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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to be annoyed???

148 replies

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 09:17

AIBU??

My DS 6 months has just been diagnosed with a milk allergy, I BF but avoid milk in my diet. As I have started weaning I have requested a tin of special formula via my GP (to add to cereal, cooking etc).

He asked me the name, then how to spell it, then said 'oh be careful with that it's £30 a tub'. I did point out to him if I didn't BF he would be requiring a tub every 3 days so am in fact saving them money!!

Should I be annoyed? Just to add I am in health profession & would never tell patients 'this has cost x amount etc'.

He's a baby, he has an allergy, he needs it!

It's bugging me so would like others views on it

OP posts:

Bahhhhhumbug · 04/08/2017 12:21

Laughing at the bit where you are 'saving them money' by BF or you would need more.

If you get one tin or six tins a week it is still costing the NHS money, not saving them. Reminds me of an ex work colleague I used to give a lift to who announced one week she'd 'saved' me x amount of pounds by getting the bus home a few nights one week .
.

Original poster

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 12:25

So it's the same cost for one tin & six tins is it?? if it's £30 a tin???

OP posts:

Spuddington · 04/08/2017 12:31

You know you're being unreasonable but you've got no intention of admitting it.

Lunde · 04/08/2017 12:32

I don't see any problem of GPs increasing awareness of the cost of medications and treatments . I think it is a big problem in the UK that people are totally unaware and tend to stockpile and waste medications because they are regarded as being "free" - yet a proportion of the NHS budget is paying for wasted meds.

I live in Sweden and we pay for medications until you hit the max payment - the price is also printed on the label. So - for example - I know that my dd's asthma inhalers cost over £30 and that my soluble co-codamol is £13 per box. I was also told that my 5 day pain management investigation was £6000 - although I only paid £40.

CPtart · 04/08/2017 12:34

But thousands and thousands of people are "careless and wasteful" with NHS resources. Millions even. Often those you wouldn't expect. How is your GP to know which category you fit into?

Original poster

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 12:46

But that's my point, is everyone informed at how much medications/treatments cost?? I've never been told or told a patient, yet I'm being told for my DS

Are alcoholics/drug users/people who do extreme sports & cause an injury? (these are just examples!!) told what their treatment/medications cost?? Or told to be careful???

I've never heard cost mentioned to a patient & ive worked in the NHS for 12 years.

Maybe I've missed a trick being on mat leave, maybe when I go back to work in January we will all be telling the patients how much their care/medications cost

OP posts:

abigcupoffuckyou · 04/08/2017 12:50

BUT equally I can be judged that I am going to be careless/waste/or even sell the formula on

It's not about you personally, don't be so self absorbed! Many people do waste it or sell it on, it's worth money in a way other prescriptions are not.

You are getting something for free that costs most people a lot of money and yet you are still whining about it. Entitled much?

PurpleDaisies · 04/08/2017 12:52

Are alcoholics/drug users/people who do extreme sports & cause an injury? (these are just examples!!) told what their treatment/medications cost?? Or told to be careful???

They are certainly told to stop drinking/taking drugs/be more careful with sports.

People are now being told what medications cost much more
which I think is a good thing.

AvoidingCallenetics · 04/08/2017 12:54

She isn't getting it for free. We all pay for medicine via taxation - the nhs is only free at the point of delivery, which is not the same as actually free.

Original poster

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 12:58

They're advised to stop drinking/taking drugs & offered assistance with this. But I didn't say that, I said are they told the cost of their care/treatment? There is a difference

OP posts:

Original poster

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 13:00

Nope not entitled thanks! My original question was whether this was common practice to tell people the cost of medications as I have never come across this (for the 3rd time of saying it )

OP posts:

SavoyCabbage · 04/08/2017 13:02

When I lived in Australia and had to pay $40 for each epicentre my dd had two epipens. One for home and one for school. My friend in the uk had six epipens. So that she didn't have to keep remembering the epipen when her dd went to her grandmas or gymnastics etc.

When we moved to the uk my GP asked us if we would consider a different brand of epipen as it was cheaper. Unfortunately it was also longer and wouldn't fit in dd's blazer picket so we had to get the more expensive epipen brand.

Sirzy · 04/08/2017 13:07

And people have replied that yes it is common practise.

Will probably become even more common practise as budgets get squeezed even more.

In many areas things like the formulas will be up being like the GF food and stopped being prescribed. It's better for people to be aware of the cost to the NHS and be able to be sensible with the use than for them to have to be stopped alltogether.

Bahhhhhumbug · 04/08/2017 13:07

Yes obviously six tins cost more than one but that was not my point. Your attitude is that you are saving the NHS money by breastfeeding and only needing a smaller amount of this formula. You are not saving the NHS anything. You aren't costing as much as a FF mum might do but no you are not doing the NHS or the rest of us a big favour by breastfeeding. Your prescription still costs what it costs.
It's like a man who breaks a leg saying he has saved the NHS a fortune on his treatment by not breaking both .

Original poster

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 13:13

I doubt formula for CMPA would ever stop being prescribed, what would happen if mum didn't want to or couldn't BF?? But equally couldn't afford the £30 a tin formula?

OP posts:

abigcupoffuckyou · 04/08/2017 13:13

My original question was whether this was common practice to tell people the cost of medications as I have never come across this (for the 3rd time of saying it hmm)

You can keep your face, you said a lot of other things that you can't expect people not to comment on.

This is such a non issue I find it hard to believe anyone could be bothered to start a thread about it, what is your actual problem? Nobody could actually be all riled up because someone told them the actual cost of something they were very lucky to get for free, could they?

AvoidingCallenetics · 04/08/2017 13:17

I don't think I've ever been told what any treatment costs.
Not really averse to it being printed on the tin but being told not to waste it, with no evidence that the OP would do so, seems rude to me.
I think this is because your GP is maybe regarding this as food rather than medicine. Esp if he hadn't actually heard of it.

Original poster

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 13:21

You've replied to the thread

The cost is one thing, to me it's irrelevant of how much it cost if it's needed/warranted. Being told to be careful with it is another! I'm cooking with it fgs, not making up bottles after bottles that he might not even drink!

OP posts:

Original poster

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 13:23

& even if I was would that really be considered wasteful? if he needs it he needs it, to me it's as simple as that

OP posts:

BalloonSlayer · 04/08/2017 13:25

Maybe the instruction not to waste it was along the lines of the GP thinking: "As this stuff is disgusting, and babies hate it, I better warn her about waste as what often happens is that people open the tin, try their baby with it for a couple of meals, give up, then go back to the consultant who tells them to keep trying, don't give up, but then the tin's out of date/been open too long so they come back asking for a fresh one."

abigcupoffuckyou · 04/08/2017 13:25

But nobody knows what you might do with it. You might make up 6 bottles a day and pour them all down the sink for all the doctor knows!
The point of telling you how much it costs is to try and prevent you wasting it and coming back for more.
Why do you have a problem with the NHS trying to save money?

abigcupoffuckyou · 04/08/2017 13:26

I think this is because your GP is maybe regarding this as food rather than medicine

That is what it is.

Spuddington · 04/08/2017 13:28

OP formula for CMPA is only offered under exceptional circumstances in my PCT. Even babies under consultant care aren't necessarily eligible. If you'd read all the replies you'd see that.

As for other medications - my GP told me how expensive my migraine medication is. I have no issue with that. The NHS is at breaking point. What's the problem with being made aware?

Original poster

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 13:29

The GP had never heard of it, & was well aware that I intend to continue to BF & all I wanted it for was cooking.

Why would I be against saving the NHS money, I work for the service. Which I see continually abused day in day out with never any mention of cost to these people that do abuse it!

OP posts:

abigcupoffuckyou · 04/08/2017 13:30

You're complaining about a comment that was made to try and save the NHS money.

So which is it? You're all for it but you're special somehow?

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