Prescribing Analysis and Cost (PACT)

"PACT provides GP and nurse prescribers with reliable and regular information on their prescribing habits and costs."

Prescribers use PACT information to:

• improve their prescribing habits and costs
  
• improve their service to patients
  
• develop and monitor prescribing formularies
  
• compare themselves with other prescribers.

The PACT Standard report is a twelve page document at GP/Practice level, that contains an analysis of the prescribing which has taken place during the quarter.

Information provided includes a summary of prescribing costs, followed by a breakdown of prescribing, e.g.:

• the twenty leading cost drugs
  
• number of prescriptions prescribed
  
• the average cost per prescription item
  
• the top forty BNF sections.

In addition, each quarter the centre pages of the report provide an article discussing a different drug related issue. This article is written by the Medical and Pharmaceutical Management of the Prescription Pricing Authority, assisted by an editorial team consisting of the General Practice member of the Authority, a representative of the DH and a representative of the National Prescribing Centre.

A PACT Catalogue complements the PACT Standard report by providing a full inventory of the prescriptions issued for the period required. A catalogue is available, on request, for prescribing information over the previous twenty four months. A catalogue is available at the following levels:

• GP
  
• Practice

PACT Catalogues are also available for:

• an individual nurse working within a practice
  
• all nurses prescribing on behalf of a practice. (includes nurses directly employed by the PCT)
  
• all nurses who are employed by the PCT
  
• an individual nurse who is employed by the PCT and prescribing on behalf of the PCT
  
• all nurses prescribing within a Community Nurse Prescribing Contract (CNPC) that the PCT has commissioned
  
• prescribing by a specific nurse within a CNPC that the PCT has commissioned.