This guidance follows a public consultation, after CCGs asked for a nationally co-ordinated approach to the development of commissioning guidance in this area to ensure consistency and address unwarranted variation. The final recommendations cover 35 minor conditions and two items of limited clinical effectiveness (probiotics; vitamins and minerals). It is estimated that restricting prescribing for ‘minor’ conditions may save up to £136m once all discounts and claw backs have been accounted for.
A series of implementation tools to support CCGs in implementing this guidance are under development and a link to these will be published on the NHS England website as they become available.