September 25th 2026

By Ailsa Colquhoun

Wales opens SLS consultation

Draft proposals look to lift Selected List Scheme (SLS) restrictions in Wales.

A new consultation, open until December 17, proposes to remove a number of restrictions that no longer appear necessary or proportionate, including restrictions relating to clobazam, Locabiotal® aerosol, Niferex® Elixir, Nizoral® 2% cream, drugs used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, and the ministerial notification and local virological confirmation requirements for oseltamivir and zanamivir.

The Welsh Government describes the central issue as whether statutory restrictions introduced for historic reasons remain justified in light of current clinical practice, product availability, generic pricing and the existence of alternative prescribing controls such as formularies, national guidance and prescribing indicators.

The main arguments in favour of the proposals are that some SLS entries are obsolete, some restrictions no longer reflect current costs or practice, statutory controls are slow to update, and alternative stewardship mechanisms already exist.

The main arguments against are that removal of restrictions could increase prescribing, expenditure or inappropriate use, and may increase workload in primary care.

 However, any increase in workload is expected to be modest and may be partly offset by reduced administrative requirements, according to the impact assessment.

The consultation is online and closes on Thursday 17 December 2026.