GP Prescribing Intensity in North East and North Cumbria
Real NHSBSA prescribing data for NHS North East and North Cumbria 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 North East and North Cumbria?
In March 2026, North East and North Cumbria had 60.4 antibiotic, 218.1 antidepressant and 60.6 opioid items per 1,000 registered patients, giving a Gera Prescribing Intensity Index of 100/100 (rank 1 of 42), substantially above England average, per NHSBSA EPD data.
| Category | North East and North Cumbria rate | England rate | vs National | Total items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics (BNF ch05) | 60.4 /1k | 48.8 /1k | +11.6 | 195,338 |
| Antidepressants (§04.03) | 218.1 /1k | 128.5 /1k | +89.6 | 705,082 |
| Opioid analgesics (§04.07.02) | 60.6 /1k | 29.8 /1k | +30.7 | 195,791 |
| Registered patients | 3,233,237 | 63,766,671 | — | — |
| GPII (0–100) | 100 / 100 | ≈42.6 (England equiv.) | Rank 1 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.
North East and North Cumbria
NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board
North East and North Cumbria is substantially above England average across the three key prescribing chapters — ranked 1 of 42 ICBs by combined prescribing intensity (March 2026).
| Category | This ICB /1k | England /1k | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics | 60.4 | 48.8 | +11.6 |
| Antidepressants | 218.1 | 128.5 | +89.6 |
| Opioid analgesics | 60.6 | 29.8 | +30.7 |
Registered patients: 3,233,237 (QOF HYP listSize 2024/25). Data: NHSBSA EPD March 2026, OGL v3.0. Full North East and North Cumbria page →
How North East and North Cumbria compares to other ICBs
GPII rank 1 of 42. ICBs near the top of the intensity scale:
GP prescribing in North East and North Cumbria: frequently asked questions
- What is the antibiotic prescribing rate in North East and North Cumbria?
- In March 2026, North East and North Cumbria had 60.4 antibiotic items per 1,000 registered patients (BNF chapter 05: Infections), from 195,338 total antibiotic items across 3,233,237 registered patients. The England average is 48.8 per 1,000; North East and North Cumbria is +11.6 vs national.
- How does North East and North Cumbria's antidepressant prescribing compare to England?
- North East and North Cumbria had 218.1 antidepressant items per 1,000 patients (BNF §04.03) in March 2026, compared to the England average of 128.5 per 1,000 — +89.6 vs national. Total antidepressant items: 705,082.
- What is the opioid prescribing rate in North East and North Cumbria?
- North East and North Cumbria prescribed 60.6 opioid analgesic items per 1,000 patients (BNF §04.07.02) in March 2026. The England average is 29.8 per 1,000; North East and North Cumbria is +30.7 vs national. Total opioid items: 195,791.
- What is North East and North Cumbria's GPII and what does it mean?
- North East and North Cumbria scores 100/100 on the Gera Prescribing Intensity Index — substantially above 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). North East and North Cumbria ranks 1 of 42. See the methodology for the full formula.
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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).