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?

If the NHS ceased to exist, I would not be able to afford the lifesaving medication I take daily. The total cost is £71.71 a month, adding in roughly 98p for steroids occasionally and £1.50 for salbutamol that, on a good day I hardly use at all and on a bad day I use frequently. Also add the cost of antibiotics and carbocysteine I take when I have a chest infection and it paints a frightening picture.

There has been a massive proliferation of some conditions since I was a child in the 1960s. I only knew one person with asthma back at the time.

If ds has been alive then he wouldn’t have lived long enough for many people to know him - because of the severity of his asthma.

He now takes a cocktail of drugs to keep him alive. His 18th birthday present will be a prepay certificate I think!

As annoying as the prospect of having to pay is given at the moment his feeds cost the nhs about £8 a day before adding on the medicine costs I guess a pre pay certificate is a small price to pay really!

The system is dated at the moment though

Op I understand and agree, but please don’t slag off people you know who have one of those conditions.

I think all prescriptions should be free to those on incomes lower than 40000..however as someone who is type 2 diabetic who from having chemo for breast cancer went from Metformin tablets to needing insulin and 2 other tablet medications due to the steroid they gave me on the first dose of chemo want to say I have always exercised and healthy diet ... But unfortunately got breast cancer...I did not cause the diabetes through inactivity or greed. I have however survived cancer so far..and have paid for Cambridge diet 1 to 1 diet consultancy for 6 months and lost weight and joined gym at 28 pounds a month and have got myself off insulin during the day and the 2 extra tablets. So saved the NHS...I use less needles and prickers too. So please don'tsay all diabetics cause it themselves. The reason we get all meds free is because diabetes causes a lot of health problems..so the NHS want to keep us healthy and alive and reduce need for hospitalisation and amputations in the future and care costs if we lose our eyesight. Also healing is bad after surgery. We are not the lucky ones.

don'tsay all diabetics cause it themselves.

OK, I was referring to a friend who choses not to change any of their very unhealthy habits and mentioned about the free prescriptions, I didn't say every person with type 2 does this, I'm sorry for that.

Also free if you’re housebound or unable to leave the house without someone

It's time to review giving free prescriptions to everyone over 60. I was astonished when DH got this, even though he has Parkinson's which should qualify for free meds, he can afford to pay even though he is 60 as can. Rey many others.

I agree. I have RA which requires life long medication. Without it I would be in a wheelchair. I've always had to pay, although I had a pre payment certificate. Since DS was born I was diagnosed with Hasimotos so my meds are now free. However someone with asthma has to pay which is bonkers because without their inhaler they could die. I don't understand the system at all

Yes a lot of people choose to ignore the seriousness of diabetes and to be fair I think GPs find it easier to give out medication and people to accept it as it is FREE. but by lowering carbs and exercise it is possible to reduce insulin and maybe medication however I have found I still need medication even at my new healthy weight . Health promotion ie dietitions, exercise groups all cost money for NHS also and like you say some people don't want to try. So medication it is.
We do also get free foot checks and eye tests as diabetes can cause nerve damage everywhere but this can lead to amputated toes or feet and also diabetic neuropathy to eyes causing blindness. It is true obesity can be a link to diabetes and also cancer..so it is wise to eat healthy diet and do some form of exercise or activity
.also not to smoke or drink excessively.

It's very unfair that some conditions are not expemt. My bil has terrible asthma that has landed him in hospital several times. He stocks up on inhalers whilst he is on holiday as they are less abroad than the prescription price. It makes no sense, especially when the nurse at asthma clinic does not beat about the bush with telling people off for not using their pumps as they should.

DS is type 1 diabetic and I am so grateful that he gets his insulin. He cannot live with out it. There are some horror stories in FB groups from parents in the US the pay ridiculous sums each month for essential supplies.

I feel sorry for those with type 2. People are very judgy and make assumptions. I've noticed often in type 1 topics there's a theme of 'well unlike the type 2s I didn't do this to myself'.

Prescriptions are free for those with certain conditions because life saving treatments were available for those conditions in the 50s/60s. Nothing has been added since (apart from cancer) because of cost and nothing has been taken away because of the potential uproar. There is no rationale and no system so pointless to debate.

Slagging off someone who perhaps is taking advantage of a service they get, which you should be entitled to too for your son doesn’t change your situation. It just creates negativity and it doesn’t help.

Not worth the negativity.

I don’t disagree with free prescriptions for certain conditions, what I do disagree with however is the fact that if you have one of those conditions you are entitled to all prescriptions free not just the ones relating to that condition, and that’s what needs to change...

The problem with that though nocause is trying to find what is linked and what isn’t. Many conditions will make you more prone to other things.

NoCauseRebel I'm a type 1 diabetic. Illness of any kind disrupts our diabetes management and can send us into ketoacidosis (quickly fatal) within hours. We're more prone to infection, heart disease, cancer, gum disease, retinopathy (related to eyes), liver problems, thyroid problems... the list goes on. This is why it's more cost effective for the NHS that we see a doctor and treat any illness as soon as possible rather than putting it off due to cost and ending up in A&E.

I believe much of this is true in type 2 diabetes, though they also have to put up with twats like the OP telling them it's their own fault.

AnAC12UCOinanOCG

But that explains why free prescriptions are given to people with diabetes.

What it doesn't explain is why other people with equally serious illnesses, at risk from equally serious complications, don't also get free prescriptions.

DecomposingComposers That wasn't the question I was answering.

Umm, sorry not 'smug ignorance' the NHS agrees-

Around nine out of 10 people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes and there is strong evidence that its onset can be prevented or delayed in those at high risk, through improved quality of diet, through increase in physical activity, and through successful weight loss.

Link www.england.nhs.uk/blog/type-2-diabetes-and-the-importance-of-prevention/

WeBuiltThisCity your fungal nail analogy tickled me, because it's what happened to me. Have epilepsy. Had a skin condition which was repeatedly misdiagnosed, so it became infected. Then needed antifungals. Couldn't have them due to contraindications with epilepsy medication. The treatment plan I was put on involved 5 prescriptions instead of one, because of the medication I was already taking... So in my experience, one chronic condition can affect something as simple as a fungal infection.

Think someone may be in denial about type 2 diabetes perhaps.I'm not rising to your level of rudeness and name calling, sorry.

It also costs billions, 10% of the whole NHS budget! Which is why they are attempting these prevention programmes.

Sorry of the truth is unpalatable, and I agreed with the other poster there are exceptions.

Also, I cut and paste the comment so have no idea why you don't 'think it says what it does'

I have a serious heart condition, also prone to other conditions. I’m not entitled to anything free. And we worked out that my most recent stay in hospital will have cost around £350000. And the drugs I am on will be for life, and without them more frequent hospital stays would be required...

It’s your interpretation of it that’s faulty.