Paracetamol prescriptions cost Shropshire NHS £400,000

Prescriptions for the common painkiller, which can be bought over the counter at a pharmacy, have cost Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) £288,967 in the last 12 months.

Telford & Wrekin CCG also forked out just over £144,000 on paracetamol prescriptions between February 2017 and January this year.

The costs to the NHS for many items used to treat minor conditions are often higher than over-the-counter prices due to hidden costs, such as GP consultation, dispensing and administration fees.

Telford & Wrekin CCG said it introduced a policy last April to stop routinely prescribing over-the-counter medicines, including paracetamol, for 'short term, self-limiting conditions'.

Patients suffering from chronic pain are still able to get paracetamol prescribed.

Jacqui Seaton, head of medicines management for Telford & Wrekin CCG, said: “The costs to the NHS for many of the items used to treat minor conditions are often higher than the prices patients would pay over the counter, as there are hidden costs to the NHS.

"Since introducing this policy we have already seen a 17 per cent reduction in the amount of money spent on prescribed paracetamol locally.

Reassure

"This money is now able to be reinvested into other priority treatments and services, to ensure the maximum benefit to patients from our budget.

“We would like to reassure patients that a GP can still prescribe these medications to assist with the treatment of chronic conditions, for example in cases of chronic pain or they need larger quantities.

"If you have any questions about your prescription speak to your pharmacist or GP.”

Although people can buy paracetamol over the counter from pharmacies and supermarkets, there is a restriction on the number that can be sold.

Telford & Wrekin CCG says it supports prescribing paracetamol for chronic ongoing pain as it would be difficult to purchase the quantities needed.

NHS England recently held a public consultation on proposals to rein in prescriptions for some 'over-the-counter' products, such as dandruff shampoo and drops for tired eyes.

It has been proposed in a bid to free up millions of pounds to expand other treatments for major conditions such as cancer and mental health problems.

The consultation ended earlier this month and Martin Lunt, who owns Lunts Pharmacies, which has branches in Shrewsbury, Pontesbury and Craven Arms, now hopes it will be brought into effect.

Mr Lunt said something has to be done considering the mounting pressure on the NHS.

He said: "We know there are patients getting prescriptions for minor conditions including a build up of earwax, head lice and indigestion when they could get advice and exactly the same medication from the pharmacy.

“The new rules would have to be carefully managed to ensure no-one who is vulnerable or unable to afford medication over the counter is negatively affected, but I believe the CCGs and NHS England will be able to work together to achieve that while saving the NHS millions of pounds, money which could be used to fund much-needed doctors and nurses.

“Treatments for the conditions included in the report are readily available in pharmacies and it seems many people simply do not think of the cost to the NHS when opting to seek a prescription for them rather than purchasing them over the counter.”