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Frequently asked questions - prescribing over-the-counter medicines for minor ailments With a growing population, rising demand for services and a limited budget, Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (BaNES CCG), like other NHS organisations, has to review all the services we commission to ensure that we are using NHS funds appropriately and fairly. We have reviewed our prescribing policy for over-the counter medicines and are proposing to stop prescriptions for antihistamines and painkillers when they are used to treat short-term minor ailments. 1 Who are BaNES CCG? We are the NHS organisation that not only monitors and coordinates but also commissions or purchases health services on behalf of everyone living in Bath and North East Somerset. We are a membership organisation formed of the 26 GP practices across B&NES. For many patients, their local GP is their main point of contact with the NHS and it is the GPs’ clinical expertise and patient insight that helps the CCG to ensure health services are the best they can be. But GPs are not doing this alone. Within the CCG we work with a team of health care professionals and patient representatives to plan and deliver services. 2 How do we commission NHS services? The NHS is funded through taxation and this provides a fixed budget to buy and provide health services for the whole population. Commissioning health services is about understanding the health of a population group, planning what services to purchase to meet those needs and monitoring the quality of services that are delivered. As local commissioners, the CCG is responsible for assessing the needs of people living in B&NES and deciding which health services to purchase for our population. NHS England is responsible for direct commissioning of services outside the remit of clinical commissioning groups such as specialist services, dentistry, pharmacy, optometrists, offender health, military and veteran health and specialised services. The challenge faced by organisations across the NHS is how to spend their limited budgets in a way that benefits the health of the whole population while ensuring that services also meet the needs of individuals and delivers value for money. This year we have been allocated £223 million to buy health services for people living in B&NES. With a growing population, rising demand for services and a limited budget, like other NHS organisations, the CCG has to evaluate every service it commissions to see if it offers good quality, value for money and is an effective and equitable way of using our resources. 1 3 What are over-the-counter (OTC) medicines? Over-the-counter medicines are medicines that can be brought over the counter from either community pharmacies or general retailers such as supermarkets. They are readily available to buy because they are deemed safe enough for people to selfmanage, short-term, minor ailments. 4 Why is this proposal being made? We need to ensure the health budget for B&NES is spent as effectively as possible. Last year the CCG spent nearly £500,000 on painkillers and antihistamines. Paracetamol and other painkillers are widely available in supermarkets and at local chemists and cost around 1p per tablet, compared to 3p per tablet on the NHS. We do not believe this spend represents good value for money and that the money we invest on prescriptions for minor ailments should be used to commission other services which could be of greater benefit to patients. We have also taken into consideration that a significant proportion of GP appointments, GP practice and community pharmacy time is taken up in processing prescriptions for minor ailments which can be managed by patients or their carers without access to prescribed medicines. 5 Who will the proposal affect? We are proposing to stop funding prescriptions for two groups of over-the-counter medicines (painkillers and antihistamines) where they are used to treat short-term, minor ailments such as mild hayfever, headache, coughs and colds. Anyone registered with a GP in B&NES who would expect to obtain painkillers and hayfever tablets on prescription has the potential to be affected unless it is NOT to treat a minor ailment. However, the majority of the medications or alternatives can be purchased over the counter for less than the cost of a prescription. Health advice is available from your community pharmacy which may suggest some medicines that you might want to purchase in order to manage your own health, 2 6 How are we engaging on this proposal? We are inviting patients, stakeholders and local clinicians to tell us their views on our proposal to stop prescribing over-the-counter medicines for minor ailments. A period of public engagement is therefore open from Thursday 24 November to Wednesday 21 December to ensure patients, carers, health professionals and other key stakeholders have an opportunity to share their views on the proposals and to suggest any additional cost-effective actions the CCG could take to support people. There is an online survey at www.banesccg.nhs.uk or you can ask for a printed copy to be sent to you by calling 01225 831 853. . 3