accounted for 53.4 million items prescribed last year and 11% of total primary care net ingredient costs.

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: "The fact that diabetes prescriptions cost our health service over £1 billion a year is a worrying symptom of a growing diabetes epidemic." However, he suggests that the rise in prescription costs could also be indicative of more patients receiving the required care, and thus could be a positive finding.


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