Shocked!

[ActuallyItsEugene]

I managed to pull my back yesterday and have been in agony.
My surgery is shut today so I contacted one of those telehealth apps.

Paid £30, a private GP called me, prescribed 15 diazepam tablets which were waiting at the pharmacy for me within 15 minutes.
Private prescription cost for the tablets? £2.50.

I'm shocked at how easy that was. Our NHS is fantastic but for situations like this I'm amazed there's something out there that is that convenient.

They are an excellent service and I’ve used them a lot.
I’m not registered with the nhs for GP services, haven’t been for 20 odd years so I use a private GP practice but I also use those services if I need something in a hurry (sick notes etc).

yeah, but its not that convenient if you aint got no money
hope your back gets better

I do have health insurance though so if something bad does happen, I am covered.

I'm really surprised for you too.
Good to know.
Not so good if £30 is your weekly food budget though.

That's definitely surprising. I thought those apps weren't allowed to prescribe benzodiazepines? I've used one (for something else) and their FAQ state they can't prescribe them. Perhaps they're allowed to but some take an over cautious approach?

Of course it's no good if you've not the money.
I've been there before.

I was just amazed at the speed and how cheap the tablets were.

@ToffeeYoghurt The Dr did say that diazepam is the strongest they're allowed to prescribe.
They can't give controlled drugs or anything like that.

It's spurred me on and I've just gotten some private health insurance for DD and I.

As I say the NHS is fantastic but I'd still be waiting in agony if those private GPs weren't around.
I was also very shocked as to the price of the prescription, I was led to believe private prescriptions cost the Earth. It was cheaper than the NHS levy by far!

Wow! What app was that?

You wouldn't have been left in agony. You could have rang 111, gone to a walk in or at a push gone to A&E.

Having said that I used the Pushdoctor app once as I needed antibiotics and I couldn't get a doctors appointment before I went on holiday the next day. It was something I'd had before so I knew antibiotics were the right treatment and the doctor at Push doctor agreed. They got the prescription sent to my local Boots within the hour and it was about £6 for the prescription. Can't remember how much the consultation was but probably similar to yours OP. I would use it again if I was in a similar situation.

They're definitely very useful if you can afford them. Quick, often immediate appointments. The NHS offers a similar app but it's not available across the UK.

Which company would you recommend OP? I feel a bit lost looking at them all and wondering which are scams :)

The app I used was GoGoDoc. You can choose between a video or phone consultation at whatever time suits you.
If you need a prescription they ask what pharmacy you want it sent to and it goes straight over.

@Ohlordysugarandspice That's true. Although I wouldn't go to A&E/walk-in centre with a back in spasm, especially when it's so painful to sit.

Sorry, it wasn't an app.
If you google GoGoDoc you'll see it

Thanks for this, I didn't know this was a service you can pay for.

i've used push dr before, it was really good and useful

I was led to believe private prescriptions cost the Earth. It was cheaper than the NHS levy by far!

But if the drug you needed was £300 that is what you would have paid- not the £9 odd from the NHS.

It's spurred me on and I've just gotten some private health insurance for DD and I.

Cant private GPS wont see children under 16- BUPA for example.

That’s still cheap 2.50 we pay up to 100-200 for prescriptions in North America if we don’t have insurance. OP I am guessing you have insurance that covered the rest - £2.50 is too cheap.

@MeninSuits neither of my children are registered with an NHS GP. They have always seen private GP or paediatricians.

@MeninSuits They happily insured her. The private GP I'll be seeing conducts child health clinics.
I know that some drugs can cost the earth (my dads psoriasis cream for example) but that's why I was so surprised.

@Redrosesandsunsets Nope. I got the insurance this afternoon.
The tablets were £2.50 - look online at the private price for 5mg diazepam tablets.
5p each at Lloyds Pharmacy.
I used Asda.

Which company would you recommend OP? I feel a bit lost looking at them all and wondering which are scams

You are not suggesting the OP is being paid to promote I hope.

I'm not being paid - what a strange thing to suggest  I can post the email of my receipt for you cynics.

@MeninSuits what's your issue with private healthcare?