Items less suitable for prescribing
In 2019 NHS England issued guidance on a number of medicinal products which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care. These include:
- Products of low clinical effectiveness, where there is a lack of robust evidence of clinical effectiveness or there are significant safety concerns;
- Products which are clinically effective but where more cost-effective products are available, including some products that have been subject to excessive price inflation; and
- Products which are clinically effective but due to the nature of the product are deemed a low priority for NHS funding.
The national guidance is available here.
The ICB had adopted this guidance and developed patient information leaflets and position statements for each category.
- Bath and shower emollients
- Co-proxamol
- Dosulepin
- Doxazosin
- Fentanyl IR
- Glucosamine & chondroitin
- Herbal treatments
- Homeopathy
- Lidocaine plasters
- Lutein and anti-oxident supplements
- Omega 3 fatty acid compounds
- Oxycodone and naloxone
- Paracetamol and tramadol
- Perindopril arginine
- Rubefacients
- Tadalafil
- Travel vaccines
- Trimipramine
- Bath and shower emollients
- Co-proxamol
- Dosulepin
- Doxazosin
- Fentanyl IR
- Glucosamine & chondroitin
- Herbal treatments
- Homeopathy
- Lidocaine plasters
- Lutein and anti-oxident supplements
- Omega 3 fatty acid compounds
- Oxycodone and naloxone
- Paracetamol and tramadol
- Perindopril arginine
- Rubefacients
- Tadalafil
- Travel vaccines
- Trimipramine