Lead Medicines Management Technician North Derbyshire and Hardwick CCG

 Work across Hardwick and North Derbyshire CCG.  A medicines management technician is allocated to every practice  We advise the clinicians about the latest evidence and guidelines and the most cost effective way of prescribing medicines

Everyone is feeling the financial pinch at the moment and the NHS is no different

A good comparison are the internet comparison websites to get the best deals for gas and electricity providers, the NHS also has to be savvy and shop about for the best deals. The electricity works the Same, the bill just looks a bit different

 So why is there this difference in the price of medicines ?  What is the difference between a brand, a generic and a branded generic?  Why does my GP sometimes change my medicines? It’s a bit complicated but here goes……..

When a medicine is first invented it is given a patent like any other invention

Generic name = actual name of the drug Brand name = name given by the company Example: Paracetamol = generic name Calpol = brand name

Cost of making drug=£5 Drug company charge NHS=£20 Profit made by drug company=£15 Patent runs out – generic medicines costs NHS =£10

BRAND arimidex = £68.56 per month GENERIC anastrazole = £1.98 Per month £865 saving per year per patient BRAND Keppra = £84GENERIC Levetiricitam = £ 6.24£1, 011 saving per year per patient (often more due to patient taking 3 or 4 per day) BRAND Ibuprofen gel = £4.07GENERIC Fenbid gel = £1.50 GENERIC Co- careldopa = £23.31BRAND Sinemet = £10.73£163 saving per year per patient

Fluoxetine 60mg = £43.29 per month Fluoxetine 20mg x 3 = £3.21 per month =£480 per year per patient Venlafaxine MR 150mg once a day = £18.70 per month Venlafaxine plain 75mg twice a day = £2.86 per month = £205 per year per patient Nitrofurantoin tablets Nitrofurantoin capsules = £305 per year per patient Pregabalin 100mg take two twice a day £1.15 per capsule Pregabalin 200mg take one twice a day = £837 Felodipine= £1.02Amlodipine= £4.21= £41.47 per year per patient 270 patients = £11,197

So that is what we do! But What can you do?

We need to reduce waste medicines

 Only order the medicines you need when you need them.  If you do not order something, do not worry the item will not disappear from your repeat list unless you have not ordered it for more than one year.  Any medicines returned to a pharmacy must be destroyed even if they have never been opened.  Do not over order medicines or hang onto them ‘just in case you need them again’ it is a safety risk for children and others who might take them.  Please let us know if you stop taking any of your medicines so that we can keep your records up to date.  If you do not understand what each medicine is for your doctor, or pharmacist will be happy to help.