To think the NHS should publicise the PPC more?

[NewYearNiki]

Inspired by a prescriptions thread.

It always shocks me whenever I see a thread on prescriptions that people say my nan is on 14 medications and couldn't afford to pay or talking of the crippling cost of their inhalers, 3-4 a month.

I need 3-4 different meds per month. I have a prepayment certificate.

It costs the princely sum of £104 per year for unlimited prescriptions and you can pay by direct debit over 10 months at £10.40 per month.

It shocks me why the NHS dont publicise it more as it would genuinely save people on multiple medications lots of money.

apps.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/ppcwebsales/patient.do

Maybe you can change the title of the thread so that it gets more publicity? PPC doesn't mean much.

Ok. Ill ask.

Loads of people on the current prescription thread for over 60s dont seem to know.

Its on random leaflets at the pharmacist and gp

But the nhs spends millions on 100 calorie snacks adverts.

Surely a bit more advertising would help.

my mum had to have thyroid tablets, so they were free, but she would have been happy to pay for any other meds.

Because an under or over active thyroid can cause problems that are not cured with thyroxine.

It's well publicised in my local pharmacy.

My medication is available over the counter but the cost is prohibitive (I couldn't afford to buy the amount I need) so the NHS prescribes it once a month. I pay for an annual prepayment certificate as it's cheaper than actually buying the items.

However, my prescription is regularly not delivered to the pharmacy on time at the start of the month, and they see no problem with this - it doesn't matter if my prescription doesn't turn up on time because "it's available over the counter". So I've paid for a PPC to get a regular affordable supply, but then my prescription hasn't been delivered to the pharmacy, so I have to buy them over the counter anyway because I need them. Which defeats the object of having a PPC because I'm paying for the PPC but still having to pay for my meds over the counter! And then when my monthly supply eventually turns up halfway through the month, I have too much for the remaining days in the month!

The doctor has washed their hands of it, saying they've done their job by writing the prescription, and if my meds aren't delivered that's between me and the pharmacy. The pharmacy blames their supplier who regularly gets behind with deliveries. And going to a different pharmacy doesn't help because they all use the same supplier contracted by the NHS.

I don't see why it needs to be advertised more.
It's advertised in our GP's surgery and our local pharmacy and any reputable pharmacy would surely mention it?

There is a huge poster in the waiting room of my GP. You can't miss it. Perhaps suggest that to yours?

Does anyone know approximately how long the PPC has been in existence? I'm sure it's at least 20 years, but could well be a long time more. Googling doesn't seem to bring up an answer.

I used to get a pre-payment in Scotland before they made prescriptions free. It was £10 for 4 months. Bloody DH wouldn't buy me another one as they would become free the next month. He wasn't laughing so much when I needed £70 odd pounds worth of prescriptions that month.

I work in a pharmacy and we have posters up, we have leaflets at the till, we also mention it if anyone is paying for 2 or more prescription items, and when our occasional customers suddenly end up with a monthly script.

We still get people say - "Oh no, I'll not sign up to pay for something monthly."

Thanks Freudian, thought so. I still can't believe that people don't know about it. Its like saying you've never heard of the Queen, or the Post Office.

You might not use it day to day, but there's certainly plenty of visible information about it if you go to a doctor's or pharmacy, which you have to do by definition, to get a prescription (OK I know you can get a prescription from a dentist and probably other medical professionals too).