Minor Ailments Service and Over the counter medication
The Minor Ailments Service is available through community pharmacies. Patients can speak to a Pharmacist and receive treatment for the following conditions free of charge. You don't need to wait for a prescription or an appointment with the Doctor. Your community Pharmacist can provide treatment directly, free-of-charge for the following conditions:
Acne Vulgaris
Ear Wax
Mouth Ulcers
Oral Thrush
Vaginal Thrush
Athlete’s Foot
Verrucae
Head Lice
Threadworms
Diarrhoea
Groin area infection
Haemorrhoids
Scabies
Your Pharmacist will refer you to your Doctor as necessary.
Your Doctors thank you for making your community Pharmacy your first point of contact for these common conditions. This will free them up to spend more time focusing on patients with complex medical needs.
Victoria Surgery Policy for prescribing of over-the-counter medicines
- Promotes self-care for minor conditions and self-limiting illnesses
- Advises patients that medicines on the list below should be purchased by the patient from community pharmacies or supermarkets and will no longer be prescribed for minor or self-limiting conditions
- Advises patients that their local community pharmacy pharmacist can provide advice and help to manage minor conditions and self-limiting illnesses
In line with the NI Department of Health and from the 1st May 2017 this practice will not prescribe medicines that can be purchased over-the-counter by patients when they are being used to treat minor conditions or self-limiting illnesses, or where there is no evidence base for their use (see table below)
This new policy will:
- Encourage self-management of minor illnesses and free up GP appointments to treat patients with complex health problems
- Increase the money available to the health service to treat more serious conditions such as heart disease and cancer
- Increase patients’ confidence and feeling of positivity in being able to look after their health
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OTC Indication
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Medicines no longer prescribed for minor and self-limiting illness
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Mild aches and pains e.g. headache, occasional migraine and teething
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- Anti-inflammatory gels or creams e.g. ibuprofen or diclofenac gel
- Oral painkillers e.g. paracetamol or ibuprofen
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Athlete’s foot
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Antifungal creams e.g. clotrimazole, miconazole and terbinafine
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Cold sores
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Anti-viral creams e.g. acyclovir 5%
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Colic
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Infacol®, Dentinox®, Colief®, Gripe water
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Coughs, colds and sore throats
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- Cough bottles
- Lozenges and sprays for sore throats
- Oral painkillers / antipyretics e.g. paracetamol, ibuprofen
- Nasal decongestants e.g. pseudoephedrine tablets, decongestant sprays, drops
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Diarrhoea (occasional and short duration)
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- Oral rehydration solutions e.g. Dioralyte
- Antidiarrhoeal medicines e.g. loperamide
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Constipation (occasional and short duration)
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Laxatives e.g. ispaghula husk (Fybogel®), bisacodyl, lactulose, senna
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Ear wax
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Ear drops for softening ear wax
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Haemorrhoids (piles)
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Haemorrhoid creams, ointments and suppositories
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Hayfever
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Antihistamine tablets and liquids for patients over 6 years old eg: Cetirizine, Loratadine, Chlorphenamine, Acrivastine.
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Head lice
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Head lice lotions and sprays
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Indigestion and heartburn
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e.g. Maalox®, Peptac®, Gaviscon®
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Infant feeding
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- Comfort milks
- Lactose free formulas for colic
- Reflux milks
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Nappy rash
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e.g. Metanium®, Sudocrem®
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Oral health
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- Mouthwashes e.g. Chlorhexidine
- Fluoride toothpaste
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Sunscreen
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Should only be prescribed for certain approved conditions
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Threadworms
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Mebendazole tablets and suspension
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Vitamins and minerals
Should not be prescribed as dietary supplements or as a general “pick-me-up”
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Should only be prescribed in line with actual or potential vitamin or mineral deficiency
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