Doctors defy NHS rules to prescribe over-the-counter items such as shampoo and vitamins for patients struggling to afford them

Doctors are increasingly defying NHS rules to prescribe over-the-counter items like baby formula, shampoo, toothpaste and multivitamins for patients struggling to afford basic goods. Prescriptions issued by GPs in England for these everyday products have soared by up to 80 per cent in two years, official NHS data shows. Prescriptions issued by GPs in England for these everyday products have soared by up to 80 per cent in two years These prescriptions were for everyday 'household and over the counter' items, including Colgate Total toothpaste, Ambre Solaire after-sun lotion and Neutrogena and Aveeno shampoos GPs say they are having to act to protect their 'most vulnerable' patients from the impact of the cost-of-living crisis Health chiefs have warned GPs not to prescribe vitamins except in specific cases of deficiency or malnourishment. And the number prescriptions for standard brands of baby formula, including SMA Little Steps and Aptamil 1, jumped by 80 per cent in two years and a by a third in the last year alone - despite clear guidelines stating NHS chiefs do not 'approve' these prescriptions. The number prescriptions for standard brands of baby formula, including SMA Little Steps and Aptamil 1, jumped by 80 per cent in two years and a by a third in the last year alone Nine out of ten prescriptions dispensed in England are issued free of charge - although 40 per cent of the population are liable to pay for their prescriptions Prof Hawthorne added: 'The most vulnerable in society are of course affected the most, and GPs witness how higher prices are affecting the health of our patients every day in our surgeries.