GPs waste £7m on drugs

The National Audit Office (NAO) says the cash could have been saved if GPs issued non-branded drugs which are just as effective.

The figures were revealed following a nationwide survey which looked at how efficient primary care trusts (PCTs) were in prescribing medication between August 2005 and July 2006.

Across the country it found more than £350 million had been squandered.

The NAO say doctors are sticking with prescribing costly branded drugs, even though other companies can provide the same drug at a fraction of the price once a patent has ended.

Dudley Beacon and Castle PCT could have saved £927,163 and Dudley South PCT £1,516,691, according to NAO. Both are now known as Dudley PCT.

Dudley GP Dr Duncan Jenkins said today: "GPs will always find cost-effective prescribing a challenge because the prices of individual medicines change over time and it is a case of constantly monitoring these prices in order to know which medicine offers best value for money."

NAO said Oldbury and Smethwick PCT spent £568,708 needlessly, Rowley Regis and Tipton £347,157, and Wednesbury and West Bromwich PCT £917,848. All are now known as Sandwell PCT.

In Walsall Teaching PCT, £401,859 could have been saved together with £1,099,924 at Wolverhampton City; £277,351 in Staffordshire, Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth; £154,581 at Cannock Chase and £605,019 at South Western Staffordshire. All those PCTs now form part of the newly-named South Staffordshire PCT.

The figures also reveal the former Wyre Forest PCT could have saved £197,585 by prescribing more efficiently. The area is now part of Worcestershire PCT.

Dr Jenkins added: "The savings reported in the National Audit Office report were identified more than 12 months ago. Since then, we have been working hard to release these savings and have made good progress.

"To actually make the savings, patients' long term prescriptions need to be changed. This is a process which needs to be managed, often involving patient counselling."