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 | Proportion of prescription items of flucloxacillin 500mg capsules with quantity greater than 20 capsules |
|---|---|
| Why it matters | The most common indication for the prescribing of flucloxacillin in primary care is the treatment of skin and wound infections. NICE guidance recommends for example that, where flucloxacillin is used for cellulitis, the dose is 500mg to 1g four times a day for 5 to 7 days. The upper dose of 1g four times a day is off label and our data shows the majority of prescription are for 28 capsules of 500mg, which is likely to represent a 7 day course at a dose of 500mg four times a day. Reducing durations to 5 days, where appropriate, reduces the exposure to antibiotics and the associated risks. There are however some occasions which will require higher doses or 7 days or even longer durations of flucloxacillin for example, unresolving cellulitis. |
| Tags | |
| Implies cost savings | No |
| History | View change history on GitHub → |
SELECT
CAST(month AS DATE) AS month,
practice AS practice_id,
SUM(items) AS numerator
FROM hscic.raw_prescribing_normalised
WHERE bnf_code LIKE '0501012G0%AB' AND quantity_per_item > 20 --Flucloxacillin 500mg capsules (brands and generic)
GROUP BY month, practice_idSELECT
CAST(month AS DATE) AS month,
practice AS practice_id,
SUM(items) AS denominator
FROM hscic.raw_prescribing_normalised
WHERE bnf_code LIKE '0501012G0%AB' --Flucloxacillin 500mg capsules (brands and generic)
GROUP BY month, practice_id