Over The Counter Medicines

14th March 2019

From Monday 4 March until 1 April 2019 CCG’s across GM will be launching an engagement survey for local residents to give their views on the recommendations by NHS England to change how some medicines are routinely prescribed.

Last year NHS England completed a national consultation that looked at 33 routinely prescribed treatments that have limited clinical value or for conditions which will eventually get better of their own accord.  On average the NHS spends around £569 million a year on these treatments.

NHS England issued guidance following the consultation that is underpinned by the following principles:

• Encouraging people to take care of themselves and their families;
• Stopping the prescription of drugs which have limited clinical effectiveness;
• Reducing the prescription of drugs available over the counter for the treatment of minor conditions such as coughs and colds.

The medicines within the NHS England consultation are all readily available from community pharmacies and in many cases from supermarkets and other outlets.

The engagement will allow each CCG to determine what impact to local communities or groups need to be considered if the NHS England recommendations were to be introduced.

We want to make sure that you are aware the engagement is taking place and that you can encourage colleagues to complete the survey via the CCG website: Your Views – Over the counter medicines.

For more information you can also view the NHS England guidance published last year:  NHS England: Conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed.

Please contact James Brown at Stockport CCG if you require any further information james.brown12@nhs.net