Information for Patients

Introduction

For more information on medicines optimisation, please refer to the information for patient guidance produced by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE): 

• NICE: Safe and effective use of medicines, information for the public

For information on a medicine and the condition it treats, please refer to the NHS website:

• NHS: Medicines A-Z

To find information on NHS prescription charges please refer to the NHS website:

• NHS Prescription Charges

To check if you are eligible for free prescriptions, please refer to the NHS website:

• Check your eligibilty for free NHS prescriptions

To find information on how to order a repeat prescription, please refer to the NHS website:

• How to order a repeat prescription

Over The Counter (OTC) & Self Care Medicines

Did you know that over the last¹12 months, North West London prescribed in the region of £20 million worth of medicines available to buy in a pharmacy or supermarket.

• NHS North West London does not support the routine prescribing of health supplements and medications that can be easily obtained over the counter for minor conditions, self-limiting illnesses, and short-term ailments. This is in line with NHS England's 'Guidance on conditions for which over-the-counter items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care'.

• For further information please refer to NHS England » Prescribing of over the counter medicines is changing patient leaflets.

In addition to national exceptions listed on the leaflet, the following local exceptions will continue to apply in the following scenarios: 

1. Medicines that need to be given at school 
2. Care home residents 
3. Individuals with funded care packages
4. Patients who require a carer to administer a medicine or product 
5. Anyone officially declared homeless 
6. People with a diagnosis of dementia or learning disability

^{_{References:
1 NHSBSA OTC Prescribing Dashboard March 2023 - February 2024
2 Exceptions apply}}