Prescriptions of homeopathy, herbal treatments and other low value items will be scrapped in a move expected to save £141m a year.
NHS England is banning ‘inappropriate prescribing’ low value items in primary care and will restrict use of 11 products.
Prescriptions of homeopathy, herbal treatments and other low value items will be scrapped in a move expected to save £141m a year.
NHS England is banning ‘inappropriate prescribing’ low value items in primary care and will restrict use of 11 products.
It said the move agreed at NHSE’s board meeting should also cut appointments used to prescribe those products. It has sent out updated guidance to CCGs as part of its Medicines Value programme
It follows a review of low value medicines and consultation of healthcare professionals and patients.
Low performance items
It looked at how items performed and whether there were more cost effective medicines which were not hit by ‘excessive price inflation’ and if they were low priority for funding.
The items which should no longer be prescribed routinely are homeopathy , herbal treatments, fish oil, muscle rub rubefacients, excluding topical NSAIDs, glucosamine and chondroitin which are used for joint pain, lutein and antioxidants used for age related macular degeneration and the painkiller co-proxamol.
It has clarified guidance on thyroid drug liothyronone, travel vaccines, lidocaine plasters and palliative care pain relief immediate release Fentanyl.
The move was suggested by NHS Clinical Commissioners.
NHSE said ‘in the majority of cases there are other more effective, safer and/or cheaper alternatives available’.
Patients will be advised that some products are available over the counter instead.
NHSE’s chief executive Simon Stevens said: ‘The NHS should not be paying for low value treatments and it’s right that we look at reducing prescriptions for medicines that patients can buy for a fraction of the price the NHS spends.
NHSCC co-chair Dr Graham Jackson said the guidance would support commissioners ‘in their work to prioritise effectively and make sure they are getting the best value for their medicines spend.’
A new consultation on stopping routine prescribing of items such as paracetamol which can be bought more cheaply over the counter will be launched next year.
It will also look at items used in self care and for conditions like the common cold which heal on their own accord.
