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?

Instead of a card for pre payment they send you a letter with the exact same info as on the card on it so you can , if you like, cut it out and stick it on last years card rather than carry the letter around . My dsis has a pre payment and that’s what I’ve done with hers as I always collect her prescriptions and do get asked occasionally .

It’s strange, because in Scotland we get our prescriptions for free. (Which I’m not entirely sure is in the NHSs best interests)

I haven't read the full thread so apologies if this has been mentioned already but my friend works for Crohns & Colitis UK and they have been campaigning on this issue, including lobbying parliament - might be worth contacting them?

www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/

I think that representatives of people with just about every long term condition are campaigning on this issue and since nothing has changed for decades despite this it probably never well. No one condition is really more "worthy"than another. The only sensible change would be to means test or make all prescriptions free.

Agreed (in theory!)

I have crohn's disease too (since 1999). I know there's no cure OP but has your DH tried a strong probiotic, tumeric and vitamin d? I really have found an improvement since taking these. B12 injections are free if required but sadly crohn's and colitis is somewhat an invisible illness and I don't think there is much awareness of the daily impact it has 😔

@flamingle18 B12 injections are not free. I have to pay for them on prescription.

YANBU. I find it extremely annoying that with hypERthyroidism I have to pay twice a month for prescriptions, but should I have had hypothyroidism I would get everything free. Thin line between paying and not paying. Very frustrating

@KnifeAngel I've had b12 injections since resection and never had to pay 🤷‍♀️

I agree it isn’t fair so yanbu for that. However wrong to single out type 2 diabetes

Hubba you shouldn’t pay twice per month. Get a prepayment certificate.

@Flamingle18 it might depend on where you have them done. I get 5 on prescription which I have injected every 3 months. I have them done by my practice nurse.

@KnifeAngel maybe. I just book with practice nurse through surgery and she has them there

B12 injections are not free. I have to pay for them on prescription.

I have B12 injections at my GP surgery and I've never had to pay for them - I don't collect them on prescription, the surgery has them in stock. I don't pay for them.

Thanks for the link Duffer. I will have a look.

I have been on B12 injections for 20 years. I have been at two different surgeries and have always had to pay for the prescription. I keep them at home and take one with me. It seems unfair that some are not being charged for the same drug.

I think if 90% of prescriptionsome are already exempt from payment in England, then it makes sense to make them all free, like the rest of the UK, which would reduce the admin involved anyway, and mean no one would have to weigh up whether one disease or another is more worthy (though I suppose they would in terms of NICE guidelines for expensive meds, but at least one layer of admin would be gone.)

I realise this won't happen with the current government

KnifeAngel

It looks like it's up to the GP as to whether they buy it in or prescribe it.

pernicious-anaemia-society.org/pernicious-anaemia-society/impact-prescription-charges/

Sorry to break it to you op but tbe NHS did nothing to help me lose weight. I asked about support and was told they did 12 weeks of Slimming World but only for people exempt ftom prescription charges.
As I have asthmas snd eczema I didn't qualify.
Thankfully my weight is moving i thr right direction and I have a prepayment certificate for my meds although I have to buy my emollient myself as minor treatments for self limiting conditions are not provided anymore do I doubt many prople get hayfever meds on NHS anymore.

^I doubt many prople get hayfever meds on NHS anymore.

Some of the stronger ones or injections are only available on prescription.

I meant the basic stuff that the previous poster was referring to thst costs a couple of quid.

I have hypothyroidism and it has precisely no effect on my life
That’s just bullshit. An under active thyroid affects how every pet of your body is run. Your medication that you take everyday is what makes you feel okay. I stopped taking mine for four days because I ran out (ended up finding the packet I knew I had) even in that small amount of time I felt the tiredness coming back. And the foggy head.

@Aaarrgghhh How can you possibly say I'm talking bullshit when I'm merely reporting my own experience? I'm not saying people in general don't suffer from the condition. Of course they do. It just so happens that I didn't. It was picked up by a routine blood test and I felt no different after starting on the tablets. I have even not taken them for a couple of weeks as I can't get my act together to pick up the prescription - again - no difference.

No tiredness, no foggy head, no weight gain, nothing. My point was though that I am perfectly well and more than capable of paying for my prescription. Consequently I always feel a bit guilty about ticking box 'E'.

Because the condition worsens over time. Without your medication you would eventually end up in a coma. So yeah, you saying how fine you are is a load of crap. Without the medication you wouldn’t be okay. I’m only on a low dose myself but it got picked up because I went in with extreme tiredness and a load of other things. If yours wasn’t picked up so early you would have most definitely started experiencing symptoms. Under active thyroid is no joke. Also, it can get worse with pregnancy and your dose can change a lot. If it’s not kept on top of then the baby has thyroid issues too.

And where have I said I don't need the medication? I haven't. I'm merely saying that (to date) I have no symptoms and, furthermore, I could pay for my own prescriptions.