This page has resources for CCGs and healthcare professionals on the implementation of not routinely prescribing over the counter (OTC) medicines for certain conditions.

Quick Reference Guide for Healthcare Professionals

The quick reference guide summarises the guidance recommendations and lists the conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed.

Guide for Prescribers

This guide covers:

• The licenced indications of products available OTC and highlights where the licensing exceptions would prohibit self-care.
• The general exceptions for the medicine and exceptions due to product licences for over the counter medicines available to treat the conditions listed in the NHS England guidance.

Data

PrescQIPP CIC have published data on OTC items to enable NHS healthcare professionals to review current prescribing patterns in their area (password required). NHS BSA are also in the process of developing a dashboard to summarise the data for OTC items and this will be available shortly.

Patient Resources

A toolkit of resources to facilitate CCGs to implement the recommendations and support discussions between patients and their healthcare professionals including:

• Patient information leaflet
• Easy Read patient information leaflet
• GP handout

Care Homes

A Frequently Asked Questions resource to facilitate CCGs to implement the recommendations for people living in care homes. The resource is the result of a stakeholder engagement webinar describing the implementation of the guidance for people living in care homes.