The All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (AWTTC) produce the National Prescribing Indicators (NPIs). The NPIs show how the different health boards in Wales prescribe certain medicines and highlight any differences in prescribing patterns. They are developed to promote rational prescribing of medicines in Wales and are reviewed every three years. 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 comparison of current prescribing practice against an agreed standard of quality.
NHS Wales network users can access the majority of the data used in this report via the interactive Server for Prescribing Information and Reporting (SPIRA) dashboards.
In Focus report: Total opioid burden. This In Focus report includes supplementary information to that contained within the National Prescribing Indicators 2024-2025. Analysis of prescribing data to June 2024 report, to provide a more detailed picture of total opioid burden across Wales. Analgesics, including opioids, are one of the NPI priority areas. The data in this report show prescribing trends for the last two years at a health board, primary care cluster and GP practice level. The percentage of practices meeting the threshold and target achievements are presented. Additionally, it includes a breakdown of the basket by opioid. This report also contains data relating to potential health board level confounders, gender, age and waiting times for trauma and orthopaedics.
⇩ In Focus report - Total opioid burden 1.6MB (PDF) |
(Published: April 2026)