The 36 conditions the NHS no longer treats after changes to prescription rules

The NHS spends billions of pounds issuing prescriptions every year. For people struggling with their health, the treatments are a lifeline.

But over the years, the health service has faced a significant cost on 'unnecessary' prescriptions. Conditions like cold sores, sore throats and migraines could previously be treated by prescription on the NHS.

Now, a crackdown on excessive spending means many 'over the counter' remedies are no longer available. It's a move which has received 'broad support' in a public consultation, Nottinghamshire Live reports.

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Products like cough syrup, paracetamol and eye drops are no longer being routinely prescribed. This decision aims to save the NHS millions of pounds each year.

Many of these products can be purchased over the counter at a lower cost than what the NHS would incur. According to NHS England, £22.8 million was spent annually on constipation treatment, £3 million on athlete's foot and other fungal infections, and £4.5 million on dandruff shampoos.

River View Surgery stated: "GPs issued 1.1 billion prescription items at a cost of £9.2 billion in 2015/16. The vast majority were appropriate but many were for medicines, products or treatments that do not require a prescription and can be purchased over the counter from pharmacies, supermarkets, petrol stations, corner shops or other retailers in some cases at a much lower cost than the price paid by the NHS."

According to River View Surgery, these are the conditions affected by the changes which were first introduced in 2022:

• Acute sore throat
• Infrequent cold sores of the lip
• Conjunctivitis
• Coughs and colds and nasal congestion
• Cradle Cap (seborrhoeic dermatitis – infants)
• Haemorrhoids
• Infant colic
• Mild cystitis
• Mild irritant dermatitis
• Dandruff
• Diarrhoea (adults)
• Dry eyes/sore (tired) eyes
• Earwax
• Excessive sweating (Hyperhidrosis)
• Head lice
• Indigestion and heartburn
• Infrequent constipation
• Infrequent migraine
• Insect bites and sting
• Mild acne
• Mild dry skin
• Sunburn
• Sun protection
• Mild to moderate hay fever/seasonal rhinitis
• Minor burns and scalds
• Minor conditions associated with pain, discomfort and/fever. (e.g. aches and sprains, headache, period pain, back pain)
• Mouth ulcers
• Nappy rash
• Oral thrush
• Prevention of dental caries
• Ringworm/athlete's foot
• Teething/mild toothache
• Threadworms
• Travel sickness
• Warts and verruca.