GP Prescribing Intensity in Black Country
Real NHSBSA prescribing data for NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, March 2026 — antibiotic, antidepressant and opioid items per 1,000 patients, plus the Gera Prescribing Intensity Index (GPII).
What are the antibiotic, antidepressant and opioid prescribing rates in Black Country?
In March 2026, Black Country had 51.3 antibiotic, 122.2 antidepressant and 30.5 opioid items per 1,000 registered patients, giving a Gera Prescribing Intensity Index of 43.9/100 (rank 22 of 42), close to England average, per NHSBSA EPD data.
| Category | Black Country rate | England rate | vs National | Total items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics (BNF ch05) | 51.3 /1k | 48.8 /1k | +2.4 | 68,800 |
| Antidepressants (§04.03) | 122.2 /1k | 128.5 /1k | -6.3 | 163,977 |
| Opioid analgesics (§04.07.02) | 30.5 /1k | 29.8 /1k | +0.7 | 40,945 |
| Registered patients | 1,342,206 | 63,766,671 | — | — |
| GPII (0–100) | 43.9 / 100 | ≈42.6 (England equiv.) | Rank 22 of 42 | — |
Compare prescribing rates across ICBs
Pick any Integrated Care Board to see its antibiotic, antidepressant and opioid rates vs the England average, with GPII rank.
How Black Country compares to other ICBs
GPII rank 22 of 42. ICBs near the top of the intensity scale:
GP prescribing in Black Country: frequently asked questions
- What is the antibiotic prescribing rate in Black Country?
- In March 2026, Black Country had 51.3 antibiotic items per 1,000 registered patients (BNF chapter 05: Infections), from 68,800 total antibiotic items across 1,342,206 registered patients. The England average is 48.8 per 1,000; Black Country is +2.4 vs national.
- How does Black Country's antidepressant prescribing compare to England?
- Black Country had 122.2 antidepressant items per 1,000 patients (BNF §04.03) in March 2026, compared to the England average of 128.5 per 1,000 — -6.3 vs national. Total antidepressant items: 163,977.
- What is the opioid prescribing rate in Black Country?
- Black Country prescribed 30.5 opioid analgesic items per 1,000 patients (BNF §04.07.02) in March 2026. The England average is 29.8 per 1,000; Black Country is +0.7 vs national. Total opioid items: 40,945.
- What is Black Country's GPII and what does it mean?
- Black Country scores 43.9/100 on the Gera Prescribing Intensity Index — close to England average. The GPII combines antibiotic, antidepressant and opioid rates (each normalised against the England average) into a single 0–100 score. GPII 100 = NHS North East and North Cumbria (highest intensity); GPII 0 = NHS North West London (lowest). Black Country ranks 22 of 42. See the methodology for the full formula.
Concerned about your prescriptions or health trends in Black Country?
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Contains public sector information published by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS Business Services Authority — English Prescribing Dataset (EPD) with SNOMED Code, March 2026 (March 2026, published May 2026).