Agenda item

Further to the discussion at the last meeting, the Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group to provide an update on the outcomes of the consultation which ended on 31 July 2016.  The responses from patients and the public are still being collated and analysed as there were several hundred responses, many of which were extremely detailed.  A verbal update will be given at the meeting.

Further to the discussion at the last meeting, Richard Morris Director of Corporate Affairs, Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group provided an update on the outcomes of the consultation which ended on 31 July 2016. 

The responses from patients and the public were still being collated and analysed; as there were several hundred responses, many of which were extremely detailed.  The initial headlines from the responses were that:-

a)         There was overwhelming support for paracetamol not being prescribed for self-limiting illnesses such as viral infections (colds and flu etc) as the same strength tablets were available over the counter.  There were some comments relating to the quantity of tablets that could be purchased over the counter.

b)         There was more opposition to a blanket ban on prescribing gluten free products, but there was support for offering a limited number of units and range of products at the lower end cost of some products.  For example gluten free bread could vary in cost from £1.20p to £8.70p per loaf.

c)         When all the responses had been analysed, a formal report would be submitted to all three CCGs in the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland areas within the next 2 months detailing the feedback from the engagement exercise.  The report would indicate whether any or none of the current proposals should be formally put forward for consideration by the CCGs.  If the CCGs considered that any proposal put forward should be accepted, it would then be the subject of a formal public consultation exercise.

In response to Members’ questions it was stated that:-

a)         The pre-engagement exercise was targeted and focused upon users and the views of pharmacists were not known at present.

b)         Without prejudging what, if any, recommendation would be made to the CCG Boards; it was recognised that any consultation should include proposals to protect vulnerable people who may be required to purchase items over the counter.

c)         Anyone wishing to comment upon the proposals or any subsequent consultations could submit their views to the Head of Medicines or the Director of Corporate Affairs at the Leicester City CCG.

d)         Other products mentioned in the original report to the Commission had been removed from the pre-engagement exercise.  If any of these products were to be suggested in future, they would have to go through the same pre-engagement exercise, reporting to the CCGs and public consultation processes should they be taken forward by the CCGs.

e)         The pre-engagement exercise had been undertaken in-house and had involved Healthwatch.  The 200 responses received for the City were considered to be a representative sample for such an exercise.

The Chair thanked the Director of Corporate Affairs for the update but still felt that the exercise would be unnecessary if GPs were encouraged to be more rigorous and sensible in not prescribing paracetamol for self-limiting viral infections.

AGREED:

That the update report be received and a further report be submitted to the Commission on the outcome of the CCG Boards’ consideration of the formal report on the results of the pre-engagement exercise.