A CAMPAIGN by medical professionals across Darlington against over-prescribing medicines has saved £164,000 this year, figures reveal.

Statistics show huge savings have been made so far this year, through clamping down on the amount of medication prescribed to patients unnecessarily.

Many of the cuts made in the town are well above the national average.

The 11 GP practices across Darlington have worked with the town's primary care trust and a team of pharmaceutical advisors to spearhead the campaign, which was launched at the beginning of the year.

The trust has hailed the results as "brilliant".

The figures, unveiled at a board meeting of the Darlington trust, include:

* A 12 per cent drop in the number of prescribed antibiotics, a saving of £30,000;

* A ten per cent reduction in tranquilliser benzodiazepine - an £8,000 saving;

* A six per cent fall in non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, saving £50,000;

* A 29 per cent decrease in bactericidal quinolones - 57 per cent below the national figure - saving £7,000;

* A 13 per cent drop in prescriptions for the anti-depressant Dosulepin, leading to a £4,000 decrease in costs;

* A 38 per cent fall in painkiller co-proxamol, saving £8,000.

The statistics also reveal an 85 per cent rate of prescribing cheaper generic brands by GPs in the town, compared to the national figure of 81 per cent.

Medical professionals paid tribute to the campaign team's efforts, and welcomed the cuts made.

Efforts to minimise the use of drugs that could be used by people to take their own lives - and to replace them with non-fatal medicines that provide effective treatment - were also praised.

Colin Morris, the trust's chief executive, said the figures showed a "phenomenal performance" by the team.

Chris Williams, the trust's pharmaceutical advisor, said: "All practices achieved their targets and there have been reductions across the board.

"A lot of work has gone into this and the GPs took exceptional steps while the public awareness campaign helped."

Carol Charlton, the trust's professional executive committee chairman, said: "Our GPs and their staff have worked hard to make changes and we congratulate them."