Position Statement on the Prescribing of Medications Available to Purchase Over the Counter
in Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group
Bedfordshire CCG does not routinely support the prescribing of medication that is available to
buy from local pharmacies or supermarkets for children or adults. The medications or
conditions listed below are examples of where medicines should be purchased by the
patient/parent/guardian.
• Moisturising creams, gels, ointments and
balms for dry skin with no diagnosis
• Bath oils and shower gel (unless
recommended by a specialist for infected
atopic eczema)
• Potassium hydroxide for Molluscum
contagiosum e.g. Molludab
• Hay fever remedies e.g. antihistamines
• Nasal sprays (patients >18yrs)
• Preventative vitamins and supplements e.g.
low dose vitamin D (<2,000units), I-Caps
• Lubricating eye drops and chloramphenicol
eye drops and eye ointment (patients >2yrs)
• Anti-diarrhoeal medication for short term
diarrhoea (<72hrs)
• Paracetamol and ibuprofen for short term use
• Antifungal preparations e.g. Canesten
• Rehydration sachets
• Anti-inflammatory gels e.g. ibuprofen gel
• Laxatives for short term use (<72 hours)
• Head lice treatments
• Threadworm tablets
• Lactose free infant formula
• Antiperspirants
• Cough and cold remedies
•
Medicated shampoos e.g. Alphosyl, Capasal
• Mouthwash e.g. Corsodyl
•
Indigestion remedies e.g. Gaviscon, Peptac
• Haemorrhoidal preparations e.g. Anusol
•
Nasal douches e.g Sterimar
This list is not exhaustive.
The reasons for this are as follows:
•
Patients should keep a small supply of simple treatments in their own medicine cabinet so they are
able to manage minor ailments at home.
•
Patients have a responsibility to look after themselves and their children where possible and
manage self-limiting minor ailments with support from their local pharmacy if needed.
•
All these medicines are widely available from supermarkets and pharmacies at reasonable cost.
•
Many of these treatments are more expensive when prescribed on the NHS compared to when they
are purchased in pharmacies or supermarkets.
•
The NHS belongs to everybody and the CCG must ensure that its resources are used in the best
possible way for all patients.
Patient queries or complaints
Any patient queries or complaints should be directed to the enquiries team at Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning group
01525 864405 [email protected]
With acknowledgement to the Medicines Management Team, Ipswich and East Suffolk CCG.
Examples of prices, license restrictions and availability of common over the counter medications.
GSL items can be purchased from any retailer. Supermarkets and discount stores may be more cost effective than
pharmacies.
P items can only be purchased from retail pharmacies. Buying ‘own brand’ or generic items may be more cost effective
than originator brands.
The prices listed are guide prices based upon prices listed in the Chemist and Druggist January 2017 and prices obtained
from pharmacies and retailers.
antihistamines
contents/generic
legal
pack
Product
name
status
size
retail price
BecoAllergy
cetirizine 10mg
GSL
14
£5.49
Hayfever allergy relief
cetirizine 10mg
GSL
30
£1.50
Benadryl Allergy Relief
Children's Oral Solution
Clarityn
cetirizine 1mg/1ml
loratidine 10mg
GSL
GSL
100ml
14
One-A-Day Allergy and
Hayfever Relief
loratidine 10mg
GSL
14
Allergy Relief 1 year plus
antihistamine
Product
Hayfever Relief Nasal
Spray
Beconase
Product
Opticrom Allergy eye
drops
Optrex allergy eye
Chlorphenamine
2mg/5ml
P
nasal sprays
contents/generic
legal
name
status
Beclometasone
50mcg
GSL
Beclometasone
50mcg
GSL
eye drops
contents/generic
legal
name
status
sodium cromoglicate
2%
GSL
sodium cromoglicate
2%
GSL
150ml
pack
size
100
spray
100
spray
£5.00
£6.00
80p
£3.79
retail price
£3.00
£5.00
pack
size
retail price
5ml
£3.00-5.00
5ml
£5.99
Sedating antihistamines are generally not recommended for prescribing as the potential side
effects outweigh benefits Chorphenamine may considered as an option for itchy conditions
such as chicken pox or insect bites. Levocetirizine and desloratide are premium priced products
which offer little advantage over 2nd generation antihistamines advise OTC purchase of
cetirizine or loratidine. Fexofenadine not recommended for routine use due to increased risk of
CV side effects consider cetirizine and loratidine as first a second line options.
Analgesia
co-codamol 8/500
retail
price
P
pack
size
32
Tablets
contents/generic name
legal
status
pack
size
Paracetamol 500mg caplets
paracetamol
GSL
16
retail
price
20p 40p
Infant's & Children's Paracetamol
Suspension - Strawberry 3mths+
paracetamol 120mg/5ml
GSL
100ml
£1.75
Calpol Infant Pain Relief Suspension Sugar Free Strawberry 2mths+
paracetamol 120mg/5ml
GSL
100ml
£3.00
Product
contents/generic name
Co-Codamol 8mg/500mg
codeine 8mg/paracetamol 500mg
Paracetamol
Product
legal
status
£2.49
Paracetamol 6 Years Plus 250 mg/5 ml
Suspension
Calpol Six Plus Sugar Free Suspension
Product
ibuprofen tablets 200mg
Nurofen for children
infant's and children's ibuprofen
suspension
Product
Movelat relief cream
Deep heat Heat rub
Wilko muscle rub
Deep Freeze pain relief gel
Algesal cream
paracetamol 250mg/5ml
paracetamol 250mg/5ml
Ibuprofen
contents/generic name
ibuprofen 200mg
ibuprofen 100mg/5ml
ibuprofen 100mg/5ml
rubefacients
contents/generic name
mucopolysaccharide polysulphate
(MPS) 0.2% w/w and salicylic acid
2.0% w/w.
Menthol 5.91% w/w, Eucalyptus Oil
1.97% w/w, Methyl Salicylate
12.80% w/w, Turpentine Oil 1.47%
w/w.
sweet birch oil 0.12% v/w, cajuput
oil 0.12% v/w. eucalyptus oil 1%
v/w, levomenthol 0.5% w/w.
methyl salicylate 9% v/w
Racemic Menthol 2% w/w
Diethylamine salicylate cream
Topical NSAIDs
P
P
100ml
100ml
£2.99
£3.65
legal
status
GSL
GSL
pack
size
16
100ml
retail
price
25p
£3.60
GSL
100ml
£1.77
legal
status
pack
size
P
80g
£7.99
GSL
67g
£3.25
GSL
GSL
P
40g
100g
50g
£1.00
£4.99
£2.69
legal
status
GSL
GSL
P
GSL
P
pack
size
50g
40g
30g
50g
50g
retail
price
£2.00
£8.99
£3.59
£5.50
£7.29
retail
price
retail
price
Product
Mentholatum Ibuprofen Gel
Ibuleve Speed Relief Max Strength
Traxam Pain Relief Gel
Voltarol pain-eze emugel
Voltarol emugel P
contents/generic name
ibuprofen 5%
ibuprofen 10%
Felbinac 3%
diclofenac 1.16%
diclofenac 1.16%
antacids
Product
contents/generic name
legal
status
pack
size
Gaviscon Advance
Peppermint antacid tablets
sodium alginate and potassium
bicarbonate
calcium carbonate
P
GSL
300ml
72
£8.99
£1.95
GSL
500ml
£4.00
legal
status
GSL
GSL
GSL
pack
size
retail
price
6 80p
6
£2.75
6
£3.50
legal
status
GSL
GSL
GSL
pack
size
retail
price
20
£4.99
20
£5.99
15
£4.99
heartburn and Indigestion relief liquid
Aluminium- and magnesium-containing
antacids
anti-diarrhoea
Product
diarrhoea relief capsules
Immodium Instants
Dioralyte
Product
Buscopan IBS relief
Colpermin IBS relief
IBS Relief
contents/generic name
loperamide 2mg
loperamide 2mg
rehydration salts
IBS relief
contents/generic name
Hyoscine butylbromide
Peppermint oil
mebeverine
Laxatives
Product
lactulose
Senna tablets
Dulcoease
Fybogel HiFibre Orange
contents/generic name
lactulose
Senna 7.5mg
Docusate sodium 100mg
Ispaghula husk
wind/bloating
Product
wind setlers
contents/generic name
simeticone
Wind relief tablets
aluminium hydroxide, magnesium
hydroxide, simeticone
Infant colic
Product
Dentinox colic drops
contents/generic name
simeticone
Dill seed oil, sodium hydrogen
carbonate
Lactase
Woodwards Gripe water
Colief infant drop
legal
status
P
GSL
GSL
GSL
pack
retail
size
price
500ml
£6.50
24
£1.00
30
£3.00
10
£2.55
legal
status
GSL
pack
size
GSL
retail
price
24
£4.00
36
£3.99
legal
status
GSL
pack
size
100ml
retail
price
£2.69
GSL
GSL
150ml
7ml
£3.59
£11.99
legal
status
GSL
P
P
GSL
GSL
pack
size
23g
15g
12
25ml
25g
retail
price
£3.50
£5.49
£5.49
£3.99
£2.83
legal
status
GSL
GSL
P
P
pack
size
300ml
300ml
50g
15ml
retail
price
£2.50
£3.70
£3.25
£5.99
Haemorrhoid preparations
Product
Anusol cream
Anusol Plus HC ointment
Anusol Plus HC Suppository
Germoloids ointment
Haemorrhoid Relief Ointment
contents/generic name
benzyl benzoate
hydrocortisone
hydrocortisone
lidocaine
lidocaine
Dental products
Product
chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash
Corsodyl mouthwash
Corsodyl oral gel
Anbesol liquid
contents/generic name
chlorhexidine
chlorhexidine
chlorhexidine
Lidocaine
Dental products such as high fluoride tooth pastes and mouth washes should continue to be prescribed by dentists
and not added to repeat prescriptions. Patient with oral or dental issues should be referred to their dentist for
treatment or given information on registering with a dentist
cough medicine
Product
simple linctus
codeine linctus 15mg/5ml
mucus cough syrup
cough syrup 3 months plus
contents/generic name
citric acid
codeine
guaifenesin
glycerol
decongestant
Product
Sudafed decongestant
contents/generic name
pseudoepedrine 60mg
legal
status
GSL
P
GSL
GSL
legal
status
P
pack
size
200ml
200ml
200ml
100ml
retail
price
£1.89
£4.75
£3.49
£2.29
retail
pack size price
12
£3.49
tablets
Sudafed blocked nose
capsules
blocked nose relief spray
Product
Strepsils
anaesthetic sore throat
spray
phenylephedrine 12mg
oxymetazoline
sore throat treatments
GSL
GSL
22ml
contents/generic name
legal
status
pack size
Amylmetacresol BP 0.6mg, 2,4-Dichlorobenzyl
alcohol
GSL
benzocaine
GSL
24
16
100
sprays
£4.99
£3.49
retail
price
£2.69
£5.99
Product
Nizoral dandruff shampoo
T gel therapeutic shampoo
Product
Loceryl Curanail 5%*
Canespro fungal nail
treatment
Product
Daktarin Gold 2% cream
clotrimazole 1% cream
Product
Eumovate cream
HC45 Hydrocortisone cream
Product
Bazuka Extra Strength
Wartner
Dandruff/scalp treatments
contents/generic
name
legal status
ketoconazole
P
coal tar
GSL
Fungal nail
contents/generic
name
legal status
Amorolfine
P
medical
urea
device
topical antifungal
contents/generic
name
legal status
ketoconazole
P
clotrimazole
P
topical corticosteroids
contents/generic
name
legal status
clobetasone
P
hydrocortisone
P
warts and verrucas
contents/generic
name
legal status
Salycylic acid
GSL
Tica gel
GSL
pack
size
100ml
250ml
retail
price
£9.19
£6.99
pack
size
3ml
retail
price
£23.99
10g
£25.00
pack
size
15g
20g
retail
price
£5.10
£4.59
pack
size
15g
15g
retail
price
£6.69
£3.79
pack
size
6g
1.5ml
retail
price
£8.99
£10.49
Bath and shower emollients are not recommended for prescribing due to limited evidence of
efficacy ahead of using the patient’s normal emollient as a soap substitute. Bath and shower
emollients can also make surfaces very slippery
*low priority for funding.
eye lubricants
Product
contents/generic name
legal
status
pack
size
hypromellose 0.3% eye drops
Clinitas Carbomer
Lacri-Lube
hypromellose 0.3%
Carbomer 0.2%
Paraffin
P
MD
P
10ml
10g
3.5g
retail
price
£2.00
£3.90
£3.79
Head lice
Product
Hedrin
Derbac-M
Lyclear
contents/generic
name
legal status
pack size
dimeticone
malathion
permethrin
P (a smaller 50ml
GSL pack is
available although
this unlikely to
contain sufficient
solution to provide
the 2 applications
advised)
P
P
150ml
200ml
2 x 59ml
retail
price
£11.79
£10.99
£9.79
All products recommend at least 2 applications as lice eggs can survive treatment.
Products with longer contact time are generally thought to be more effective, but can be
less acceptable to patients.
Thread worms
contents/generic
retail
Product
name
legal status
pack size
price
ovex tablets
mebendazole 100mg P
4 (family pack)
£7.79
Ovex
30ml (family
suspension
100mg/5ml
P
pack)
£9.59
For pregnant or breastfeeding women and babies under 6 months physical removal of
eggs combined with good hygiene methods is the recommended treatment. Counselling
on hygiene methods is essential as the risk of reinfection is high. Treatment of all
members of household is recommended regardless if symptomatic