Wakefield CCG stops prescription of products of limited health benefit
Wakefield CCG has informed local practices that from 1st May the following products will not be available on NHS prescription. The list of products are those that offer limited health benefit, are of low clinical priority or can be purchased at a relatively low cost in supermarkets or pharmacies.
The current list is:
The practice is stopping the medication of sunscreen and multivitamins where no specific deficiency has been identified.
For cream for unwanted facial hair and camouflage products the practice will be contacting patients and telling them we are stopping them.
The practice is going to swap expensive branded medicines to generic medicines. All medicines have a generic name. They may also have one or more brand names chosen by the manufacturing company. Generic and branded medicines have the same active ingredients and the same clinical effect. In the UK there are strict quality controls before a medicine can be prescribed so generic and branded versions of the same medicine will be of the same quality. But the branded products can be up to 56 time more expensive than the generic product.
If you have any concerns about these products then check with your community pharmacist or arrange a telephone consultation with your usual doctor.
The current list is:
- Sunscreen for skin protection from UV radiation
- Cream for unwanted facial hair and other products that are mainly for cosmetic purposes
- Moisturizers for minor skin conditions
- Camouflage products e.g. make up for port wine stain birthmarks
- Multivitamins where no specific deficiency has been identified
- Expensive brands of medicines if a suitable generic alternative is available which costs less
The practice is stopping the medication of sunscreen and multivitamins where no specific deficiency has been identified.
For cream for unwanted facial hair and camouflage products the practice will be contacting patients and telling them we are stopping them.
The practice is going to swap expensive branded medicines to generic medicines. All medicines have a generic name. They may also have one or more brand names chosen by the manufacturing company. Generic and branded medicines have the same active ingredients and the same clinical effect. In the UK there are strict quality controls before a medicine can be prescribed so generic and branded versions of the same medicine will be of the same quality. But the branded products can be up to 56 time more expensive than the generic product.
If you have any concerns about these products then check with your community pharmacist or arrange a telephone consultation with your usual doctor.
A sensible move all round ! they need to do the same with common pain killers, paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen. Absolutely no need to prescribe them when they are so cheap now.
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