NHS bosses in Liverpool are aiming to slash £1.35million from the local health budget by axing prescriptions - including for 'vitamins and minerals' and treatment for 'mild dry skin.'
The move follows national guidance recommending that Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), which control local NHS budgets, stop routinely prescribing over the counter remedies for a range of common conditions.
Liverpool CCG is aiming to stop routine prescriptions for 17 conditions on a longer list of 37, suggested by NHS England.
The CCG has published figures showing how much doctors in the city had spent on prescribing remedies for conditions included in the full list of 37, totalling £2.4million, while prescriptions for the 17 conditions totalled £1.35million.
Between July 2017 and July 2018, £755,796 was spent on prescribing vitamins and minerals, while £212,545 was spent on medicines for dry/sore or tired eyes.
Some £120,765 was spent on travel sickness, while £108,390 was spent on 'mild to moderate hayfever' and £283,312 was spent on mild dry skin/sunburn.
The CCG spent £204,521 on indigestion and heartburn, and £80,774 on 'infrequent constipation.
Liverpool CCG say failing to stick to the recommendations from NHS England could increase financial pressure on its already stretched budget.
But councillors have attacked the proposals, claiming it could harm poorer patients.
Liverpool Council's health and adult social care select committee passed an emergency motion opposing the CCG's plans yesterday.
During the meeting, Councillor Paul Kenyon said: "This city already has a high level of deprivation and these changes could leave people having to make a choice between head lice lotion and food.
"This report seeks to privatise certain minor health issues. Conditions such as head lice will only be treated by people who can afford to do so and the poorest will be left to suffer. It is completely unacceptable."
Councillor Angela Coleman said: "It will directly affect the health choices of the very poorest in our society if they have to pay for medications that were previously available free on prescription, and as a socialist I believe good health care is a basic requirement, regardless of ability to pay."
Dr Fiona Lemmens, a local GP and Chairwoman of Liverpool CCG, said: "We need to ensure NHS resources are used in the best possible way, but it’s also really important to stress that if these changes went ahead, doctors and nurses would still be able to prescribe if they felt there was a medical, mental health-related or social reason for doing so, which means that no one should be unfairly disadvantaged.
"The changes we are considering are based on national NHS guidelines which recommend 37 instances where prescriptions should be limited, but in Liverpool we are only considering 17 of these based on the needs of our local population.
"No decisions have been made yet.
"We really want local people to tell us what they think, and we’ll be going out into different communities over the coming weeks to help make sure we gather views from people right across the city."
People can share their views between 11 September and 4 December 2019 by filling in a questionnaire – either online here or by requesting a paper version of the questionnaire by calling: (0151) 0151 247 6409, emailing: involvement@liverpoolccg.nhs.uk , or texting: 07920 206 386.
