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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Charged double for a prescription

53 replies

Geegle · 21/05/2019 15:46

I picked up a prescription yesterday and was charged twice the normal fee, £18. The medicine is in one box but the blister packs inside have 2 different types of pills. The prescription itself said one item.
AIBU to think it’s one box, one item and therefore one £9 charge?
It’s HRT of it makes any difference [old fart emoticon]

OP posts:
horizontalis · 21/05/2019 16:27

If it is two different drugs within the same pack as you describe, then it is a double charge.

Stupid, but that's how it is.

As if having menopausal rage or PMS isn't bad enough already.

Melioration · 21/05/2019 16:31

I was going to post about the stockings Grin

It always makes me laugh (probably because I don’t need them as I would be pissed off then) because of the ludicrous randomness of the charge.

If you go onto no-bleed continuous hrt later, that is just one charge although the tablets actually cost more.

SunshineCake · 21/05/2019 16:32

It's not a mistake. It happened to me too and the pharmacist agreed it wasn't fair. Another pharmacy didn't see what I handed in so charged one fee. I didn't correct her since she was so rude.

Jemima232 · 21/05/2019 16:34

Move to Scotland, all of you.

No prescription charges here for anyone.

Buster72 · 21/05/2019 16:40

"can’t believe it’s common to be charged double for HRT!If men had to go through menopause HRT would probably be free never mind double the price!!
Tell me about this pre payment thing please"

Have you seen the price of viagra?

78percentLindt · 21/05/2019 16:56

Script charges are a nightmare.
@thenightsky
If they dispense all 6 months prescriptions at once - it is two charges if it is one of the double charge items .If they dispense monthly then it is two charges per month. You can ask for a six months script . If you are given 6 months supply at once but charged £108 ask for a refund they have overcharged you!
The other thing is that if you are prescribed different strengths of the same form of medication ( eg Warfarin 1mg, 3mg 5mg) that is ONE charge but 3 items.
There are items that attract a triple charge as well. Someone already mentioned the stockings ( which men pay as well ) but for some reason it is £29.50 for a surgical bra!

dizzy174 · 21/05/2019 17:00

Move to Wales, all of you.

No prescription charges here for anyone.

Jemima232 · 21/05/2019 17:02

@Buster72

Prescription Pre-Payment

www.gov.uk/get-a-ppc

Jemima232 · 21/05/2019 17:05

@dizzy174

Moving to Wales

I've already moved to Scotland, although it wasn't to avoid paying for prescriptions.

Grin
thenightsky · 21/05/2019 17:06

78percentLindt Unfortunately they will only give out a one month supply (28 days) at a time. So not only do I have to fork out £18 a month, I also have to do 9 mile each way drive to drop off prescription, then drive back again 2 working days later to pick up.

I've asked for it to be written up for 6 months which was met with a blank 'no'. Tried to negotiate 3 months... still no.

'Dr … only EVER allows one month prescriptions at a time for all his patients' is what I was told. Angry

happyhillock · 21/05/2019 17:06

We're free in Scotland

AutumnCrow · 21/05/2019 17:08

I only get 8 weeks of HRT per prescription. No idea why only 8 weeks at a time. No-one ever checks my BP, nothing.

Youtoldme · 21/05/2019 17:10

Is it Elleste duet conti? I have to pay for a double prescription when I get mine too

lyralalala · 21/05/2019 17:13

@thenightsky You'd be another that's better off with the pre-payment cert.

The existence of the pre-payment cert should be more widely advertised.

JaneTheVirgin · 21/05/2019 17:14

You were charged 2 prescription charges for 2 medications.

God help the UK if we ever get rid of the NHS

LakieLady · 21/05/2019 17:14

One of the (few) upsides of being diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in my mid-40's was that I never had to pay another prescription charge again!

That's probably saved me a small fortune over the years.

The charges are outrageous imo. DP had 4 items prescribed when he had very bad attack of sinusitis, and I think it cost him over £30. For families struggling on low incomes, but above the threshold for free scrips, that is really not affordable imo.

TheInvisibleMrsCrane · 21/05/2019 17:19

Youtoldme - Elleste Duet Conti is one charge - Elleste Duet is two

TheInvisibleMrsCrane · 21/05/2019 17:22

This is a good summary

Charged double for a prescription
Elphame · 21/05/2019 17:45

Annoys the hell out of me too. The combined HRT pill doesn't agree with me so I have to have the one the duet version. Same amount of both drugs but because the formulation is different I have to pay a double charge.

Melioration · 21/05/2019 17:50

If you are picking up monthly double charge prescriptions then a prepayment certificate is definitely the way to go.

Also online prescription requests would save travelling. I can change the pharmacy at any time so that would be useful if on holiday (especially if on monthly prescriptions- it must be hard to work around holidays. I can’t see how these save the nhs money as it must cost more than it saves in admin).

oakthorn · 21/05/2019 21:55

Try having asthma. Life threatening but chargeable prescriptions. And around £24 per month. PPC is the only way to go.

Celticrose · 21/05/2019 22:03

I once had a DVT and was prescribed support tights. I was charged for 2 prescriptions. One for each legShock

TheInvisibleMrsCrane · 21/05/2019 22:14

Celticrose - that right you pay per stocking (tights not allowed on script) - two pairs would be four charges etc.

Original poster
Geegle · 22/05/2019 10:40

Shock at being charged for each stocking leg!!!
Also Shock at buster comparing HRT to viagra. Nobody takes HRT just so they can get their leg over
Thanks for all the replies. It seems I’ll just have to hope my menopausal rage has subsided before I need to pay for my next prescription Grin

OP posts:
nokidshere · 22/05/2019 10:56

Anyone who is paying for more than one prescription each month needs a ppc. It's £10.40pm and covers all prescriptions no matter how many you get.

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