The health body will no longer prescribe drugs for 35 conditions, which patients will have to purchase from their local pharmacy or supermarket going forward.
The plan to dial back on prescriptions was devised with the aim of allocating funds to treatments for more serious conditions, according to the health body.
The health body said: “By reducing the amount the NHS spends on treating these minor health conditions, the NHS can give priority to treatments for patients with more serious conditions such as cancer and mental health problems.".
The NHS added: “A GP, nurse or pharmacist will generally not give you a prescription for over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for a range of minor health conditions.
Those who will remain eligible for free prescriptions will include anyone on state benefits, pregnant women and new mothers, people with specified medical conditions or disabilities, and the over-60s or under-16s
At the time, there were "no life-saving treatments” for conditions like asthma, Parkinson’s and MS either, according to Miss Cockram
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