Cheaper pill bill 'is major breakthrough'

THE States cut its spending on medicines last year for the first time in 30 years. The cost of them handed out through the prescription service fell by 3%.

Drugs still cost £13.15m. last year, with £1.2m. recovered in prescription charges paid by patients.

But the total cost was £445,000 less than in 2004.

'Reducing Guernsey's huge drugs bill has been one of our top priorities,' said Social Security minister Mary Lowe.

'And the figure now showing in our 2005 year-end accounts is definitely a breakthrough.'

The department has spent years trying to tackle the ever-more expensive 'pill bill' issue.

It developed a so-called white list of recommended drugs, most of which were cheaper, generic versions, for doctors to prescribe, and has run campaigns to reduce prescribing and waste.

'A large part of the reduction came about through price cuts enforced in the UK, but I'm sure that our publicity about drug wastage, antibiotic prescribing and other things also helped, because we have seen a better reduction than in the UK,' said Deputy Lowe.

'Our costs are still high compared with Jersey and the UK.'

'This is not simple cost-cutting. This is about minimising waste so that we make best use of the money for the treatment of islanders.

'I don't want anyone to be worried that they or their family won't get the drugs that they need.'

There were three main reasons why a saving had been achieved on the drugs bill.

The cost price of some medicines fell by 7% over the past year.

Also, local GPs had worked hard to reduce expenditure, by using cheaper medicines and the prescribing support unit had received excellent co-operation from the practices and the public in implementing measures to reduce wastage.