CONCERNS have been raised over Primary Care Trust plans to save money by altering prescriptions.

NHS West Essex has admitted it needs to make large savings to avoid a potential £11million overspend this year and one area targeted is prescribed medicines.

NHS West Essex director of finance Dean Westcott said: “We want to get the best from the medicine doctors prescribe so local doctors and pharmacists have worked together to look at the medicines prescribed to see if we can offer the same benefit at better value.

“This could mean a change in the packaging or name of a drug but not in the quality or how it works for the patient. It can be as simple as someone getting a capsule rather than a tablet.”

The move has drawn some concerns from patients that changing their brand could produce side effects.

Chairman of Waltham Abbey Pensioners Action Group Terry Hutt said: “I'm one of many very concerned about what they're doing. They're saving money to cut their costs.

“Some pills you depend on and to change them for others just to save money is something I'm not happy about, myself.

“I have different types of pills for my open heart surgery. I've had them for years and all of a sudden they're saying I don't need them.”

Last year campaigning charity Epilepsy Action issued a statement condemning pressure on doctors to provide more generic medicines.

The charity estimates ten per cent of people with epilepsy have suffered more fits after a change in their prescribed medication.