The All Wales Medicines Strategy Group has agreed that review and update of the National Prescribing Indicators (NPIs) should change from annually, to every three years. This change will enable health boards to develop longer term plans for utilising the NPIs, by providing assurance that indicators will be in place for a minimum of three years.
This change in process is in effect immediately, with the NPIs that were agreed for 2022–2023 being extended for an additional two years and becoming the NPIs for 2022–2025.
Although the NPIs will no longer routinely be updated annually, thresholds and targets for indicators will continue to be updated each year. Information regarding the updated thresholds and targets will be available in the NPI Specifications document available on the AWTTC website.
Despite these changes, the process incorporates the ability for individual indicators to be added, updated or retired (for example, based on new evidence, safety concerns, or updates to associated guidance) outside of the three-yearly cycle and without the need to review the whole suite of NPIs.