"GPs issued 1.1 billion prescription items at a cost of £9.2 billion"
Brits have been warned that 36 health conditions will not be treated by the NHS.
Due to a crackdown on “unnecessary” spending, the NHS has stopped prescribing certain “over the counter” remedies for common ailments.
As a result, conditions such as cold sores, sore throats, migraines, and conjunctivitis are no longer treated on the NHS by default.
Additionally, products like cough syrup, paracetamol, eye drops, and sun creams are no longer being routinely prescribed.
Before, you could go to the doctor and have minor illnesses taken care of with a prescription. But now you will have to buy the product.
Stocking up on medicine may be inconvenient but for the NHS, it aims to save millions of pounds each year.
Many of these products can be purchased over the counter at a lower cost than what the NHS would incur.
According to NHS England, £22.8 million was spent annually on constipation treatment, £3 million on athlete’s foot and other fungal infections, and £4.5 million on dandruff shampoos.
River View Surgery said: “GPs issued 1.1 billion prescription items at a cost of £9.2 billion in 2015/16.
“The vast majority were appropriate but many were for medicines, products or treatments that do not require a prescription and can be purchased over the counter from pharmacies, supermarkets, petrol stations, corner shops or other retailers in some cases at a much lower cost than the price paid by the NHS.”
At the time of the announcement, NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said:
“The NHS is one of the most efficient health services in the world, but we’re determined to make taxpayers’ money go further.”
“The NHS should not be paying for low-value treatments and it’s right that we look at reducing prescriptions for medicines that patients can buy for a fraction of the price the NHS pays.”
Conditions No Longer treated by the NHS
- Acute sore throat
- Infrequent cold sores of the lip
- Conjunctivitis
- Coughs and colds and nasal congestion
- Cradle Cap (seborrhoeic dermatitis – infants)
- Haemorrhoids
- Infant colic
- Mild cystitis
- Mild irritant dermatitis
- Dandruff
- Diarrhoea (adults)
- Dry eyes/sore (tired) eyes
- Earwax
- Excessive sweating (Hyperhidrosis)
- Head lice
- Indigestion and heartburn
- Infrequent constipation
- Infrequent migraine
- Insect bites and sting
- Mild acne
- Mild dry skin
- Sunburn
- Sun protection
- Mild to moderate hay fever/seasonal rhinitis
- Minor burns and scalds
- Minor conditions associated with pain, discomfort and/fever. (eg aches and sprains, headache, period pain, back pain)
- Mouth ulcers
- Nappy rash
- Oral thrush
- Prevention of dental caries
- Ringworm
- Athlete’s foot
- Teething/mild toothache
- Threadworms
- Travel sickness
- Warts and verruca
Loading ...