NHS England’s plans for self-care
NHS England's plans for self-care
Draft guidance has been developed by NHS England with the aim of saving the NHS £136m a year by reducing prescribing of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for minor ailments, and encouraging more people to practise self-care. One of the areas it covers is cold and flu.
Click on the boxes below to see its guidance to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) on prescribing for symptoms most likely to be associated with these conditions:1
Acute
sore throat
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Support prescribers in advising patients that a prescription for antibiotics for the treatment of acute sore throat shouldn't routinely be offered as the condition is self-limiting, and will clear up on its own without the need for treatment.
Coughs, colds and
nasal congestion
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Support prescribers in advising patients that a prescription for treatment of coughs, colds and nasal congestion should not routinely be offered in primary care as the condition is self-limiting and will clear up on its own without the need for treatment.
Patients should instead be advised to take OTC medication (e.g. simple painkillers) and carry out self-care measures to help relieve their symptoms - which is where signposting to pharmacy becomes important.