NHS minor ailments scheme

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
Following on from some posts in Izzy's thread about this scheme which allows people who don't pay prescription charges to obtain a range of medications free from pharmacists I had a look at what is in it for the NHS and found these rather eye watering statistics which I thought might be of interest.

The estimate comes from an analysis of research findings[1], released by the RPS on 19 October 2014. These suggest that the cost of treating a patient for a minor ailment, such as a cough or sore throat, is £29.30 in a community pharmacy but nearly five times higher (£147.09) in a hospital accident and emergency (A&E) department and nearly three times higher (£82.34) if the same patient is seen by a GP.
http://www.pharmaceutical-journal.c...heme-could-help-save-nhs-1bn/20066912.article

Somebody getting free Imodium under this scheme would appear to cost the NHS £29.30 but that is less than £82.50 via the GP or £147.09 via A&E.

Not all pharmacists participate in the scheme and aliments covered may change according to the CCG involved.

For reference the ailments covered by my CCG are:-

• athletes foot
• constipation
• cough
• cystitis
• diarrhoea
• earache
• fever
• hay fever/allergic rhinitis/allergies
• head lice
• indigestion
• insect bites/stings
• mouth ulcers
• sore throat
• sprains/strains
• teething
• threadworm
• upper respiratory tract infection
• vaginal thrush
• verrucas
• warts

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Admn/mods feel free to move if not in correct sub forum, I thought it was of wider interest than members only tea room.
 

WILLIAMR

Account Closed
Apr 12, 2014
1,078
0
Following on from some posts in Izzy's thread about this scheme which allows people who don't pay prescription charges to obtain a range of medications free from pharmacists I had a look at what is in it for the NHS and found these rather eye watering statistics which I thought might be of interest.

The estimate comes from an analysis of research findings[1], released by the RPS on 19 October 2014. These suggest that the cost of treating a patient for a minor ailment, such as a cough or sore throat, is £29.30 in a community pharmacy but nearly five times higher (£147.09) in a hospital accident and emergency (A&E) department and nearly three times higher (£82.34) if the same patient is seen by a GP.
http://www.pharmaceutical-journal.c...heme-could-help-save-nhs-1bn/20066912.article

Somebody getting free Imodium under this scheme would appear to cost the NHS £29.30 but that is less than £82.50 via the GP or £147.09 via A&E.

Not all pharmacists participate in the scheme and aliments covered may change according to the CCG involved.

For reference the ailments covered by my CCG are:-

• athletes foot
• constipation
• cough
• cystitis
• diarrhoea
• earache
• fever
• hay fever/allergic rhinitis/allergies
• head lice
• indigestion
• insect bites/stings
• mouth ulcers
• sore throat
• sprains/strains
• teething
• threadworm
• upper respiratory tract infection
• vaginal thrush
• verrucas
• warts

You can only view the above article a limited number of times unless you subscribe or clear your cookies. If using Chrome just go incognito.

Admn/mods feel free to move if not in correct sub forum, I thought it was of wider interest than members only tea room.

I know A & E is overloaded but a wider family member suddenly found breathing getting more difficult basically because of mucus caused by a cold.
As he was by himself that night and he lives very close to A & E he decided to go there as a precaution.
All A & E told him to do was to take paracetamol and to get a few hours of sleep.
A medic may be able to say he wasted the time of A & E but he is not a medic.

William
 

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