GP Prescribing Intensity in Dorset
Real NHSBSA prescribing data for NHS Dorset 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 Dorset?
In March 2026, Dorset had 50.0 antibiotic, 134.0 antidepressant and 29.8 opioid items per 1,000 registered patients, giving a Gera Prescribing Intensity Index of 45.1/100 (rank 21 of 42), close to England average, per NHSBSA EPD data.
| Category | Dorset rate | England rate | vs National | Total items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics (BNF ch05) | 50.0 /1k | 48.8 /1k | +1.1 | 41,556 |
| Antidepressants (§04.03) | 134.0 /1k | 128.5 /1k | +5.5 | 111,461 |
| Opioid analgesics (§04.07.02) | 29.8 /1k | 29.8 /1k | -0.1 | 24,754 |
| Registered patients | 832,006 | 63,766,671 | — | — |
| GPII (0–100) | 45.1 / 100 | ≈42.6 (England equiv.) | Rank 21 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 Dorset compares to other ICBs
GPII rank 21 of 42. ICBs near the top of the intensity scale:
GP prescribing in Dorset: frequently asked questions
- What is the antibiotic prescribing rate in Dorset?
- In March 2026, Dorset had 50.0 antibiotic items per 1,000 registered patients (BNF chapter 05: Infections), from 41,556 total antibiotic items across 832,006 registered patients. The England average is 48.8 per 1,000; Dorset is +1.1 vs national.
- How does Dorset's antidepressant prescribing compare to England?
- Dorset had 134.0 antidepressant items per 1,000 patients (BNF §04.03) in March 2026, compared to the England average of 128.5 per 1,000 — +5.5 vs national. Total antidepressant items: 111,461.
- What is the opioid prescribing rate in Dorset?
- Dorset prescribed 29.8 opioid analgesic items per 1,000 patients (BNF §04.07.02) in March 2026. The England average is 29.8 per 1,000; Dorset is -0.1 vs national. Total opioid items: 24,754.
- What is Dorset's GPII and what does it mean?
- Dorset scores 45.1/100 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). Dorset ranks 21 of 42. See the methodology for the full formula.
Concerned about your prescriptions or health trends in Dorset?
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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).