GP prescribing formula to be updated
The Department of Health has completed a review of the general practice (GP) prescribing formula for 2024/25, introducing changes aimed to ensure “fairer and more data-driven allocation of prescribing budgets”.
A core update in the new formula is the refinement of age-gender weighting. The previous model treated all patients aged over 75 as a single group, however, the new approach separates those aged between 75 and 84 from those over the age of 85.
The formula also increases the weighting for care home residents from 2.5 to 3.0, reflecting the substantially higher prescribing costs for this group. These adjustments aim to align funding with real-world demand, particularly as Northern Ireland’s population continues to age.
Another major reform is the introduction of an updated additional needs index, developed through rigorous statistical modelling. Using data from the 2021 Census, the index refines how socioeconomic deprivation and health conditions influence prescribing needs.
Key factors include the prevalence of chronic conditions such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, and dementia, alongside socioeconomic indicators such as household deprivation and access to unpaid carers. The new model aims to better account for “realities faced by patients and the demands placed on GP practices”.
These changes will have a moderate impact on funding distribution across the five local commissioning groups (LCGs), with some areas seeing small increases while others experience slight reductions. Overall, the redistribution effect at the LCG level is estimated at +/-0.64 per cent, equating to approximately £2.68 million. Practices serving older populations and a higher proportion of care home residents, particularly in the northern and south eastern LCGs, are set for increases in allocations. At GP level, the effect is slightly more pronounced, with a projected redistribution of +/-1.74 per cent, or around £7.29 million.
The review process also included an assessment of equality impacts to ensure compliance with Northern Ireland’s equality legislation. Studies underpinning the policy document confirm that while the formula shifts more resources towards older populations – an expected outcome given their higher prescribing needs – it does not create adverse effects for any particular equality group. The methodology and findings have been externally peer reviewed, with independent experts endorsing the new model’s robustness and validity.
With consultation submissions having closed, the Department states that it will “closely monitor” the formula’s impact on prescribing patterns and expenditure, ensuring that funding “continues to reflect actual need”. The Department also says that future reviews will refine the model further, maintaining its responsiveness to changes in demographics and healthcare demand.
