The drugs refund scheme, which provides for a refund of any expenditure on prescribed drugs and medicines in excess of a specified amount over a prescribed period, was amended with effect from 1 August 1991.
Under the amended scheme, the prescribed periods for expenditure are the quarterly period commencing on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October in each year. A refund is made in respect of any expenditure in excess of £90 over the course of any of these periods.
These changes were only introduced to the drugs refund scheme in August 1991 and, accordingly, it is too early as yet to judge their full impact on actual expenditure and therefore the level of savings generated.