Last year the NHS spent approximately £569million on prescriptions for medicines for minor conditions which could have been bought over the counter from a high street pharmacy or supermarket.

By spending less money on treating conditions that will get better by themselves, or can be easily treated by you, at home, we will have more money to spend on maintaining the services we have and investing in new ones.

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Every £1million saved on prescriptions for over the counter treatments could pay for:

39

more community nurses OR

270

more hip replacements OR

66

more drug treatment courses for breast cancer OR

1,000

more drug treatment courses for Alzheimer’s OR

60,000

more GP appointments
(excluding admin and practice staff time)

Our survey is now closed.

We recently invited patients and members of the public to share their views on purchasing over the counter medicines for minor conditions. The information provided via this survey is currently being compiled in to a report which will enable us to review how we spend NHS money in the future, ensuring everyone can get the prescription medicines they need, when they need them.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our survey and we will share the results as soon as they are available.

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What is happening to my prescriptions?

You may find that your doctor or healthcare professional will no longer give you a prescription for a medicine that you can buy over the counter.

The NHS has identified a range of minor ailments and conditions that can be easily treated with over the counter medicines that you can buy from the supermarket or high-street pharmacy.

Items such as vitamins, minerals and other supplements including probiotics may no longer be prescribed.

Conditions that do not require medical advice or treatment as they will clear up on their own include:

acute sore throat

cold sores

conjunctivitis and styes

coughs and colds and nasal congestion

cradle cap and colic in babies

haemorrhoids (piles)

mild cystitis

Minor conditions that are suitable for treatment with items that can easily be purchased over the counter include:

contact dermatitis

dandruff

diarrhoea (adults)

dry eyes/sore tired eyes

earwax

excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)

head lice

indigestion and heartburn

occasional constipation

infrequent migraine

insect bites and stings

mild acne

mild dry skin

mild sunburn

mild to moderate hay fever/allergic rhinitis

minor burns and scalds

minor conditions associated with pain, discomfort and fever (such as aches and sprains, headache, period pain, back pain)

mouth ulcers

nappy rash

oral thrush

prevention of dental caries

ringworm/athletes foot

teething/mild toothache

threadworms

travel sickness

warts and verrucas

Your medicine cabinet

Taking care of yourself and your family

A well-stocked medicine cabinet is a must-have for every household. We asked doctors, nurses and pharmacists to tell us what could be in yours.

All the items listed can be bought over the counter from a chemist or supermarket – you don’t need a prescription.

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  • Calpol and baby ibuprofen; head lice treatments (if you have children or visiting children)
  • Sticking plasters of various sizes
  • Cough medicine
  • Throat lozenges e.g. Tyrozets
  • Paracetamol tablets
  • Ibuprofen tablets
  • Aspirin tablets
  • Hay fever tablets
  • Eye drops
  • Insect bite and sting cream (anti-histamine e.g. Piriton)
  • Antiseptic cream (e.g. Savlon)
  • Antiseptic fluid (e.g. Dettol; TCP)
  • Sterilising fluid or tablets (e.g. Milton)
  • A roll of crepe bandage
  • Dressing tape
  • Safety pins of various sizes
  • Tubigrip bandage in various sizes
  • Small scissors and Tweezers
  • Indigestion remedies (liquid or tablet e.g. Gaviscon)
  • Diarrhoea remedies (e.g. Immodium)
  • Constipation remedies (e.g. Senokot)
  • Thrush cream
  • Haemorrhoid cream (e.g. Anusol)

Contact

If you have any queries or would like more information, please get in touch

The survey referred to above links to an external website. The information collected in this survey will be collated by Standout Media Ltd on behalf of the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Clinical Commissioning Groups for the purpose of understanding views on how some medicines are currently prescribed to inform our future approach. We want to make sure we are using our resources in the best possible way whilst ensuring sure everyone has access to the medication they need, when they need it. A report will be produced by Standout Media and will be received by the region’s Clinical Commissioning Groups, to agree next steps. Standout Media will not store any of the information collected once it is returned to NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group, as the host organisation, with the information not being used for any other purpose than this survey and campaign.

By filling out the questionnaire, you consent to your information being used for this purpose. If you decide you no longer wish to give your information, please get in touch at helloworkingtogether@nhs.net so that this can be deleted. All questions are voluntary however, with more information provided, more informed decisions can be made. This survey complies with General Data Protection Regulation 2018. If you have queries or concerns regarding your person rights under GDPR, please contact us at helloworkingtogether@nhs.net / 0114 305 1479.