AIBU to think people who condemned Tories for being heartless shouldn't then demand means testing for children's medicine.

[captainproton]

A family member wrote a pretty nasty Facebook post calling Tory voters heartless scum for not voting Labour. I didn't vote Tory btw but some other family members did. Then in the wake of the Fails article on free calpol at Boots for all kids, we all get treated to halo polishing posts about how such a scheme is ruining the NHS and that they buy all their own Calpol and those that don't and can afford it and other medicines are basically ripping off taxpayers. Even after the scheme was properly explained along with the fact all kids get free prescriptions they continued to say that parents should buy their children's medicine with a charge like adults and not claim it free on the NHS. I am starting to take all this Facebook crap personally, I got prescription painkillers for my dd to help her post surgery, we don't get CB but we aren't rolling in it. I accepted the free medicine. Now I can totally get why someone may have the view that the luxury of free childrens medicine should not be applicable to us. I would however assume you'd be happy with a Tory government. I am so tempted to call her a hypocrite, but is she and AIBU?

[Samcro]

i don't get why this has any connection to who people vote for.
the government.
I have always got "calpol" on prescription, so have no idea what this is all about.
but can imagine if the NHS has to fund all "calpol" it will get silly.

[captainproton]

Samcro, www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3089178/No-need-cough-Calpol-s-FREE-NHS-Thousands-discover-entitled-various-medications-mother-s-Facebook-post-goes-viral.html

But actually if you read this:

www.healthydoseofskepticism.com/healthy-dose-of-skepticism/2015/Day/Month/can-you-really-get-all-medicines-for-children-free-in-a-pharmacy

Then you see the scheme is not available to everyone.

But if you think that you should remove the free prescriptions from all children then why would you get your knickers in a twist for voting Tory and wrecking our NHS?

[SaucyJack]

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need"

If you genuinely couldn't afford Calpol for you child then that's that. No one takes issue with that.

But you can absolutely be a socialist and think that people who're not in dire straits shouldn't be wasting GPtime/NHS resources on something you can buy non-branded in Tesco for a quid.

[captainproton]

Hmmm forget the Calpol bit, what about prescription charging for children? Is that in the spirit of being socialist? I don't know. I think everyone should get free prescriptions...

[SaucyJack]

What are you talking about?

Children's paractemol isn't a prescription medicine. You can buy it in a corner-shop.

No one thinks children shouldn't be given prescription drugs for free.

[GoodbyeToAllOfThat]

Adults are means-tested for prescriptions, why not their children? I don't understand the principle behind the distinction.

I'm not at all happy to be paying for calpol for anyone who doesn't (for example) qualify for CB. Paying for a prescription hardly undermines the socialised nature of medicine in the UK.

[GoodbyeToAllOfThat]

You can ask for Calpol on prescription if the doctor suggests the child takes it.

[RedRugNoniMouldiesEtc]

Not voting tory and being able to see that the nhs cannot support everything aren't mutually exclusive. Labour, green and ukip voters also tend to recognise that lines have to be drawn to protect the service. Non essential medicine would fall into the category of something to be looked at regardless of political orientation. Wanting people who can pay for them not to get them free is certainly not suggesting the removal of free prescriptions for children.

Painkillers after a procedure or where long term pain is a symptom are not non essential.

[captainproton]

Do GPs prescribe non-essential medication? What about antibiotics for children? Free or a charge?

[captainproton]

dairy-free formula?

[captainproton]

I've got all of these free from the NHS for my children I am not entirely sure how we'd afford all the prescription charges otherwise.

[SaucyJack]

This thread isn't making much sense because someone (possibly me) is getting confused between prescription and over-the-counter medication.

Paracetamol, nit lotion and worming treatment are necessary, but you don't need a prescription for them. You can buy the first two anywhere, and walk into any chemist and pick up the latter. At your own expense obv. No need to see a HCP.

[NealCaffreysHat]

I think the posts were referring to the Boots scheme not prescriptions for antibiotics?

[NealCaffreysHat]

SaucyJack I am confused too. The posts I have seen are listing the items you can get over the counter, not things that require a prescription.

[gamerchick]

See I firmly believe that this calpol thing has been deliberately floated because prescriptions for under 16s are under the spotlight as potential cuts. Everybody knows this stuff works to get the frothers going to pave the way for cuts... You just have to look at the likes of benefit Britain programs to prove that.

I guess time will tell. I mean let's face it, if prescriptions were means tested for all on family income it'll also quite nicely get the snarling going for those on benefits as a bonus.

[captainproton]

Gamerchick, this is what I said to my relative, they didn't bother to read the article and realise that over the counter stuff is not currently been given out like sweeties. But they have gone further and instead of saying my mistake, they now say that ALL children's medicine should be subject to a charge, like for adults.

I can see how some people agree with that, but is that a view you can hold as a Tory-hating, socialist?

I don't know anymore.

[gamerchick]

I actually predicted that article in the daily mail as well on Facebook... Scary shit. The comments section will do a fine job towards it I should think. The plasters thing was a good touch.

[Theimpossiblegirl]

My GP has had a sign up for a long time saying that they will not prescribe certain things. These are all over-counter medicines like Ovex, Hedrin etc. The cost of having an appointment to get the prescription, then having the prescription dispensed, is more than the cost of the medicine, so I completely understand why.

The scheme is surely meant to be for people who can't afford the medicines, not those who feel they can save a few quid. Seeing it on MSE really added to it, as there is a certain smugness from many people at getting a bargain, or something for nothing, while the genuinely needy then get tarred with the same brush.

PS- I didn't vote Tory.

[Welshmaenad]

I'm a Tory-hater, though not a socialist. I'm in favour of restricting the scheme to families on low incomes who qualify for an nhs exemption card, or to adults who qualify for free prescriptions AND can evidence receipt of certain benefits. These are established parameters and wouldnt require additional means testing measures that outweigh the savings of excluding those who don't qualify.

I live in Wales where adults already get free prescriptions so if the scheme was rolled out here there's potential for widespread abuse by individuals who can well afford their own ibuprofen or pile cream.

[Welshmaenad]

To add, I'm always happy to buy our own calpol where we can. I have had a bottle of Fenpaed given to us when taking Dd for a GP out of hours appointment at 10pm on a Sunday when there was nowhere open that we could have bought it that night, and I think that's fine, and very different to going to the pharmacist at 2pm on a Tuesday and asking for it free because a child is teething when you can indeed pick some up in Tesco for a quid.

[captainproton]

But I am not disputing that, I just don't think you can call espouse Tory-hating rhetoric on Facebook and then demand the introduction of prescription medicines!! The scheme IS NOT free for everyone, I never said it should be. What I don't understand is how can you be a socialist and what prescription charging for children, and for that matter adults. Correct me if I am wrong but is it only the English who pay prescription charges?

[captainproton]

obviously meant to say demand introduction of charging for children's prescriptions

[RedRugNoniMouldiesEtc]

Sorry, so this thread is entirely about your one relative whom none of us have met? Well, I don't know if they can hold those views but apparently they think they can what else did you want us to say?

Non essential medicine is anything you get without a prescription - so for eg painkillers after an op would be prescribed and therefore essential. Anything else would be otc and could quite reasonably be means tested (imo).

[Welshmaenad]

If a medicine can only be obtained on prescription then of course it should be prescribed free for children. Like I said, I also think Drs should be able to dispense otc Medicine free to children if they deem it circumstantially necessary. Perhaps I'm missing something but I don't think anyone is arguing that children's prescriptions shouldn't be free, only that the supply of nonessential OTC medicines and treatments be limited to families most in need.

[captainproton]

I am trying to work out if it's U to think that if you want to bring in charging for children's prescriptions it makes you more right wing then left? I don't know what to think anymore? I think she is a hypocrite, but is she? No clue. Perhaps we should all pay a prescription charge then...