Saving NHS money/ e.g. paracetamol over the counter

[Littlepleasures]

I try as much as I can to use the NHS responsibly and always have, especially now that it appears to be strapped for cash. I've suffered from allergies for years, but have always bought anti histamines over the counter (Wilko do ceterizine, one months supply for £1.50) and still do, even now that I'm retired on a very low income and can get prescriptions for free. I notice, that recently, the NHS has stopped supplying these free except in cases of financial hardship anyway
Now however, I'm over 60 with a chronic pain condition and need to take regular paracetamol/cocodamol. I tried buying it myself but was constantly running out because of the limit on only buying two packs at a time. This week doc gave me a prescription for 100 cocodamol - the over the counter dose- which I did get filled, even though I could have bought them for around a £1 in Wilkos. There must be a way round this waste of money.Surely, if a patient is able and willing to pay for these low cost drugs we should have the option to buy them over the counter in higher amounts, at the low generic price offered by the likes of Wilkos, when we go to the pharmacy. I'm not exactly rolling in it, but I don't mind stumping up £2 a month to save the NHS £17. Who exactly is pocketing the huge difference between what the drug costs and the prescription price?

I haven't been able to get paracetamol/ibuprofen on prescription from my surgery for years. They have signs on the door about it too. It's reserved for people who qualify for free prescriptions.

@Haudyerwheesht Yes, my 6yo can swallow cetirizine tablets no problem. That said, when her asthma is bad, we need the syrup because it helps soothe her cough/throat.

TheNightman Suicidal thoughts can be very powerful and long lasting. However the impae to take action may not last as long and extra planning and needing to go to another place might break into that. The rate of suicide by paracetamol definitely dropped after the limit was introduced
From NHS website in 2003 after reductions in pack size 1998
The introduction of a limit on the number of tablets sold in packets of paracetamol has led to a 43% reduction in the number of poisoning deaths, The Independent has accurately reported. This is one of those relatively rare truly "good news" health stories.

"The law on paracetamol packs
People often question what stops someone from going to different chemists and buying as much paracetamol as they want. However, this question misses the point of the 1998 legislation. The thinking behind the limit on paracetamol pack sizes is that most suicidal behaviour is impulsive. People often use what is closest at hand. So making paracetamol packs smaller means that it is less likely a suicidal person would have ready access to dangerous amounts of paracetamol."

www.nhs.uk/news/2013/02February/Pages/Smaller-paracetamol-packs-have-cut-deaths.aspx

I've told the dr not to bother prescribing me paracetamol before; I was on free prescriptions after having DD1 and she was about to print me one out for paracetamol due to the pain from a sinus infection (turned out to need antibiotics as it ruptured my eardrum, but that's by-the-by ).

She was genuinely a bit astonished that I was volunteering to buy them myself. It's about 26p from Aldi for a packet, I wasn't about to waste NHS resources (her printing, the pharmacist fulfilling, etc) to save 26p.

You have to balance that against how much the NHS could save if people like those mentioned in this thread were able to get all the paracetamol they want instead of having to order it on prescription, though. Imagine, maybe we could actually fund some MH services!

Missing point of thread but wilko sell cocodamol? That seems strange.

Like PP I get prescription higher dose.

No one should be paying full prescription price for capol surely - it's for children

My dad was taking paracetamol after an op, a chat with the pharmacist and they were able to sell more than the allowance at their discretion.
Saved me the ballache of buying a packet every other day.

Prescriptions can't be dispensed without a pharmacist present, and at the pharmacy I go to, they are always checked by a second person after being made up. That's extra staffing costs, for a start.
But surely those staff are on duty whether the OP turns up with a prescription or not? So there are no extra staff costs. Or they are just made up costs.

But surely those staff are on duty whether the OP turns up with a prescription or not? So there are no extra staff costs.

There are extra staff costs compared with places like Wilko's, who sell OTC medication but don't dispense prescriptions, and so don't need to employ pharmacists.

NHS dispensing fee paid to pharmacies per item in England is I believe £1.25

There are extra staff costs compared with places like Wilko's
What I meant was, there will be a pharmacist on duty in a pharmacy regardless of whether the OP goes in with a prescription or not

Try a local independent pharmacist...... In mine they seem to look you up and down briefly and then sell you whatever you want. Always wonder if they are breaking rules Yes they are, I know a very smart young woman who almost succeeded in a suicide attempt because two pharmacies let her buy large quantities of paracetamol.

Pack size restrictions are there for a reason, to prevent abuse eg overdose, addiction etc and also to prevent misdiagnosis /inappropriate treatment of potentially more serious conditions hence why the three days supply at a time. I understand about people having conditions confirmed by gp and the likes of paracetamol used long term it seems strange why people can't buy larger quantities however, as pharmacists, we are governed by the medicines act and should adhere to it, for our own protection against prosecution /losing our jobs as well as patient safety, as we do not have access to every patients medical history for confirmation of their condition and taking people at face value can't always be reliable.

Your gp can't write a private prescription for something that is prescribable for that particular indication on the NHS.

I understand why the limit on paracetamol was brought in regarding the use in suicide.

However, I think that if you've been prescribed a box of 100 then you should be able to buy them over the counter with the prescription as proof of legitimate need.

My mum used to have to take 8 paracetamol a day for years to help with the pain from arthritis. She'd have happily bought them from the supermarket but would have had to go every other day compared to getting them delivered from the chemist with her other medication.

There is currently a consultation with the NHS where they are trying to delist a lot of these medications like paracetamol and all laxatives. That means that everyone who has these medications will have to pay for them over the counter.

I know people who get calpol on prescription to avoid paying for it which annoys me

My son is at an SEN school - I say this in case it's different in mainstream - and his school nurse can only give him Calpol if it has been officially prescribed for him and bears the pharmacy label. If I buy a bottle of the shelf, I cannot pass it on to school for them to use during the day.

The official government guidance on giving non prescription medication is that they need written consent from the parent/guardian.

There is no need for it to be prescribed (other than to waste parents and NHS time!)

We buy two packs of paracetamol every time we do a supermarket shop, automatically online or in person, it's the only way we get enough but it's annoying and I've thought about asking for a prescription.

You are not unreasonable to get the cocodamol via prescription. Cocodamol is usually £3 plus even for Tesco own brand or whatever, it would be hard to keep getting it over the counter as the pharmacists may start refusing. I hate being quizzed everytime even if understand why. I keep my codeine and paracetamol separate so the risk of paracetamol overdose is reduced.

I pay fitness prescriptions but have a pre payment card so prescription cost isn't an issue.

I'm on a cocktail of pain medication whilst waiting for some minor operations in a few months. My Gp was doing a medication review with me and had to delete paracetamol and ibruprofen that he'd tried to give me without asking.

I've also had the hospital present me with a box of ibuprofen, paracetamol and aspirin on discharge ( migraines), despite me telling the doctor that I had all of them at home, especially as it was a just in case I ever got a migraine again, rather than needing them immediately!

They also couldn't take them back as they had my label on them. I still haven't used them months later.

The official government guidance on giving non prescription medication is that they need written consent from the parent/guardian.
but schools can be pretty arsy about that.

I agree that 'cheap' otc medicinesshould be paid for by patients, but maybe we need 'non-prescriptions' that could be used to buy larger quantities or to show schools.