After a determined attempt to reduce wasteful spending on common illnesses, the NHS has stopped prescribing a number of over-the-counter treatments. Products that are affected include eye drops, sun cream, cough syrup, and paracetamol, among others, and are no longer routinely given.

The NHS first proposed plans to restrict prescriptions for mild ailments, which were met with "broad support" during public surveys, claiming that the change would save millions of pounds a year, according to Express.co.uk. Some of these items are less expensive to purchase over-the-counter than the NHS would.

NHS England drew attention to the significant costs associated with dandruff shampoos (£4.5 million), athlete's foot and fungal infections (£3 million), and constipation (£22.8 million annually). According to reports, during 2015–16, general practitioners wrote 1.1 billion prescription items, most of which were required, at an astounding cost of £9.2 billion.