Would you have asked for pain relief on prescription?

[Metaphors]

DS2 has hurt himself. A day in A & E has thankfully proved uneventful and he'll be OK in a couple of weeks. In the meantime he needs pain relief and I was advised to give paracetamol and ibuprofen. He struggles with tablets so I've brought the liquid (like they gave him in hospital) total cost £7

It's not the end of the world, we can afford it, we got lovely care at the hospital and things could have been a whole lot worse, but if they'd given him a prescription, it would have been free (to me).

If I'd asked, would they have prescribed it? Would our GP? I'm not sure I could be cheeky enough to ask anyway, would you?

[madreloco]

No. It costs a lot more to the nhs than it costs you. You can buy liquid painkillers in the pound shop anyway.

[ClaimedByMe]

I was given it on prescription years ago for ds when he had ear infections as a baby but I don't think they prescribe it now as its so cheap to buy, we were able to get it free through the chemist too as part of a minor aliments thingy but I don't even know if they still offer that now.

[Metaphors]

Not in the volumes DS is going to need it over the coming weeks madreloco. I bought large bottles of unbranded stuff from the chemist. The sachets from the pound shop would have cost much more for the same amount.

[PoshPenny]

I have asked for this kind of stuff on prescription before. For my daughters, also head lice treatments. At the time my husband was unemployed and the family budget was shot to smithereens, £60/week JSA family of 4 with a mortgage to pay. we absolutely could not afford to buy it ourselves. I think it's fair enough to ask in those circumstances, if you can afford it then really in my mind you should buy it yourself,

[madreloco]

You don't need sachets though, whats wrong with simple bottles?

But either way, you can afford the medicine your child needs. Why would you ask for it at a higher cost to the nhs?

[chocolatelife]

i have done in the past but the GP was rather grumpy about it, but in my defence I didnt know I could buy it over the counter.
the GP gave me a calpol prescription for DS when he was a baby
i was given cocodamol for myself when I attended A & E,
so, yes and no i think to your question

[chocolatelife]

yes I got whole family scabies treatment prescription as well

[Metaphors]

You can't buy bottles in Poundland AFAIC.

I'm not asking the NHS for it, I was just wondering if I could/should have and what others would do.

[momtothree]

We have been offered pain killers but doctor usually asks if we have some in. If late and we dont they will get you some from hospital pharmacy. I read a few weeks ago of people being given toothpaste on prescription. Sad times.

[Tealady1983]

Ans people wonder why the nhs is going to the dogs

[chocolatelife]

it isnt just the NHS tealady, if you can't afford it, you can't afford it

[Metaphors]

Would that be because it's overcharged for meds Tealady?

[Mrsmorton]

Some toothpaste is prescription only, that's why people get it on prescription...

[seaoflove]

I wouldn't have asked, no. I have it at home already and can afford to buy more.

Honestly, just because you can get basic painkillers free on prescription, doesn't mean you should, IMO.

[chocolatelife]

but if you can't afford it, it is actually no business of anyone else's.
would you deny a pensioner their free prescription?

[Metaphors]

That's kind of how I feel seaoflove and why I have no intention of actually asking. OTOH, I could pay for the physio he'll need, should I?

[chocolatelife]

for an adult you can buy a month's worth for £30, which is a saving if you need a lot of prescriptions.

[chocolatelife]

I wouldnt pay for private physiotherapy, unless there was a large delay and I could afford it easily.

[VivaLeBeaver]

The nhs ought to have an inbetween level of payment for this sort of thing.

Parents could pay the cost price of a medication rather than the over inflated pharmacy price. People might be happier to do that and less likely to ask for a free prescription.

[Metaphors]

So "morally" it would be abhorrent to ask for a prescription I can afford to buy myself but using an NHS dentist or physio is OK regardless of how comfortable you are?

[chocolatelife]

it might still happen metaphors, if Cameron wants it.

[Threesoundslikealot]

I've had to ask for it on prescription before because the nursery would only give prescribed meds. I hated doing so, and GP, while completely understanding, said that this costs the NHS a fortune as it's so widespread.

[madreloco]

Parents could pay the cost price of a medication rather than the over inflated pharmacy price.

and the pharmacy would pay all of their costs how exactly? IT's not over-inflated just because its more than cost price!

[Proudmummytodc2]

My GP gives me it on prescription for kids also signed up for minor ailments and get it free through that but it's not named brands it's the pharmacy's own one I just now buy it because my kids only like calpol for some reason it's the only one they will take they know the difference

[Crownjewel]

Yes, I do. Reason being that nursery will only administer medicines with a prescription sticker on the container. So if I send DS to nursery with a bottle I've bought from Asda, they have to ring me to come down and give him a spoonful.