To think NHS Prescriptions are extortionate

[Leobynature]

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

You are told to use the pharmacy for many conditions instead of wasting doctors time. Don’t worry I shall be wasting doctors time in future, have been stung several times this year. Not shelling out extra and extending conditions again.

The medicines are probably good value, but it always pisses me off that prescriptions are free for people in Wales and Scotland, and pregnant women, and children - with no means test whatsoever - while I have to pay, on my far from megabucks income.

His work scheme takes on pre existing and covers everything. It will be worth it even if it didn’t cover this. We’ve had to pay private 3 times this year for things as a family that should have been covered.

@Dontsweatthelittlestuff that's why I said the GP would use training and experience to make a judgemental call. They are trained to do this

She has paid taxes for this.

As I said above we spend less on healthcare than much of the world. No one profits from the NHS. If you want free prescriptions another NHS service needs to be cut/reduced, or you pay more tax.

This is why I’m glad we got the outcome of the election. Too many think everything should be provided for them free and personal responsibility seems an alien concept to many.

Just because in another country it's even more extortionate, doesn't mean that it doesn't feel extortionate for the OP on a low wage with a small child.

Have people no grasp on how others live and how £35 is a lot out of some peoples budget.

OP I must be tough if you were already struggling to then be hit by this. I think if others have more than 1 medication on repeat they get a yearly subscription for £120 (it was that when my mum did it, not sure now of the cost)

😂😂😂 personal responsibility !!!! Hilarious

I have regular essential meds on the NHS. A friend is also on the same meds, but through a private consultant and pays a private prescription cost for them, ie the actual cost of the meds (NHS waiting list is very long for this particular condition). Exact same meds. I pay £9 for three months’ supply. She pays around £200 per month.
The NHS heavily subsidises prescription costs. £9 is nothing compared to the cost of most drugs. Calpol, paracetamol, etc, you can buy for a few quid from supermarkets. Paracetamol is often less than £1 a pack. If you have regular prescriptions, or a large number of them, it can work out more cost-effective to buy a pre-payment certificate, as others have suggested.
Your DD’s prescription would be free as a child. If you can’t afford all the items prescribed for you, perhaps ask what might be better bought at a pharmacy (is pain relief), and just get your antibiotics and inhaler on prescription. I know £18 can be hard if you’re struggling financially, but better than having to shell out £35 when you don’t need to

What boils my piss is non attendance (it doesn't mean me sitting with my feet up BTW , I have to check why they haven't attended and send a letter out and an email to the GP)

I got a reminder text informing me the price of a missed appointment to the NHS ( over £193)
I had a minor procedure done in a local hospital recently , 2 Patients did not attend (for whatever reason) , that is One Department , One Hospital, One Booking Block of appointments .
Multiply that by every ward/dept/hospital in the UK...you can see why there's a problem !

Ps you can do the pre-payment monthly, rather than pay the whole lot in one go.

@Radiotimes

You talk of £10 being a fraction of what your DH is paying.

Would you be willing to pay £9.70 a month for as many NHS prescriptions as you need?

You can, you know.

Didkdt and my point was it is often impossible to tell the difference even for a doctor as the symptoms are pretty much the same.

Maybe my doctor is particularly wary of over prescribing anti bs as he won’t give them unless a chest infection has lasted over a week or you have other severe symptoms in which case you would probably need to be on a drip in hospital.

BUYING PARACETAMOL your consultant/GP can write a quick note saying you need prescription levels of paracetamol from a pharmacy. Ask for it, then you don't need anyone to visit a shop every other day.

I had my GP present me with a prescription for ibuprofen. The same ibuprofen that costs 20p in Tesco.

@ScreamingValalalalahLalalalah “it always pisses me off that prescriptions are free for people in Wales and Scotland, and pregnant women, and children - with no means test whatsoever - while I have to pay, on my far from megabucks income.”

Yeah, those kids that work as bankers should be shelling out for their own bloody prescriptions...

Yeah, those kids that work as bankers should be shelling out for their own bloody prescriptions...

Those kids whose parents work as bankers* should be shelling out for their own prescriptions - absolutely.

*not all 'bankers' are well-paid.

Why do Scotland and Wales not pay for prescriptions? I don't get that at all

Because they have devolved parliaments which are allowed to make some decisions on health budgets.

Just because in another country it's even more extortionate, doesn't mean that it doesn't feel extortionate for the OP on a low wage with a small child.

It's not one other country. It's the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands. All pay more for healthcare. All but the USA pay more public money, too.

Of course an unexpected £10 will hurt if you are on a tight budget. This doesn't make prescription costs extortionate, though.

I live in Sweden and have to pay full price for medications up to a ceiling

• steroid inhaler = £35
• course of antibiotics = £10-20
• paracetamol & codeine tablets = £12

... it soon adds up

Worst was when I had a life changing accident and came home to a £250 bill for treatment and the loan of mobility aids such wheelchair, crutches, toilet seat, walker even the cast on my leg + a £50 bill for medication. It was a lot to find especially when it took 3 months to pay my sick leave

Lunde - that's a fortune! Is there a health insurance scheme in Sweden?

Yes Sweden has a comprehensive health insurance scheme - but you have to copay until you reach the maximum.

So a trip to A&E could cost £30-50

For medicines the max you pay per year is £200 - but the first £100ish you pay full price then you start getting discounts of 25%, 50% and 75% - then when you hit the max they give you a free card for the rest of the year

Those figures for Sweden surprise me. Not because of the actual amounts bit Sweden is often held up on mn as what we should aspire to led by a socialist government.

The OP did admit that this thread was an education.
My medication costs £4,000pa. I pay for a six month prescription. So less than £20 each year. But I do understand that on a low income, finding £40 for a prescription is hard work.

What happens to poor people in Sweden?