Methadone and Drug Substitutes

Summary

A Freedom of Information request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care for spending data and patient registration numbers regarding methadone and drug substitutes for 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. The authority responded by providing full disclosure of prescribing costs from 2013/14 to 2016/17 and annual patient snapshots for November 2015 and October 2016.

Key Facts

• The Department of Health and Social Care provided spending data for drug substitutes covering financial years 2013/14 through 2016/17.
• Buprenorph HCl/Naloxone HCl was the most expensive drug substitute category in all reported years.
• Patient registration numbers for Opiate Replacement Medication increased from 122 in November 2015 to 142 in October 2016.
• The total cost for all listed drug substitutes across the four-year period was £302,693.26.
• No information was withheld; the outcome was classified as 'All information sent'.

Data Disclosed

• 2015/2016
• 2016/2017
• £302,693.26
• 20,816 total items
• 122 patients (November 2015)
• 142 patients (October 2016)
• £63,563.99 (Buprenorph HCl/Naloxone HCl 2016/17)
• £8,739.21 (Methadone Hydrochloride 2016/17)

Data Tables (2)

Full Response Text

Department of Health and Social Care

Rheynn Slaynt as Kiarail y Theay

Page 1 of 3 FOIA/DHSC/rvsd/01

Chief Executive: Malcolm Couch

By email:

Freedom of Information Team Department of Health & Social Care Chief Executive’s Office Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas Isle of Man, IM1 3QA Tel: Email: Website: Date: FOI Reference: (01624) 642621 foi.dhsc@gov.im www.gov.im/dhsc 11 August 2017 IM96-805i

Dear REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”) Thank you for your request to the Department of Health and Social Care, dated 27 July 2017

Your request You asked for: Question 01: “How much was spent on Methadone and other Drug Substitutes in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017” Question 02: “How many people are registered for this service in the same years?”

Response to your request The Department of Health and Social Care (“the Department”) are pleased to be able to provide a response to your request with answers to your questions:

Question 01: How much was spent on Methadone and other drug substitutes in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 Please find the response to Question 01, from the Department’s Chief Pharmaceutical Adviser for the amount spent on prescribing methadone and other drug substitutes.
In order to assist you further we have provided the information broken down into “drug substitutes” for each financial year from 2013/14.

Page 2 of 3 FOIA/DHSC/rvsd/01 Financial Year “Drug substitute”
Total Items Total Cost
2013/14 Buprenorph HCl/Naloxone HCl 2,236 £57,238.72 Buprenorphine Hydrochloride 568 £3,724.11 Lofexidine Hydrochloride 6 £257.25 Methadone Hydrochloride 1,845 £9,545.56 Naltrexone Hydrochloride 259 £769.29 2014/15 Buprenorph HCl/Naloxone HCl 2,310 £57,697.89 Buprenorphine Hydrochloride 614 £5,113.89 Lofexidine Hydrochloride 3 £80.41 Methadone Hydrochloride 1,653 £9,455.85 Naltrexone Hydrochloride 20 £297.49 2015/16 Buprenorph HCl/Naloxone HCl 2,470 £57,371.69 Buprenorphine Hydrochloride 842 £8,447.82 Lofexidine Hydrochloride 1 £49.58 Methadone Hydrochloride 1,828 £9,448.69 Naltrexone Hydrochloride 75 £465.70 2016/17 Buprenorph HCl/Naloxone HCl 2,908 £63,563.99 Buprenorphine Hydrochloride 1,085 £9,807.01 Lofexidine Hydrochloride 2 £171.82 Methadone Hydrochloride 2,028 £8,739.21 Naltrexone Hydrochloride 63 £447.27 Total

20,816 £302,693.26

Question 02: How many people are registered for this service in the same years? Please find the Department’s response to Question 02 from DAT. DAT take an annual snapshot of the number of patients registered with them who were prescribed Opiate Replacement medication (Methadone and other Drug Substitutes) at that time. Please see the following table: “Snapshot year” Number of patients prescribed Opiate Replacement Medication November 2015 122 October 2016 142

Page 3 of 3 FOIA/DHSC/rvsd/01 Your right to request a review
If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to the FOI Co-ordinator, Department of Health & Social Care, Chief Executive’s Officer, Crookall House, Demesne Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3QA. An electronic version and paper version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/how-to- make-a-freedom-of-information-request/ . Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on:

1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act; or
2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
   In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.
   Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at: www.inforights.im/information-centre/freedom-of-information. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact us. Yours Sincerely

Freedom of Information Team Department of Health and Social Care