Prescriptions to manage diabetes in primary care cost the National Health Service some £2.2 million every day in 2013-14, according to a report published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

The analysis shows the net ingredient cost (before discounts and any dispensing costs or fees) for managing diabetes was £803.1 million in 2013-14, a 5.1% increase from the like, year-earlier period and a 56.3% rise on 2005-06. Some 9.5% of the total primary care drugs bill was spent on diabetes.

In 2013-14, there were 45.1 million prescriptions for managing diabetes, an average of 123,610 items per day, up 6.1% on last year. Seven out of ten were for type 2 diabetes drugs, a rise of 6.9% on 2012-13 and almost double the figure in 2005-06.

HSCIC chair Kingsley Manning said the report brings to light the rising costs for managing diabetes in primary care, noting that it “continues to be one of the most prevalent life-threatening conditions in England and now accounts for almost 10% of the drugs bill”. He added that the data “highlights the growing implications to the NHS and patients of managing this condition”.