Self-Care

Last year in the UK 1.1 billion items were dispensed on prescription costing a total of £9.2 billion

Many of the items which are included within these prescription are available ‘over the counter’ meaning that you can purchase these items yourself in pharmacies and other outlets, without the need for a prescription. Normally the price of these over the counter drugs is much much lower than what you would have to pay for a prescription fee. If more patients are able to self medicate simple ailments, patients and the NHS can both save a drastic amount of money.

Here is a list of some of the most common drugs  that you can buy much cheaper in supermarkets, pharmacies, or even in discount stores:

• Paracetamol
• Aspirin
• Antihistamines

A number of ailments also have a variety of over the counter treatments which are much cheaper to purchase yourself than via prescription. In order to save an estimated £560 million, the NHS will no longer prescribe medications for the following minor conditions for which over the counter medication is readily available at low cost:

• Dandruff
• Dermantitis
• Dry Skin
• Earwax
• Excessive Sweating
• Hay Fever/Seasonal Rhinitis
• Head Lice
• Insect bites and stings
• Mouth Ulcers
• Nappy rash
• Ringworm and Athletes Foot
• Sunburn
• Sun Protection
• Teething/mild toothache
• Threadworms
• Travel Sickness
• Warts and Verrucae
• Minor conditions associated with pain, discomfort and fever (such as sprains, headache, period pain and back pain)