Changes to Prescribing at The Firs

The NHS is under increasing financial pressure, and we must ensure our resources are used on treatments proven to be effective. Following national guidance from NHS England, ARMP will no longer routinely prescribe certain medicines and products that:

• Can be purchased over the counter from pharmacies and supermarkets, and/or
• Have limited clinical evidence of benefit or are considered low-priority for NHS funding.

What this means for you

• Some items may be removed from your repeat prescription list.
• Your clinician will not normally issue new prescriptions for these items.
• These products remain available for you to buy if you wish to continue using them.

Examples include:

• Treatments for minor, short-term conditions (e.g. cold remedies, paracetamol, hay fever tablets, head lice treatments).
• Vitamins and minerals where there is no diagnosed deficiency.
• Items identified by NHS England as offering limited clinical benefit.

Why is this happening?

We cannot justify NHS spending on treatments where:

• They can be purchased at low cost, or
• There is little evidence they improve health.

This approach allows us to focus NHS funding on medicines and services that make the greatest difference to patients’ health.

Over the Counter Medicines

Many treatments for minor illnesses are available to buy directly from your local pharmacy, supermarket, or online. Your pharmacist can also give advice on self-care and treatment options.

By choosing to buy these products instead of requesting a prescription, you are helping the NHS use its resources more effectively.