HEALTH & WELLBEING: Changing face of over-the-counter medicines

NHS England has issued national guidance on ‘over-the-counter products’ that should not be prescribed by GP practices to ensure long-term sustainability. The guidance encourages people to care for their own minor self-treatable and/or self-limiting conditions which will get better with time.

Now that our schools are back after the summer break, coughs and colds season will soon be upon us. Whether it is our kids sharing their germs or the changes in temperature as Autumn approaches, there are quicker, easier and better ways to get the right medication than asking for a prescription from your GP.

Most ailments and illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, aches and pains can be self-treated at home with a well-stocked medicines cabinet. NHS 111 and pharmacists are highly qualified to give advice on a wide range of common health problems and the best way to treat them. However if your symptoms are severe and won’t go away then there are doctors available to provide advice.

The cost to the NHS for over-the-counter medicines is often higher than the price that they can be purchased for in the shops. These medicines can and should be bought without the need to see a doctor. GP practices across Rotherham no longer prescribe these medicines.

Paracetamol for example, be bought for as little as 19p for 16 tablets in the shops. But in Rotherham, we spend almost £600, 000 a year on prescribing paracetamol – this is the equivalent of over 2,200 ambulance trips!

If you suffer from chronic pain and take paracetamol every day, then a prescription is necessary. But for occasional use, it’s very easy and cheap to buy locally.

Other medication including ibruprofen, vitamin D tablets and antihistamines can also be bought cheaper than through NHS prescription. The cost of 30 vitamin D tablets is five times more on prescription than it is to buy locally.

So, if you get ill over the next few months, think about where you get your routine medication from. Do you really need to wait for an appointment in the GP practice or could you do your bit to help the NHS save money by buying it affordably in shops or pharmacies? 

For a full list of medicines that are no longer prescribed in Rotherham, visit www.rotherhamccg.nhs.uk