Environmental impact of inhalers - prescribing of non-salbutamol Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs)

Below are the database queries which are used to create this measure. These are run against a copy of the BSA prescribing data which we store in Google BigQuery. We're working on making our BigQuery tables publicly available at which point it will be possible to run and modify these queries yourself. But even where code and database queries are not directly useable by others we believe it is always preferable to make them public.

Description MDIs prescribed as a proportion of all inhalers in BNF Chapter 3, excluding salbutamol
Why it matters The NHS has committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 80% by 2028 to 2032, including a shift to lower carbon inhalers. Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and other newer types of inhalers like soft mist inhalers are less harmful to the environment than traditional metered dose inhalers (MDIs).

The NHS England National Medicines Optimisation Opportunities for 2023/24 identify reducing carbon emissions from inhalers as an area for improvement.

NICE has produced a inhaler decision aid to facilitiate discussion about inhaler options.

Tags Standard, Greener NHS, NICE, National medicines optimisation opportunities, Respiratory
Implies cost savings No
Authored by richard.croker
Checked by andrew.brown
Last reviewed 2023-09-12
Next review due 2024-09-12
Associated notebook https://github.com/ebmdatalab/jupyter-notebooks/blob/master/new_measures/Drafts/Enviromental%20Inhalers/Environmental%20Inhalers.ipynb
History View change history on GitHub →

Numerator SQL

SELECT
     CAST(month AS DATE) AS month,
     practice AS practice_id,
     SUM(items) AS numerator
 FROM hscic.normalised_prescribing
 WHERE bnf_code IN ("0301011ABBBAAA0", "0301011E0AAADAD", "0301011E0BDAAAD", "0301011U0AAACAC", "0301011U0AAAHAH", "0301011U0BBACAC", "0301011U0BBAFAH", "0301011U0BEAAAH", "0301011U0BFAAAH", "0301011U0BGAAAH", "0301020I0AAAAAA", "0301020I0AAANAN", "0301020I0BBAAAA", "0301020I0BBAGAG", "0301020I0BBAJAN", "0301020I0BIAAAN", "0301020I0BJAAAN", "0301040AAAAAAAA", "0301040AABBAAAA", "0301040M0BBAAAA", "0301040R0BBAAAA", "0302000C0AAAAAA", "0302000C0AAABAB", "0302000C0AAACAC", "0302000C0AAARAR", "0302000C0AAASAS", "0302000C0AAATAT", "0302000C0AABEBE", "0302000C0AABFBF", "0302000C0AABGBG", "0302000C0AABHBH", "0302000C0AABVBV", "0302000C0AABWBW", "0302000C0AABXBX", "0302000C0AABZBZ", "0302000C0BBAAAC", "0302000C0BCAHAB", "0302000C0BCAIAA", "0302000C0BCAQAR", "0302000C0BEACAT", "0302000C0BFAAAA", "0302000C0BFABAB", "0302000C0BFACAC", "0302000C0BFADAS", "0302000C0BFAFAU", "0302000C0BFAGAR", "0302000C0BJAABE", "0302000C0BJABBF", "0302000C0BJACBG", "0302000C0BJADBH", "0302000C0BJAEBG", "0302000C0BJAFBH", "0302000C0BPAABE", "0302000C0BPABBF", "0302000C0BPACBV", "0302000C0BPADBW", "0302000C0BQAABX", "0302000C0BQABBZ", "0302000C0BSAABE", "0302000C0BSABBF", "0302000C0BTAABE", "0302000C0BTABBV", "0302000C0BTACBF", "0302000C0BTADBW", "0302000C0BUAABX", "0302000C0BUABBZ", "0302000C0BVAABF", "0302000C0BVABBV", "0302000C0BWAABX", "0302000C0BWABBZ", "0302000K0AAAAAA", "0302000K0AAADAD", "0302000K0AAAZAZ", "0302000K0AABABA", "0302000K0AABBBB", "0302000K0AABCBC", "0302000K0BBADAD", "0302000K0BBAMAZ", "0302000K0BBANBA", "0302000K0BDADBB", "0302000K0BDAEBC", "0302000N0AABABA", "0302000N0AABCBC", "0302000N0AABEBE", "0302000N0AABFBF", "0302000N0AABGBG", "0302000N0AABHBH", "0302000N0AABJBJ", "0302000N0AABKBK", "0302000N0AABLBL", "0302000N0AABPBP", "0302000N0AABQBQ", "0302000N0BBAYBA", "0302000N0BBBABC", "0302000N0BBBBBH", "0302000N0BCADBE", "0302000N0BCAEBF", "0302000N0BCAFBG", "0302000N0BDAABJ", "0302000N0BDABBK", "0302000N0BDACBL", "0302000N0BDADBP", "0302000N0BDAEBQ", "0302000N0BFAABF", "0302000N0BFABBG", "0302000N0BGABBF", "0302000N0BGACBG", "0302000N0BIAABF", "0302000N0BIABBG", "0302000N0BJAABF", "0302000N0BJABBG", "0302000N0BLAABE", "0302000N0BLABBF", "0302000N0BLACBG", "0302000N0BPAABE", "0302000N0BPABBF", "0302000N0BPACBG", "0302000U0AAAAAA", "0302000U0AAABAB", "0302000U0BBAAAA", "0302000U0BBABAB", "0302000Y0AAAAAA", "0302000Y0BBAAAA", "0303010J0AAADAD", "0303010J0BBAFAD", "0303010Q0AAANAN", "0303010Q0BBAFAB", "0303010Q0BBALAN")
 GROUP BY month, practice_id

Denominator SQL

SELECT
     CAST(month AS DATE) AS month,
     practice AS practice_id,
     SUM(items) AS denominator
 FROM hscic.normalised_prescribing
 WHERE bnf_code IN ("0301011ABAAAAAA", "0301011ABBBAAA0", "0301011ABBBABAA", "0301011ABBBACAB", "0301011E0AAAAAA", "0301011E0AAABAB", "0301011E0AAACAC", "0301011E0AAADAD", "0301011E0BBAAAA", "0301011E0BCAAAB", "0301011E0BCABAC", "0301011E0BDAAAD", "0301011E0BEAAAC", "0301011U0AAAAAA", "0301011U0AAABAB", "0301011U0AAACAC", "0301011U0AAAEAE", "0301011U0AAAHAH", "0301011U0BBAAAA", "0301011U0BBACAC", "0301011U0BBAEAE", "0301011U0BBAFAH", "0301011U0BEAAAH", "0301011U0BFAAAH", "0301011U0BGAAAH", "0301011V0AABBBB", "0301011V0BBARBB", "0301011X0AAAAAA", "0301011X0AAABAB", "0301011X0BBAAAA", "0301011X0BBABAB", "0301011Z0AAAAAA", "0301011Z0AAABAB", "0301011Z0BBAAAA", "0301011Z0BBABAB", "0301020I0AAAAAA", "0301020I0AAANAN", "0301020I0BBAAAA", "0301020I0BBAGAG", "0301020I0BBAJAN", "0301020I0BIAAAN", "0301020I0BJAAAN", "0301020Q0AAAAAA", "0301020Q0AAABAB", "0301020Q0AAACAC", "0301020Q0AAADAD", "0301020Q0AAAEAE", "0301020Q0BBAAAA", "0301020Q0BBABAB", "0301020Q0BBACAC", "0301020Q0BBADAE", "0301020Q0BCAAAD", "0301020Q0BDAAAA", "0301020Q0BEAAAA", "0301020Q0BEABAB", "0301020R0AAAAAA", "0301020R0BBAAAA", "0301020S0AAAAAA", "0301020S0BBAAAA", "0301020T0AAAAAA", "0301020T0BBAAAA", "0301040AAAAAAAA", "0301040AABBAAAA", "0301040M0BBAAAA", "0301040R0BBAAAA", "0301040V0AAAAAA", "0301040V0BBAAAA", "0301040W0AAAAAA", "0301040W0BBAAAA", "0301040X0AAAAAA", "0301040X0AAABAB", "0301040X0BBAAAA", "0301040X0BBABAB", "0301040X0BCAAAA", "0301040Y0AAAAAA", "0301040Y0BBAAAA", "0302000C0AAAAAA", "0302000C0AAABAB", "0302000C0AAACAC", "0302000C0AAARAR", "0302000C0AAASAS", "0302000C0AAATAT", "0302000C0AABEBE", "0302000C0AABFBF", "0302000C0AABGBG", "0302000C0AABHBH", "0302000C0AABJBJ", "0302000C0AABSBS", "0302000C0AABUBU", "0302000C0AABVBV", "0302000C0AABWBW", "0302000C0AABXBX", "0302000C0AABYBY", "0302000C0AABZBZ", "0302000C0AACACA", "0302000C0BBAAAC", "0302000C0BCAHAB", "0302000C0BCAIAA", "0302000C0BCAQAR", "0302000C0BEACAT", "0302000C0BFAAAA", "0302000C0BFABAB", "0302000C0BFACAC", "0302000C0BFADAS", "0302000C0BFAFAU", "0302000C0BFAGAR", "0302000C0BHADAK", "0302000C0BHAEAJ", "0302000C0BHAFAQ", "0302000C0BIAEBJ", "0302000C0BJAABE", "0302000C0BJABBF", "0302000C0BJACBG", "0302000C0BJADBH", "0302000C0BJAEBG", "0302000C0BJAFBH", "0302000C0BLABBJ", "0302000C0BNAABU", "0302000C0BPAABE", "0302000C0BPABBF", "0302000C0BPACBV", "0302000C0BPADBW", "0302000C0BQAABX", "0302000C0BQABBZ", "0302000C0BRAABY", "0302000C0BRABCA", "0302000C0BSAABE", "0302000C0BSABBF", "0302000C0BTAABE", "0302000C0BTABBV", "0302000C0BTACBF", "0302000C0BTADBW", "0302000C0BUAABX", "0302000C0BUABBZ", "0302000C0BVAABF", "0302000C0BVABBV", "0302000C0BWAABX", "0302000C0BWABBZ", "0302000K0AAAAAA", "0302000K0AAADAD", "0302000K0AAAGAG", "0302000K0AAAHAH", "0302000K0AAAKAK", "0302000K0AAALAL", "0302000K0AAAMAM", "0302000K0AAAUAU", "0302000K0AAAVAV", "0302000K0AAAWAW", "0302000K0AAAZAZ", "0302000K0AABABA", "0302000K0AABBBB", "0302000K0AABCBC", "0302000K0BBADAD", "0302000K0BBAHAG", "0302000K0BBAIAH", "0302000K0BBAKAK", "0302000K0BBAMAZ", "0302000K0BBANBA", "0302000K0BDAAAL", "0302000K0BDABAM", "0302000K0BDACAU", "0302000K0BDADBB", "0302000K0BDAEBC", "0302000K0BFAAAV", "0302000K0BFABAW", "0302000K0BGAAAK", "0302000K0BGABAG", "0302000K0BGACAH", "0302000K0BHAAAM", "0302000K0BHABAU", "0302000K0BIAAAU", "0302000K0BIABAM", "0302000K0BIADAL", "0302000K0BJAAAM", "0302000K0BJABAU", "0302000K0BKAAAM", "0302000K0BKABAU", "0302000N0AAAEAE", "0302000N0AAARAR", "0302000N0AAASAS", "0302000N0AAATAT", "0302000N0AAAUAU", "0302000N0AAAXAX", "0302000N0AAAYAY", "0302000N0AAAZAZ", "0302000N0AABABA", "0302000N0AABCBC", "0302000N0AABEBE", "0302000N0AABFBF", "0302000N0AABGBG", "0302000N0AABHBH", "0302000N0AABJBJ", "0302000N0AABKBK", "0302000N0AABLBL", "0302000N0AABPBP", "0302000N0AABQBQ", "0302000N0AABRBR", "0302000N0AABSBS", "0302000N0BBARAR", "0302000N0BBASAS", "0302000N0BBATAT", "0302000N0BBAUAU", "0302000N0BBAYBA", "0302000N0BBBABC", "0302000N0BBBBBH", "0302000N0BCAAAX", "0302000N0BCABAY", "0302000N0BCACAZ", "0302000N0BCADBE", "0302000N0BCAEBF", "0302000N0BCAFBG", "0302000N0BDAABJ", "0302000N0BDABBK", "0302000N0BDACBL", "0302000N0BDADBP", "0302000N0BDAEBQ", "0302000N0BFAABF", "0302000N0BFABBG", "0302000N0BGAAAZ", "0302000N0BGABBF", "0302000N0BGACBG", "0302000N0BHAAAZ", "0302000N0BIAABF", "0302000N0BIABBG", "0302000N0BIACAY", "0302000N0BIADAZ", "0302000N0BJAABF", "0302000N0BJABBG", "0302000N0BKAAAY", "0302000N0BKABAZ", "0302000N0BLAABE", "0302000N0BLABBF", "0302000N0BLACBG", "0302000N0BMAAAZ", "0302000N0BNAAAZ", "0302000N0BNABAY", "0302000N0BNACAX", "0302000N0BPAABE", "0302000N0BPABBF", "0302000N0BPACBG", "0302000N0BQAABR", "0302000N0BQABBS", "0302000N0BRAAAX", "0302000N0BRABAY", "0302000N0BRACAZ", "0302000R0AAAAAA", "0302000R0AAACAC", "0302000R0BBAAAA", "0302000R0BBACAC", "0302000U0AAAAAA", "0302000U0AAABAB", "0302000U0BBAAAA", "0302000U0BBABAB", "0302000V0AAAAAA", "0302000V0AAABAB", "0302000V0BBAAAA", "0302000V0BBABAB", "0302000X0AAAAAA", "0302000X0AAABAB", "0302000X0AAACAC", "0302000X0BBAAAA", "0302000X0BBABAB", "0302000X0BBACAC", "0302000Y0AAAAAA", "0302000Y0BBAAAA", "0302000Z0AAAAAA", "0302000Z0BBAAAA", "0303010J0AAADAD", "0303010J0BBAFAD", "0303010Q0AAANAN", "0303010Q0BBAFAB", "0303010Q0BBALAN", "0307000R0AAAAAA", "0307000R0BBAAAA")
 GROUP BY month, practice_id
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