To think the NHS medical exemption is not very fair?

[user87382294757]

DH has crohns disease. Needs regular prescriptions and bloods, has an IBD nurse etc.

Advised some conditions can exempt you from prescription charges and checked the list. It says-

You can get all your NHS prescriptions free if you have a valid medical exemption certificate because you have:
• a permanent fistula (for example, caecostomy, colostomy, laryngos-tomy or ileostomy) which needs
continuous surgical dressing or an appliance;
• a form of hypoadrenalism (for example, Addison’s Disease) for which specific substitution therapy is
essential;
• diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism;
• diabetes mellitus, except where treatment is by diet alone;
• hypoparathyroidism;
• myasthenia gravis;
• myxoedema (that is, hypothyroidism which needs thyroid hormone replacement);
• epilepsy which needs continuous anticonvulsive therapy;
• a continuing physical disability which means you cannot go out without the help of another person; or
• cancer and are undergoing treatment for:
– cancer;
– the effects of cancer; or,
– the effects of cancer treatment.

Why these conditions and not others? It seems unfair that someone with diabetes type 2 (which is often self induced through diet and lack of exercise) can get these for free and others with other chronic illnesses cannot?

I'm cross that it seems a selective few illness have been given more priority than others for this. AIBU?

YABU And Eleanor0alike is absolutely right. My husband has Diabetes which is classed as Type 2 (when there should be 5 or 6 classifications). It wasnt self induced, is not related to his ethnicity, but possibly due to an inherited presdisposition/auto immune reaction. But people like yourself, wrongly make assumptions and judge people. Even family members. His diabetes impacts us as a family, as I imagine your child's illness does. He wishes he didn't have it, as I imagine your child wishes they didn't have their illness. Just because you don't think someone elses condition isn't serious, it doesnt mean it's easy for them to live with. I have an exemption too, not because my condition is chronic, but because I'm on such a low wage. If we didn't have exemptions, we couldn't afford our prescriptions and our health would really suffer then, costing the NHS even more. I really hope your child's condition improves, Crohns is tough.

I actually think the prescription charge is unfair full stop. It’s now £9 I think. The NHS is underfunded and the prescription charge is one of the few ways it’s got of raising extra revenue, but it seems to me that it places the burden of funding the health service on those people who require medicine - rather than everyone who uses it.

I was given free prescriptions when I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid which I totally disagreed with. Fair enough for the levothyroxine but for everything as well! It's bonkers. I actually wrote to the Health Secretary but he replied it would be too difficult to administer for a free prescription for just one medication. How hard could it be? Surely the doctor could star the relevant medication?

EleanorOalike couldn’t agree more my mum and 2 brothers have type 2 and I thought that we were a little more disposed if we put on weight.... but my other brother had a health check and was told there is a genetic predisposition to sluggish pancreases in our family and as we age we are more prone.... Will book with my gp for advice on preventing and maybe boosting pancreas if there is a way

@EleanorOalike I completely and utterly agree!!! My husband has type 2 diabetes which is hereditary, no matter how well he eats or how much he exercises, it doesn't change the fact he has type 2 and it can be really scary at times. I'm glad he hasn't got to pay for that medication as that's one less thing to stress about. It bugs me so much when people assume it's because people with type 2 don't eat healthily or don't exercise etc

I'm asthmatic which can be severe at times but I'm happy to pay for the pre-payment certificate as it's only £10.40 a month. No matter how frustrating it is, you can't always get everything in life for free.

I always assumed that those conditions were excerpt as they mean you are much more likely to develop other serious conditions? For example, the thryroid hormone affects almost every part of how your body works, and there is a list as long as your arm of secondary conditions you can get as a result.

I’m a clinical worker in the nhs and I’m disgusted that people with heart failure and severe asthma and other life long conditions are exempt too. Those patients need their meds as much as anyone else and without them would be likely to die. It’s a joke, and made further worse by only people in England contributing to prescription charges. They give them for free to Scotland and Wales and the rest of us pay.

Hypothyroidism is on it because untreated it contributes to Coronary Artery disease (explained to me by a surgeon after I’d not taken them for 6 months). Also, the thyroid is involved with pretty much everything in the body.

My mum had severe COPD. Her lung function was 30% so she had to use a disability scooter as she could only walk a very short distance. She had to pay for her prescriptions even though it was a life limiting terminal condition. Always seemed crazy that someone with diabetes could get theirs paid for even though they can live a normal life whereas she had no quality of life and had to pay for hers.

Unforunately, if people keep voting right-wing, yes we'll get what they voted for. I'm frequently flabberghasted by Conservative voters having the audacity to moan about problems that are a direct consequence of their vote, such as a deliberately underfunded (and being sold off) NHS, underfunded services from the Council, underfunded police and prices going up as businesses struggle.

Other nations in UK have abolished prescription charges on the basis that the administration/pricessing costs outweigh the costs of most medicines provided for regular treatment. Get campaigning or at least hassle your MP for change.

OP YADBU with regards sniping at people with other conditions. Makes you seem quite an arse. I'm sure you don't want to seem an arse, so maybe be a tad less judgemental of others? Many people with these "self-inflicted" conditions are survivors of trauma, with mental health conditions that lead to eating disorders. Not so black and white, is it? What "they" want is for the dumb plebs to turn on each other, rather than looking to the withholders of our country's wealth.

Some of the discrepancies seem strange.

My husband has an over-active thyroid concovedition, which isn't covered by an exemption of charges, yet under-active thyroid is covered.

My son also has glaucoma, and has to pay monthly for his prescription for eye drops.

MrsMiggins37
The reason people with diabetes get all of their prescriptions free is because the majority of other health problems that they require treatment for will mostly result from diabetes - heart disease, angina, circulatory problems, strokes, eye problems, blood clots, leg ulcers, gangrene, kidney problems - dialysis, neuropathy, gastro-intestinal issues, infections - bacterial/fungal, auto-immune diseases, depression.......,, I could go on but hopefully you see the impact - many people with diabetes will consequently require numerous medications, funding the above would cost more than many could afford

I appreciate this isn't a popular view. However, rather than add illnesses to the list, perhaps it's time for all adults with chronic illness, & capable of employment, to have an NHS prescription prepayment card (PPC). People who are already exempt remain exempt, and people newly diagnosed get a PPC. A pre payment card currently costs about £10.40 a month for 10 months - direct debit apps.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/ppc-online/patient.do

Cheesoholic You’re having a laugh and you have a very short memory. My mum’s illness coincided with a Labour government. Only a very short time was spent under a Tory government.

Just be grateful you live in a country where you can pay £100 a year for unlimited prescriptions my friend in Austria paid more than that for one dose of antibiotics a few months ago!

Everyday when I wake up, I thank the lord I'm Welsh.
Free prescriptions here

I get free prescriptions cos am hypothyroid which is great but to be honest I don't know why it is for all prescriptions and not just the thyroid. Doesnt make much sense.

This is why prescriptions were made free in Wales. The previous exemption list (most prob the same as the one in England) was seen as unfair but it was too complicated to add other long term medical conditions. Was seen as cheaper and easier to just make them free for everyone. Yanbu. It is very unfair. Hope England follows suit. X

I'm type 2 diabetic,I have other meds due to the diabetes (high BP etc) but I do think others should be on the list,its not fair that some get and others dont.

I haven't rtft but I worked in a chemist in the 90s and the pharmacist said that all prescriptions should be free because the amount it costs for administration of the system is actually more than the prescriptions themselves. I live in Scotland so dont pay now. I feel that every part of the UK should be treated the same way and that's its unfair that English citizens have to pay for prescriptions when Scotland and Wales don't. I also refuse prescriptions for paracetamol or pain killers that are easily and cheaply bought over the counter as I feel money should be spent on life saving treatments, if doctors are only allowed to prescribe certain drugs because of the prohibitive cost they should not be allowed to prescribe cheap drugs that cost the NHS far more than a packet bought over the counter. Millions are spent each year on paracetamol prescriptions and they can cost as little as 20p or less in the shops.

Ive have high blood pressure since my 30s and have always paid for my own prescriptions. My niece is celiac and gets her medication free plus I know she used to get money of gluten free products. I would check again with your doctor about paying for your though.

Actually in addition if you have a condition that is unlikely to improve you can get exemption too - my son has for JIA.

YANBU! I have two daughters with cystic fibrosis. This is an inherited genetic condition (which we had no idea about until first dd was born) and have been told that although if is life limiting and dd would not survive without medication, they are not entitled to free prescription after the age of 18 because - and I quote - 'not enough people suffer from the condition to warrant free prescriptions'
This is one issue that really boils my p**s then as you say, things that can be self inflicted are treated free of charge