Walsall residents are invited to attend free events looking into NHS England’s consultation on over the counter medicines.

Two events are due to take place this month to help people understand the consultation that NHS England is running, which looks at prescribing medication for 33 minor or short-term health concerns.
 
NHS Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group will host one event at Lichfield Street Surgery in Walsall Town Centre on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at 1pm until 2pm. You can book a place on this event online or by calling 01922 603062. 

The second event, which is run by NHS England, is set to place on Friday, February 09 at Jurys Inn, in Birmingham from 2pm – 4pm. A number of other NHS England events are also due to take place in Leeds and London, along with two webinars. People wishing to attend any of the above events must book a place.

In the year prior to June 2017, the NHS spent approximately £569 million on prescriptions for medicines that can be purchased over the counter from pharmacies or supermarkets. These prescriptions include items for a condition that is considered to be 'self-limiting' and so does not need treatment as it will heal of its own accord and cases which lend themselves to self-care, meaning the person suffering does not normally need to seek medical care but may decide to seek help with symptom relief from a local pharmacy and use an over the counter medicine

Vitamins/minerals and probiotics have also been included in the consultation proposals as items of low clinical effectiveness which are of high cost to the NHS.

NHS Walsall CCG is supporting NHS England and is inviting residents to take part in the consultation, which ends on March 14, 2018. For more information about the consultation visit the Engage England website.