Allocating prescribing budgets

doi:10.1136/bmj.321.7253.113

BMJ 2000;321:113 ( 8 July )

Letters

Allocating prescribing budgets

Limitations of formula should have been stated more clearly

All prescribers in primary care groups need to collaborate

Limitations of formula should have been stated more clearly

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR $---$ Rice et al present what they describe as a "needs based" formula for allocating prescribing budgets.¹ This seemsan improvement on the ASTRO-PU (age, sex, and temporary residentoriginated prescribing unit), which it replaces, but in view ofits crucial impact on the resources available to general practitionersand their patients its limitations should be stated moreclearly.

Despite its title, the formula does not assess need directly but relies on data from the national census to generate proxymeasures. The association between these measures and prescribingcosts "explains" observed variation in these costs only in thenarrow statistical sense of the word. Bains and Parry,² andMajeed³ point out further importantlimitations.

These criticisms are of more than academic importance. The formula is "needs based" only in a vague and general sense, butdespite its manifold weaknesses there is a danger that NHS organisationswill use it . . . [Full text of this article]

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Relevant Article

Derivation of a needs based capitation formula for allocating prescribing budgets to health authorities and primary care groups in England: regression analysis • Commentary: The emphasis on transparency weakens the formula: Nigel Rice, Paul Dixon, David C E F Lloyd, David Roberts, and T J Cole
BMJ 2000 320: 284-288. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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