To think the NHS should tell us the cost of medication

[glenthebattleostrich]

Just been talking to / whining at DH about how I need to order a new inhalor before Christmas but my app won't let me before 25 Dec. Then got onto the cost of prescriptions and wasted medication (I know, bet you wish you were here!)

Out of interest I googled the cost of my inhalor and the one my doctor tried to switch me too (can't use dry powder as it makes my asthma worse for some reason).

My symbicort costs about £38 and my salbutamol £12 to buy. Suddenly i feel better about prescription charges (still annoying that some parts of the UK don't pay or certain conditions get all meds free others dont, bit that's a different thread).

Anyways, after all that waffle, AIBU to think we should be told how much it would cost us to buy medication? I'd be more appreciative of the savings / consider how much I need it and would be less likely to waste medication.

I got sold two packs once of the highest amount they do. I bought one with just paracetamol and one with paracetamol and codeine and i said I didnt want to take two with codeine in it and needed a plain paracetamol box.

They gave it to me.

You can just ask.

My experience is fairly unique I imagine but I was paying the prescription charge for lots of medication related to mental health. It was a struggle to afford it and I was getting more and more unwell. I changed to a private gp, the decrease in the cost of medication practically paid for the appointments and the care was so much better I now don't see the gp or take any medication.

Putting prices on medication may also backfire for certain medications - I know that the medication I take costs very little (a quick Google suggests cost to the NHS for a year's supply is £10) - so if that was displayed on my prescription it would be very obvious to all that the amount I pay per month is way more than the cost of the drug. I don't begrudge paying it - it is what it is, and I figure that I'm very lucky to only need one regular medication, but others may not feel the same way.

I had painkillers prescribed last year. GP didn't tell me what she was prescribing so I didn't realise until I collected them that all but one could be bought OTC. Bought my own after that. She could have discussed it with me, I just asked what the best thing to take was, I didn't demand free pills!

UserWhatever

You think you take 16 paracetamol a day? C'mon, engage your brain!

UserWhatever My pain specialist who is a professor prescribed my Paracetamol, alongside other drugs. So how about you engage your brain?

No need to apologise Harder! I didn't realise the problems until DM needed more than we could buy over the counter.

You're right Richard, I don't know why I'm getting wound up. It just annoys me when people who know absolutely nothing about the situation decide they know more than the doctor!

My experience is fairly unique I imagine but I was paying the prescription charge for lots of medication related to mental health.

Again why does no one publicise the prepayment cards? They are so much cheaper.

My friend had the same, lots of medication following back surgery and she had mental health issues so needed ADs etc. I had to tell her about the prepayment card, she had no idea. It saved her so much money.

Yes I think we should know

If we want to save the NHS we shall have to pay more in and a considerable amount (yes I know huge amounts of money are wasted too on how it's run)

It's not to make people feel bad how can taxes rise without is really knowing why

Or we move to a two tier system

Where did I say that. Its 8 500mg tabs per day absolute max.

So if you had 80 and used the max dose daily it would last you 10 ten days, which is what I said. Or cant you add up Fairy.

Paracetamol is pretty good if you combine it with ibuprofen or naproxen and codeine. Another advantage is you can stagger the doses.

Pharmacy counters sell packs of 80, they might give you two packs. That is going to do you about 10 days.

Two packs of 80 = 160. 160 over 10 days = 16 a day

I don't know how you managed to get your medical or pharmaceutical degree with such terrible maths.

Where did I say that. Its 8 500mg tabs per day absolute max.

So if you had 80 and used the max dose daily it would last you 10 ten days, which is what I said. Or cant you add up Fairy.

You can't fucking read because I didn't mention quantities!

My GP often complains tells me about the cost of my medications. I know one of mine costs £10,000 a year, not sure about the other 17. I am meant to avoid tablets and only take liquid medications, as prescribed by gastro, but my surgery regularly refuse (all except a couple) due to cost. One on hand, I understand. On the other, I feel immensely guilty and pissed off. I didn't ask to be this ill. I also work hard despite this and pay my taxes. I know the NHS is struggling but I don't see why I should be made to feel bad about the cost of my health problems.

Do you think if antibiotic prices were published it would make people who normally go to their GP on the first day of a sore throat to ask for antibiotics actually stop and wait for a few days?

If that was the case it would free up money, reduce antibiotic usage and free up GP appointments.

Legally paracetamol can only be sold in packs of 32 but your pharmacy can sell up to three packs at their discretion.
There is a generic gaviscon called peptac and it's about £3.50 to buy.
My CCG have stopped the prescribing of heyfever drugs if they can be bought, as well as calpol and nurofen for children.
From January they are stopping prescriptions for gluten free foods and later in the year paracetamol and co-codamol for adults will be stopped too.

I took large quantities of anti-convulsants for pain relief at one time (one was £60 a box over 10 years ago) and the assistants at the chemist asked me what I was taking them for - I paid by pre-payment certificate - as it was unusual for someone to pay for them, they are free for the life-threatening condition of epilepsy. I did appreciate the cost of them as I was on an email group with people from the USA and I knew how much they paid for meds.

I stopped taking the meds after having very expensive a successful surgical procedure on the NHS. I do appreciate the NHS and I have a relative who works in the service.

HoopsandEverything The trouble is, the kind of people who demand antibiotics for everything are probably the kind of people who wouldn't care about it costing the NHS money.

madamginger where are you from?

Yes, many patients in chronic pain benefit from access to paracetamol as a base painkiller for combining with stronger (and more expensive) stuff. My DH also was first prescribed it by a hospital pain specialist.

In terms of why would people care about certain brands of medication - my DH also takes a painkiller in the form of skin patches. Certain brands work much better than others in combination with his skin.

I don't know what's happened to Mr Hunt's charming plan to have medications costing more than £20 'branded' with the words 'funded by the UK taxpayer' - to which my response at the time was 'sure, as long as you wear a t-shirt with that printed on every day you're in Parliament, Jeremy'.

The biggest users of the NHS are the very young, and very old. Some elderly people like my gran would not want to "waste money" and so wouldn't get medication they need. And it would make absolutely no difference to those who do waste medication.

Manchester

Cotswold I was on 600mg pregabalin for a couple of years - ouch.

madamginger Have these changes been well advertised? Just wondering if I should worry about these changes coming into effect where I am from.

In reality it's the adavantage pharmaceutical
Companies take of the NHS is a massive issue as to the cost of medications. Pharmas rule the world and literally dictate their prices and demand what they can. I've had them as clients and they really are the most ruthless organisations.