Primary Care Survey For people on four or more repeat medicines: The NHS should NOT prescribe low-cost, over-the-counter medicines

Transcription

1 Primary Care Survey 2016 For people on four or more repeat medicines: The NHS should NOT prescribe low-cost, over-the-counter medicines This paper includes comment on: The NHS should NOT prescribe low-cost, over-the-counter medicines (boxed in green) The NHS SHOULD prescribe low-cost, over-the-counter medicines (boxed in red) Concerns or not sure about the NHS prescribing low-cost, over-the-counter medicines (boxed in blue) Whether people think they have higher quantities of medicine than they require (little comment) Accuracy of systems that process prescriptions, test results.. (no comment) Page 1 of 5

2 The NHS should NOT prescribe low-cost, over-the-counter medicines. I take ibuprofen regularly for arthritis but always buy it. Not on prescription. I find our local pharmacist excellent at advice for minor ailments, this keeps me away from needing a dr appointment on many occasions but of course it costs more as I buy a yearly pre-paid prescription. I am sure that free prescriptions make people come to the Drs when a chemist would be more appropriate. It would be better if we could buy more medicines over the counter like you can in other European countries. My local pharmacist will always recommend an appropriate over the counter product having first questioned me thoroughly about my symptoms. More items should be made non-prescription so as doctors visits could be reduced further. I haven't visited my GP in years. Have always self-medicated with products bought from the pharmacy and sought advice from pharmacist when necessary. I believe GPs should be able to inform patients to visit the pharmacy and buy products as a solution rather than giving a prescription for things like paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin. My GP could trust me to manage my medication. GPs sometime prescribe stuff you can get over the counter cheaper - why not just tell you you can get this, usually its pharmacist who tells you. If the doctor could tell you of cheaper medicines that available at Boots rather than pay 8.50 for one item, it would benefit low income families particularly if there is more than 1 item needed per visit. The NHS should prescribe low-cost, over-the-counter medicines. Prescriptions should be free to everyone. If people are making hard decisions about whether they can afford to eat, buying over the counter medicines will not be a priority. GPs should know their patients and should have the autonomy to prescribe these if they think fit. If people pay for prescriptions that will buy them cheaper than over the counter anyway. Access to a GP must be the core service with the other things you are proposing very much a secondary route where appropriate. Empower pharmacists more to handle more every day conditions - site them in the surgery? Then patients can be more effectively treated or triaged to GPs. More items should be made non-prescription so as doctors visits could be reduced further. Not prescribing low cost medicines is simply a cost cutting exercise - meaning we pay for things we did not have to pay for previously under the NHS. Some forms of eczema need specialist care and where patients see GPs for blood, stool and other tests. The GP should ALWAYS be the referral authority. Messing with that would breed chaos! Low cost prescriptions must be provided for NHS exempt people regardless of cost. Families on low incomes need this support which would impact on child health and in education if not provided. Page 2 of 5

3 Concerns or not sure about the NHS prescribing low-cost, over-the-counter medicines. In view of the increase of older patients due to the Baby Boomer Effect (quite obvious to all governments from the 1950's and the failure to put an effective strategy into place) I think it is time that the NHS considered the possibility of a minimal, Single Sheet Prescription Charge, to those over 65 and who are not on benefits, or to introduce a reduced season ticket charge for those over 65. If PATIENTS HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS THEN THEY WOULD ONLY ORDER WHAT THEY REQUIRE AS IT WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE TO PURCHASE. Stock piling is not good as patients often get confused and take the wrong medication. Patients should be encouraged to take all their medication to a pharmacist or G.P to make sure they are using the correct prescription. Prescriptions are too expensive. It cannot be right that Scotland and Wales can have free prescriptions and England have to pay. Also if you need more than one item you shouldn't have to pay for each individual item. Perhaps go to the Danish system where you pay a percentage of your medicine but prescriptions are free. *Paper response received* Except where the patient has no money and therefore cannot buy it for themselves at that time. *Paper response received* Would this mean NHS having to prescribe expensive medicines? Paracetamol should not be prescribed. People with long term neurological conditions (like MS and Parkinson s disease) should not have to pay for their prescriptions. *received paper copy*i strongly agree but feel some people on benefit may not be able to afford to buy over the counter medication. I would be happy to buy medicines over the counter but not at inflated prices. Previously been told by GP the medication I required cost pennies for 100 tabs when I tried to buy it was told would cost 15 for 28. Paper response received. I think it should be left to one s own GP to decide if Over the Counter medicines can be put on prescription as they know the patients circumstances. My husband is a good example as we are only on a basic pension he suffers with bad nerve pain and after effect from the treatment for Leukaemia because of damaged kidneys he cannot use tablets for nerve pain ibuprofen. So an anelgesic cream (you can buy) is smeared over his feet lower legs and hands every night. A lot of cream is used so our GP kindly put it on prescription. After we both padi NI for many years to receive NHS services. I feel that people who pay for prescriptions would opt to buy the over the counter remedies rather than use the prescription. People who get free prescriptions may not be able to afford the over-the-counter remedies and should still receive these on prescription. What is low cost to a Doctor may be expensive to the patient. Have better communication between GP surgery and pharmacy so medication appears on time. There may be affordability questions for the poor and OTC medicines. There is also the question as to how the sum total of medicines and possible interactions could be monitored. If fewer were prescribed on the NHS, perhaps more would need to be pharmacy rather than OTC so that the pharmacist could check and monitor. Page 3 of 5

4 This would depend on the patient's ability to pay for over the counter medicines. If they cannot pay, they should be prescribed. Hard to answer; paracetamol, cough medicine etc should be bought as is inexpensive to individual, but expensive to NHS to fund. However, conditions such as eczema that are ongoing should be on the NHS. Single or non-working parents, the elderly or anyone on benefits may not be able to afford even low cost medicines, therefore all medicines should be available for them on the NHS. Open at weekend and pharmacy open evenings and Saturday impossible to get a prescription after 5:30 or Saturday for working people. The local CCG could be less restrictive in the variety of staple foods available on prescription to diagnosed Coeliacs. As a long term eczema sufferer I would be more than happy to pay for my medication over the counter from the pharmacist, often when abroad I can source these medications from the chemist so why is it not in place here? This would save GPs hours of time I'm sure. Paper response received: low cost over the counter medicines should be still available to families on low incomes (not benefits as they are automatically entitled to all of these). Coughs, colds, mouth ulcers and acne in my experience tend to go away in time with or without treatment anyway. I do have a touch of eczema which I keep under control with a touch of olive oil. There is nothing serious in the list, however I do appreciate that some people would wish to seek treatment. I have chosen 'agree' because for those who are in the most severe poverty and more likely to suffer these symptoms through stress, their priority would be food and heating. They may not be able to afford over the counter medicines however cheap, and the additional stress of not being able to treat their symptoms may make the symptoms worse. However for the (vast) majority I definitely feel that they should treat themselves. There are also alternatives to over the counter medicines to treat each of these symptoms: pineapple juice is more effective than cough syrup; baking soda, coconut oil, egg whites, lemon juice will all clear up mild acne; coconut oil, ginger, honey, lemon will all help the common cold. A good healthy diet will go a long way to preventing these symptoms too. Does the surgery have access to a nutritionist as an alternative to seeing the GP? Pain control medication used for long-term pain control should be paid for by NHS. I would imagine that the majority of people use their own funding for minor coughs and colds. I would not want to exclude all prescribing but leave it as an option if the pharmacist or GP thinks there are no other issues Unfortunately you can't ensure someone will always have the understanding to cope with condition or medication without professional support and underlying illness will not be picked up on. Although information is always good, too much can be scary and prevent people seeking help or can encourage self-medicating which could cause more problems. Not prescribing over the counter medicines would need to be linked with a system to obtain sufficient medicines at one time - eg paracetamol may be required in regular quantities, but the elderly or disabled for instance cannot be expected to visit their pharmacy every few days for another limited amount. With a prescription larger amounts are able to be provided. I only agree to paying for medication for MILD eczema. Severe eczema does require medical intervention. Page 4 of 5

5 Low-cost over the counter etc. This ought to be approached with considerable caution. Regard must be had for the age of the patient, the location (easy access to pharmacy?) and financial status. What is reasonable for one person may not be for another. Danger that this will keep patients away from the doctor in circumstances when they ought to attend and be seen. Some of the questions are badly phrased and leading. e.g...the question about low cost medicines. Are you suggesting people who are impoverished would not be given a prescription, a single mother living in awful accommodation, getting food from the food bank with two children. Rephrase more carefully. This page has little about taking charge of my own health. Paracetamol should not be prescribed. Minor ailments should be means tested or scrapped... Parents who can afford calpol getting it for free is insane. I buy liquid paracetamol 99p not brand at Such a waste. Pharmacists can be very off-putting when they ask (to my mind, unnecessary) questions about products you are trying to buy - products that can be bought easily in any supermarket or online. Personally this would make me reluctant to use them - I tend to regard them as pseudo-doctors. Back to page Page 5 of 5