This is a Freedom of Information request regarding usage of certain products in all NHS Trusts, these products are:

  • Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules
  • Melatonin 1mg/ml oral solution,
  • Melatonin 2mg Capsules,
  • Melatonin 3mg Capsules,
  • Melatonin 5mg Capsules,
  • Melatonin 3mg Tablets
  • Mexiletine 200mg capsules
  • Diazoxide 50mg/ml oral suspension
  1. How many packs of these products were dispensed quarterlyin 2015?

Please see refusal notice below.

Quarter 1
Jan-Mar 2015 / Quarter 2
Apr-Jun 2015 / Quarter 3
Jul-Sept 2015 / Quarter 4
Oct-Dec 2015
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Single pack
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Pack of 5
Melatonin 1mg/ml Oral Solution
Melatonin 2mg Capsules
Melatonin 3mg Capsules
Melatonin 5mg Capsules
Melatonin 3mg Tablets
Mexiletine 200mg Capsules
Diazoxide 50mg/ml Oral Suspension
  1. How many packs of these products were dispensed quarterlyin 2016?

Please see refusal notice below.

Quarter 1
Jan-Mar 2016 / Quarter 2
Apr-Jun 2016 / Quarter 3
Jul-Sept 2016 / Quarter 4
Oct-Dec 2016
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Single pack
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Pack of 5
Melatonin 1mg/ml Oral Solution
Melatonin 2mg Capsules
Melatonin 3mg Capsules
Melatonin 5mg Capsules
Melatonin 3mg Tablets
Mexiletine 200mg Capsules
Diazoxide 50mg/ml Oral Suspension
  1. How many packs of these products were dispensed quarterly in 2017?

Please see refusal notice below.

Quarter 1
Jan-Mar 2017 / Quarter 2
Apr-Jun 2017 / Quarter 3
Jul-Sept 2017 / Quarter 4
Oct-Dec 2017
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Single pack
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Pack of 5
Melatonin 1mg/ml Oral Solution
Melatonin 2mg Capsules
Melatonin 3mg Capsules
Melatonin 5mg Capsules
Melatonin 3mg Tablets
Mexiletine 200mg Capsules
Diazoxide 50mg/ml Oral Suspension
  1. What was the annual spend for each product between 2015 and 2017?

2015/16 / 2016/17 / 2017/18
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Single pack / £38064.36 / £11697.36 / £3547.56
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Pack of 5 / 0 / 0 / £1361.62
Melatonin 1mg/ml Oral Solution- Single pack / £17371.76 / £5390.02 / £1639.64
Melatonin 2mg Capsules- Single pack / £10600.18 / £1556.17 / £387.65
Melatonin 3mg Capsules- Single pack / £1680.94 / £393.14 / £328.96
Melatonin 5mg Capsules- Single pack / 0 / 0 / 0
Melatonin 3mg Tablets – Single pack / 0 / 0 / 0
Mexiletine 200mg Capsules- Single pack / £6680.88 / £1031.32 / £1754.32
Diazoxide 50mg/ml Oral Suspension- Single pack / £172.54 / 0 / £214.80
  1. What was the cost per unit of each product between 2015 and 2017 to your organisation?

Please see refusal notice below.

2015 / 2016 / 2017
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Single pack
Iloprost 0.5mg/0.5ml Ampoules – Pack of 5
Melatonin 1mg/ml Oral Solution
Melatonin 2mg Capsules- Single pack
Melatonin 3mg Capsules- Single pack
Melatonin 5mg Capsules- Single pack
Melatonin 3mg Tablets – Single pack
Mexiletine 200mg Capsules- Single pack
Diazoxide 50mg/ml Oral Suspension- Single pack

Refusal Notice Section 43 for questions 1,2,3 & 5

Commercially sensitive information relating to the value has not been disclosed here as we consider that Section 43 (2) ‘prejudice to the commercial interests of any party’ of the FOI act is engaged. Disclosure of this information could be commercially detrimental to the Trust and companies acting on our behalf and result in less competitive prices for services. The likely consequence of this would be increased cost for service provision to the Trust. We have considered how the public interest might apply, and although recognising that there is a strong public interest in openness, there is a greater public interest in ensuring an ability to obtain best value for money