Prescriptions for cough and cold medicines and other common medicines could be scrapped by Birmingham GPs under new cost saving plans being considered.
The Sandwell and West Birmingham group of GPs wants to stop prescribing for drugs and treatments for minor illnesses where drugs are available over the counter in pharmacies for less than the £8.40 prescription charge.
They will also stop prescribing treatments where there is low clinical benefit or a better alternative is available.
On the list for consideration are cold remedies, common pain killers like paracetamol, sun cream, skin cream, gluten-free foods, travel vaccines, omega 3 fish and fish oils, co-proxamol pain killers and muscle pain rubs.
The NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group is suggesting GPs no longer prescribe this and patients attend a pharmacy instead.
It costs the NHS £7.13 to prescribe a packet of paracetamol - including staff time, but these are available for about 30p at a pharmacy or supermarket.
Similarly a gluten free loaf costs £2 in Tesco but the cost to the NHS on prescription is £9.31
As well as save money cutting these minor prescriptions will also save time This will in turn give GPs more time to see other patients.
Dr Gwyn Harris, clinical lead for medicines quality said: “All NHS organisations face the challenge of how they can spend their budget most effectively for the greatest benefit to their patients. We know that we spend money on treating some conditions where there is no proven medical benefit and there is no clinical need to treat.
“We could use this money more effectively for the benefit of our patients. If we make these changes, then we will be able to invest in new, effective and high cost treatments for serious conditions such as heart failure, psoriasis and Crohn’s disease.”
At a national level the NHS hopes to save about £128 million by cutting prescriptions for low value and low priority treatments.
How to comment on the plans
The consultation runs until July 13, 2017.
A full list of medicines and a survey are available at https://sandwellandwestbhamccg.nhs.uk/consultations .
The group has also organised two consultation events:
Thursday, June 22 at Handsworth Fire Station, Rookery Road from 2pm.
Thursday, June 29 at YMCA, Carters Green, West Bromwich from 6pm.
