We want to identify and address unwarranted variation and waste in prescribing. To do this, we must make sure that the same criteria apply throughout West Yorkshire by introducing standard commissioning policies for medicines and prescribing. Everyone should have the same access to the same treatments, including when new medicines become available on the NHS.
We are already very efficient in relation to prescribing and achieving best value from our medicines budgets, but there are still opportunities to improve. We will continue to reduce the prescribing of medicines that have little evidence to show that they work well, and medicines that can be bought ‘over-the-counter’ such as paracetamol and antihistamines for short term use.