Over the Counter Medicines – Share Your Views

The NHS in Liverpool are considering how to implement national guidelines that would limit prescriptions for some ‘over the counter’ medicines and treatments for minor conditions. They want to hear your views.
Image of a pharmacist and medications and the words 'Share your views on proposed changes to prescriptions for over the counter medicines'

NHS Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are asking for your views on their proposals so that they can use this feedback to make a decision about what they do next.

What they’re proposing

Over the counter medicines are ones that you can buy without a prescription from pharmacies and some shops.

The proposed changes would mean that in most cases you would no longer be given a prescription to treat some minor health conditions which:

  • would get better on their own without treatment,
  • could be treated at home using medicines from a pharmacy or shop, or
  • would require medicines or treatments that aren’t proven to be effective.

Why they’re proposing this

NHS Liverpool CCG are considering limiting prescriptions for 17 different medicines, treatments and minor conditions, including: dandruff, coughs and colds, sore throats, mouth ulcers, sun protection, probiotics, and vitamins and minerals. They say that this is to:

  • make better use of NHS funding and resources,
  • better inform patients about how they can treat some minor conditions themselves, and
  • improve how consistently GPs prescribe certain medicines and treatments.

How to take part

For more details about these proposals and a full list of what medicines, treatments and minor conditions would be affected, please read their information booklet.

Click here to complete the survey and share your views now.