Health bosses agree new restrictions on costly prescriptions

At meeting of the governing body on Thursday, Lincolnshire East Clinical Commissioning Group approved plans to restrict prescribing over the counter/minor ailment medicines for ‘short term self-limiting conditions’.

It also agreed to restrict prescription of bread, flour and bread mixes ‘only to within Coeliac UK recommended quantities’, as well as baby milk (including specialist infant formula) and oral nutritional supplements in line with national guidance.

Report lead and Accountable officer for the CCG Gary James told the body: “At times like this, we have to think very carefully how we get the very best value for everything in the NHS.”

The report before council said the four CCG’s in Lincolnshire spent about £13.5 million per year on over the counter medicines.

Last year, they spent £472,000 on gluten-free food – the equivalent to 30 treatments for breast cancer.

In addition £2.9 million is spent annually on nutritional supplements, while £740,000 goes on specialist infant formula.

Public consultations on the proposals received 1,448 survey responses as well as reaching 22,500 people via social media.

Of the survey responses 85 per cent were in agreement to the proposal to restrict over the counter medicines, while 53 per cent agreed with the restrictions ongluten-free products.

Sixty-four per cent agreed to restricting specialist baby milk and infant formulae and 72 per cent agreed to restrict nutritional supplements.

Concerns were raised about the impact on deprived or low income families, the difficulty regarding repeat prescriptions and the impact on patients in care homes.

There were also calls for people to get more support if they were to lose prescriptions – including, for example, widely available gluten free recipes, or support sessions around the county.

Some of the restrictionsbegan on Monday and the CCG will now look into how best to implement the restrictions.

Health services and patients will be guided through the implementation, and advice and information will be issued to surgeries – including posters and leaflets.

Here are some of the over the counter medicines which will have restrictions on prescriptions begin over the next few months.

l Painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol

l Cold and cold remedies

l Antihistamines and other treatments for hayfever

l Antacids for heartburn and indigestion

l Diarrhoea medicines for adults and older children

l Constipation medicines

l Treatment for Haemorrhoids

l Cream for vaginal and vulval infections or thrush

l Malaria prevention

l Threadworm

l Creams for fungal infections such as athlete’s foot.