Volume Comparators - Items/STAR PU

Access information

To gain access to 'Catalyst', you will be required to input an ID and password:
ID - NHSBSAGuest
Password - Password12345
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About this dashboard

The Items/STAR PU report in ePACT2 provides a demographic-adjusted view of prescribing volume by comparing the number of items prescribed per Specific Therapeutic Group Age-Sex Related Prescribing Unit (STAR PU). STAR PU accounts for differences in patient populations, such as age and sex, which influence prescribing needs for specific therapeutic groups.

This report enables fair comparison of prescribing activity across practices, SICBLs, and ICBs, helping identify unwarranted variation. It is particularly useful for monitoring prescribing in areas such as antibiotics, cardiovascular medicines, and mental health drugs, where demographic factors significantly affect demand.

Users can filter data by therapeutic group and time period, view trends, and benchmark against regional and national averages. The report supports medicines optimisation by highlighting practices or organisations that may require further review or intervention.

The aim of this report is to promote equitable and appropriate prescribing by adjusting for population differences. It helps commissioners and providers understand whether variation is clinically justified and informs strategies for improvement. While the report offers valuable insights, it should be used alongside other dashboards and clinical guidance to ensure that prescribing decisions remain patient-centred.

Contact and feedback

If you have any queries regarding the data provided contact data services support If you plan to publish the data include the name of the dataset for reference (this ensures that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented).