Plea to hayfever patients on costs ‘BUY OVER COUNTER AND SAVE NHS CASH’
HEALTH chiefs are urging hayfever sufferers who get antihistamines on prescription to instead buy them over-thecounter to reduce costs to the NHS.
NHS Greater Huddersfield and NHS North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) are campaigning to save £1.3m on medicines that are cheaper to buy in a pharmacy rather than on prescription - a cost the equivalent of 43 community nurses.
They’ve already reduced prescriptions of paracetamol, now HOMEOWNERS in a leafy Kirklees village have showed off their gardens.
Almost two dozen gardens were thrown open for the Upper Hopton Garden Trail.
From country cottage to country house, people interested in blooms and greenery were invited to take a look at some of the finest gardens in the area.
Guests were also able to enjoy home cooked light refreshments at the Croft House Community Centre. they’re urging people needing small quantities of the drugs not to ask for prescriptions of antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays. They say they can be bought for half the price the NHS pays when providing them on prescription. Dr Steve Ollerton, Clinical Leader, NHS Greater Huddersfield
The village on a hill above Mirfield has a history of gardening glory, having won gold medals from Yorkshire in Bloom in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
In 2014 the efforts of the community volunteers saw them awarded a Silver Gilt in the Village Category of the RHS Britain in Bloom UK finals.
Proceeds from this year’s event will be put towards further ‘Hopton in Bloom’ work. CCG and a local GP, said: “Every time a doctor writes a prescription, the NHS incurs additional charges because of dispensing and administrative fees. If you include the GP’s time, the cost is even higher.
“These common medicines can be bought from a pharmacy or shop for less than half the price the NHS pays when providing them on prescription.”
This is the second phase of the campaign which has already reaped £20,000 savings in Kirklees after advising about buying paracetamol over-the counter instead of on prescription.