Posted on: 24 December 2024

CNWL’s Health and Justice Directorate is working to cut medicine spending by 10 percent ahead of April 2025. This is due to several challenges like:

  • UK drug inflation of 5 to 7 percent
  • Drug shortages affecting procurement and prescribing efficiency
  • Increasing and aging prison population
  • Higher prisoner turnover (e.g. Early Release Scheme)
  • Increased demand for specialist services (e.g. neurodivergent, dietician)

The project is focusing on identifying and removing waste, improving prescribing practices, and streamlining medicine procurement.

What’s been achieved so far

Pharmacists have started to review tasks sent to GPs and sending inappropriate requests back to staff as well as reviewing trends. 

The project has led to significant changes in staff behaviour, reducing the number of prescriptions and resulting in cost savings.

  • Fewer prescriptions: Cut down by 266 per month on average.
  • Money saved: Around £90,000 a year.
  • Time saved: Less workload for GPs and nurses.

Strategies at HMP Bronzefield

  • Created local drug lists (e.g. for nutritional supplements and nicotine replacement).
  • Reviewed prescription tasks and trained prescribers to reject inappropriate requests.
  • Pharmacy staff pushed back on unnecessary or expensive choices.

Strategies at HMP Aylesbury

  • Negotiated better contracts, saving 20 percent on drug costs.
  • Dispensed costly drugs on-site to avoid extra charges.
  • Switched service models, saving £75,000 on procurement costs.

Maintaining momentum

In the new year, the directorate plans to:  

  • Talk about cost-saving strategies at senior pharmacist meetings.
  • Share success stories and lessons with staff.
  • Boost staff awareness about budgets and prescribing habits.
  • Solve invoicing issues and encourage proactive thinking.