GP has list in waiting room of items they will no longer prescribe

[weebleswobble]

West Herts Health Authority covers the area where I live and I was shocked to see a list in the waiting room of prescriptions they will no longer issue. They include:

Hay fever medication
Emollients
Head lice treatment
Preparations with glucosamine
Pain killers for 'minor pain'
Anti-inflamatories containing Nurofen
Calpol
Treatment for constipation/diarrhoea
Anti-perspirant (I'm assuming this is one they can prescribe when it's a serious problem)

The list went on but I can't remember all that were on there.

I do realise that they are watching their budgets but surely this will affect low income households.

I'm wondering whether my next prescription request for myself and the dcs hayfever will be refused. It's going to cost me a fortune if I have to buy it all.

Has anyone else seen similar?

[weebleswobble]

Edam, when I collected ds2s asthma inhalers, the pharmacist asked if I had noticed that he had been prescribed Ventolin and Becotide instead of the generics. He told me that the GPs are now prescribing the branded inhalers because the price has dropped due to competition from generics. He said I should expect to see them changed back to the generics when lower their prices again.

It doesn't make a difference to ds2 which brand inhaler he takes fortunately.

All good news for the NHS if there's a price war but patients need to be as aware as you were with your meds.

[LadyVictoriaOfCake]

my pharmacy will only dispense the same 'brand' of inhalers each time as they 'prefrm' different.

dd1 has ventolin and becotide

dd2 has ventolin and beclometasone dipropionate (clenil modulite)

[Imawurzel]

Is this likely to move south??
The hayfever tablets like piriton etc from boots/superdrug have no effect on me. I get stronger ones from doc.
Also get conjunctivitis with hayfever.

[weebleswobble]

I'm confused now - ds2 has been wheezy recently which I've been putting down to the high pollen count. I can't remember whether this coincided with me giving him a new becotide instead of beclometasone.

Imawurzel - I think it may depend on how broke your PCT is. Hertsmere PCT is on its knees.

[LadyVictoriaOfCake]

weebles, no idea, but plarmascit was waffling on about different ways they work and particles etc.

so she keeps them the same for us now.