National Prescribing Indicators 2021-2022

National prescribing indicators show how the different health boards in Wales prescribe certain medicines, and highlight any differences in prescribing patterns.

The World Health Organization defines rational prescribing as making sure that patients receive the right medicines for them, at the right doses and for the right length of time, and at the lowest cost to patients and their community.

National prescribing indicators are developed every year to promote rational prescribing of medicines in Wales.

The specific indicators chosen focus on medicines for which changes in prescribing patterns would support rational prescribing. The choice of indicators is evidence-based and the indicators are designed to be clear and easily understood by prescribers and healthcare professionals.

The indicators allow health boards, primary care clusters, GP practices and prescribers to compare their current prescribing practice against an agreed standard of quality.

For the previous year (2020-2021), the National Prescribing Indicators: Supporting Safe and Optimised Prescribing focused on three priority areas of prescribing:

• Analgesics (including opioids, tramadol, and gabapentin and pregabalin)
• Anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation
• Antimicrobial stewardship (including total antibacterial items and the “4C antimicrobials” co-amoxiclav, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones and clindamycin)

These three priority areas were supported by additional indicators:

• Safety
  • Prescribing safety indicators
  • Proton pump inhibitors
  • Hypnotics and anxiolytics
  • Yellow Cards
• Efficiency
  • Best value biological medicines
  • Insulin
  • Low value for prescribing

Associated resources: