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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think NHS Prescriptions are extortionate

286 replies

Leobynature · 13/12/2019 22:07

I am not sure what response I am looking for. Myself and 1 year old have been sick all week with flu. I have developed a chest infection and DD has had breathing problems. After a much appreciated GP visit I was pleased I was given a prescription for antibiotics, pain medication and an inhaler. I was advised to buy ibuprofen and paracetamol for DD as the ‘NHS do not give prescription for calpol’. I was absolutely astonished that this came to over £35! This is a lot from our budget. I don’t think I could afford to be sick again. I don’t know how some families with repeat prescriptions manage it. So annoyed as the pain medication is not even that strong and I could have just ‘overdosed’ on 49p over the counter medication. £9 per med is extortionate

OP posts:

Chocolateandchats · 13/12/2019 22:22

£9 per prescription is a lot to some people. There are plenty of times that I haven’t got my medication because I simply can’t cut that money from anywhere else. Calpol and Nurofen are generally cheap, supermarket brands are no different to branded ones. But I agree that it’s a struggle for some of us to afford medication.

Dontsweatthelittlestuff · 13/12/2019 22:22

Paracetamol is 25p in Wilko. The children’s liquid paracetamol is £1.20 so the only items you needed on prescription were the inhaler £9 and antibiotics £9 ( which you probably didn’t need as it is probably a viral infections) then add £1.45 for the two over the counter meds and you get the whole lot for less than £20.

foamrolling · 13/12/2019 22:22

Sounds expensive to me. Prescriptions are free in Wales - for now. It must be scary to be worried that you may not be able to afford medication when you're ill.

MrsJ28903 · 13/12/2019 22:22

You got a bargain! Honestly. You need to educate yourself about the cost of drugs and medication without the NHS.

SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing · 13/12/2019 22:23

Yep, prepayment. My pharmacy let me go back and refunded me the payment, but they're pretty good like that.

Did the GP prescribe painkillers that were available OTC? You shouldn't have had to pay prescription price for those, the pharmacist should have advised you that you could but them

Brynssatnav · 13/12/2019 22:24

I work in a pharmacy too and can echo what previous posters have said. Patients have absolutely no idea of how much these medications cost. Sometimes a box of 28 pills can run into the hundreds of pounds and thats if its generic. If it's a brand name it's even more so.

doublebarrellednurse · 13/12/2019 22:24

If you didn't think the drugs are "worth it" why did you get them?

What a bizarre statement.

Would you rather take a chance on recovery or serious illness? No? Then they are worth it aren't they.

You're coming across very entitled for someone who says they aren't. Actual logic seems to be escaping you.

Good health and recovery from illness = priceless

Paying a small fee out of the sale cost of the medication = bargain

IHaveBrilloHair · 13/12/2019 22:25

I just couldn't afford the amount of meds I need.
Luckily I live in Scotland so they're all free, not only that, I can call/email my GP surgery and a couple of days later they'll be delivered to my door.

Xyzzzzz · 13/12/2019 22:25

When I went to the chemist the other day to get dd some nasal drops over the counter. I was surprised to see that the cost is £9.

However, they’re has to be a cut off somewhere and we are lucky that we have an NHS.

Unfortunately, people have abused the system so the price has gone up but we are lucky that we still have the option and other schemes like a pre-paid prescription.

UrsulaPandress · 13/12/2019 22:25

Seriously

doublebarrellednurse · 13/12/2019 22:26

There is a difference though between saying something is a large part of their budget and claiming that paying £9 for a £200 drug is "extortionate" and "not worth it".

PixieDustt · 13/12/2019 22:26

YABVVU.
Those drugs cost more to put on a prescription.
I hate it when I see paracetamol on a prescription. 30p a bloody pack!
People who have regular medication can get a pre payment card.
£100 odd a year and if you can't afford the £100 at the time they allow you to make monthly
Payments of about £10. So even this is heavily discounted if you get regular prescriptions.

Dontsweatthelittlestuff · 13/12/2019 22:27

My cat is taking gabapentin at the moment. His last prescription was £35 and I will need at least another prescription before he has fully recovered.

doublebarrellednurse · 13/12/2019 22:28

Unfortunately, people have abused the system so the price has gone up but we are lucky that we still have the option and other schemes like a pre-paid prescription.

The price has gone up in line with inflation and rising medication costs.

They stopped giving Px for paracetamol and OTC stuff because people took the piss.

Sewrainbow · 13/12/2019 22:29

It seems a lot, especially if you're on a budget but actually compared to the cost of some of the drugs it is a bargain.

I used to work in a pharmacy the cost of some drugs is eye watering and that was 20 years ago!

Back then the pile of prescriptions for paying patients was far outweighed by the number of prescriptions that were exempt from payment. I can't imagine it's much different in the current climate.

The consequence is that the price of prescriptions has to rise to compensate, in addition to the deals the NHS has to do to secure drugs from abroad, this is one of the concerns people have about losing the NHS to the likes of Trump....

ThisIsAQuestion · 13/12/2019 22:32

Came across this the other day - costs of different health related stuff in the US

WhatWouldChristineCagneyDo · 13/12/2019 22:32

It may be true that the prescription cost is less than the actual cost of the medication, but if you don't have £35 then you don't have it.

£35 is more than my weekly food budget. There are lots of us who would be utterly screwed if we got taken ill tomorrow.

Original poster

Leobynature · 13/12/2019 22:33

Thanks for all the replies. Of course I need the inhaler, I had no idea that this could cost a few hundred. I have received an education!
The statement I made about it not being worth it was in relation to the pain medication I was prescribed as they are not effective at all.

OP posts:

MontStMichel · 13/12/2019 22:33

I hate it when I see paracetamol on a prescription. 30p a bloody pack!

I get fed up with people complaining about paracetamol on prescription. I had a fracture this year and was told to take codeine and paracetamol. I could not look after myself or get out of the house. DH was working full time, looking after me and doing everything round the house. He could not cope, and having to buy me paracetamol every two days was a pain in the neck!

I seriously considered asking for a prescription of paracetamol, just to get a proper amount!

fungo · 13/12/2019 22:33

What does the cost of your cat have to do with anything?

ThisIsAQuestion · 13/12/2019 22:34

Sorry, not sure what happened there?

PickAChew · 13/12/2019 22:35

Check the cost of prescriptions in the US then rethink.

Most countries, you pay to see a gp.

MontStMichel · 13/12/2019 22:36

Codeine was about as effective as smarties!

Radi0t1me5 · 13/12/2019 22:37

YANBU

I don’t give a fig what other countries pay for meds. We pay more tax and NI and it’s what should be reasonable and affordable. You can’t help being ill and I think there needs to be a cut off in a month.

My dh has just had a procedure he had to wait far too long for fucked up by the NHS. On 4th lot of anti bs and has to pay for bloody dressings at £9 a pack which he has to take to the nurse!This is going to be going on for weeks. He complained re the huge bill at the pharmacy only for her to say” you should be grateful you can pay and dont need free prescriptions”. Oh ok.My dh never, ever goes to the doctor and this is the first time he has needed treatment for anything. The way he has been treated is appalling.

The other thing that bugs me is the “use the pharmacy first”mantra. I have done that for quite a few things. Paid a lot for medication which doesn’t work and then end up paying for prescriptions on top. Things end up 3x the price.

suspended · 13/12/2019 22:37

What the fuck? Do you realise how much medicine costs.

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