From October 2018 NHS England has implemented a new initiative to encourage patients to buy more overt the counter medicines because last year the NHS spent £569 million on prescriptions. By spending less money on treating conditions that will get better by themselves or by you treating them yourself at home, the NHS will have more money to spend on maintaining services or investing in new ones.
The GPs have been advised by NHS England to stop prescribing simple medicines than can be bought over the counter at pharmacies and supermarkets. Please use the link below for a list of these medicines.
Information about which over the counter products are available to buy for self care
Please read this leaflet about how prescribing over the counter medicines is changing (EXTERNAL PDF LINK)