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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Pharmacy charging for contraception

32 replies

AddisSon · 06/03/2021 15:05

I posted in chat but no response.
AddisSon

I have spent almost a week trying to get through to my doctors surgery to get a new prescription for my pill. Every time I ring I am something ridiculous like number 62 in the queue. Finally after spending all day on the phone on Thursday (while at work) I got through and was told by reception in order to get a new prescription I needed a telephone “review” by the nurse.

The nurse rang me a few hours later asked me what I wanted. I told her I needed a new pill prescription she said fine where did I want my prescription to go. I told her my local Boots in the town where I live and she said no problem it will be ready within 24 hours. I repeated back Boots and the town and she said yes.

I go to Boots pharmacy today and they don’t have the prescription. Pharmacists asks for my NHS number and when he checks he says the prescription has gone to a Lloyds pharmacy and as it’s part of their online pharmacy will be sent to my home address.

I asked him to check and he said yes that’s definitely where’s it’s gone. I asked him if I could have a weeks supply of my prescription to keep me going as I am about to run out. He said yes but I’d have to pay. I queried this as contraception is free but he said his pharmacy “would lose money” by giving it to me.

Luckily I can afford to pay £9.50 but what about people that can’t. What if I was a young girl with no money or a woman in a violent relationship with no easy access to cash who needs that prescription and can’t afford an unplanned pregnancy.

Why do we need a prescription any way? My so called telephone review was a “what do you want” and when I had to have a pill check last time the nurse asked me no questions, didn’t weigh me or take my blood pressure just printed out the prescription and handed it to me. What’s the point?!

OP posts:
Givemeabreak88 · 06/03/2021 15:07

Is it free? I remember going to get the morning after pill once from a pharmacy and them saying it was £20

Ellpellwood · 06/03/2021 15:08

That sounds all wrong to me. You don't have to pay if you can check the "contraceptives" box, whether it's a week to tide you over or a year in one go.

ThePricklySheep · 06/03/2021 15:09

Was the charge for delivery maybe?

minipie · 06/03/2021 15:09

Your thread title is totally misleading. You were getting your free contraception posted to you. You got charged for extra contraception that you wanted in the meantime without a prescription. The pharmacy has to charge for this as without a prescription they can’t claim the cost from the govt.

You think anyone ought to be able to walk into a pharmacy and ask for free hormonal contraception? Without any checks on BP, risk factors, etc? Right.

The fact your last check was a bit rubbish (by the sound of it) doesn’t mean we should jettison checks.

Ellpellwood · 06/03/2021 15:10

Pharmacies don't have to give you the MAP for free.

It can't be for delivery - Lloyds is delivering them. This was a charge for Boots to give her a week's worth in person.

Ellpellwood · 06/03/2021 15:11

This makes sense! They should have been clearer.

The pharmacy has to charge for this as without a prescription they can’t claim the cost from the govt.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 06/03/2021 15:12

I pay for mine normally because I can't be arsed to get the prescription.
It's just easier for me to order it online with couple of clicks.

You are getting your free one and had to pay for extra. That's acceptable imo

Chlobo89 · 06/03/2021 15:14

You had to pay because it was an emergency supply so the pharmacy you went to are not actually going to get a prescription for that supply so they have nothing to send off to claim for the payment for the item.
You can get the morning after pill for free in some pharmacies if you are under 24 but that’s only if the pharmacist is trained to give that service otherwise you can get it free on prescription or buy it over the counter.

mummywantstobeslim · 06/03/2021 15:14

Very ligit. You do have to pay for extra. It's not all free. Your free contraception is being delivered to your house.
Yabu

Griselda1 · 06/03/2021 15:14

Your prescription didn't go to Boots do they can't be expected to give you free contraception.All medication is paid for by someone, you needed to complain to your surgery.

Petitmum · 06/03/2021 15:15

They were charging you for the EXTRA they were giving you not covered by the prescription ...........the ongoing supply is free. You could have got back in touch with the surgery and asked them to rectify their mistake.

MixedUpFiles · 06/03/2021 15:16

Surely it’s because the boots isn’t getting reimbursed for your extra pills.

IndecentFeminist · 06/03/2021 15:17

Presumably without a prescription they can't claim payment for it from.nhs?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 06/03/2021 15:17

I will also now sound really harsh, but if I wouldn't have the spare money, I would just not leave it till last minute. I always get my supply when second to last is about to finish. If you cannot manage that for any reason it's important to talk to doctor and get contraceptive better fitting and with less need for planning like this. We have many options, some will be better suitable to person and situation than other.

flakymate · 06/03/2021 15:20

This isn’t Boots error at all though, you’re taking it out on them

I took the pill for a couple of years as a teen before switching and even I know that you need a prescription for the pill. Boots didn’t have your prescription and therefore couldn’t give it to you under the NHS for free. You had to pay a private cost.

Frankly I think Boots have been more than helpful to you, by tracking down the pharmacy

Realistically you need to complain to your surgery nurse about the error, and ask Lloyds if the can make it available for collection at the store instead (it might not have shipped yet)

Elouera · 06/03/2021 15:25

Luckily I can afford to pay £9.50 but what about people that can’t. What if I was a young girl with no money or a woman in a violent relationship with no easy access to cash who needs that prescription and can’t afford an unplanned pregnancy

Like everyone else, the above cases would either get another script with enough time, so they dont run out, use condoms till they get their supply or better still, get a longer acting contraception which doesnt need such regular scripts!

Sounds like you are paying Boots because they dont have a script to claim the charge back. In future, you could try a family planning/sexual health clinic for contraception, or just go direct to the nurse at your GP surgery!

GappyValley · 06/03/2021 15:30

Luckily I can afford to pay £9.50 but what about people that can’t. What if I was a young girl with no money or a woman in a violent relationship with no easy access to cash who needs that prescription and can’t afford an unplanned pregnancy

The pharmacist would probably have said ‘you can get it free if you have a prescription or go to a sexual health clinic. Here are the details of the nearest places who can provide an emergency script and email it to us, so give them a call and we will hopefully be able to give it to you free. Also, please don’t leave it to the last minute next time.’

luxxlisbon · 06/03/2021 15:46

You didn't have a prescription for the pills you collected, you paid privately for them and that is why you were charged.

"Why do we need a prescription any way?"

Because all medication needs to be regulated and can't just be given out with no medical involvement.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 06/03/2021 15:47

"Because all free medication needs to be regulated and can't just be given out with no medical involvement."

As I said, I buy mine with lloyds online pharmacy instead of going through gp

luxxlisbon · 06/03/2021 15:51

@SchrodingersImmigrant

"Because all free medication needs to be regulated and can't just be given out with no medical involvement."

As I said, I buy mine with lloyds online pharmacy instead of going through gp

Even when you pay there is a level of medical involvement. With contraception it is fairly limited, but they still ask you to fill out things like your current blood pressure reading although obviously you can write whatever you want if you are going through it online.
1990shopefulftm · 06/03/2021 15:56

If it was an emergency supply then they're within the rights to charge you as it seems you weren't going to get the prescription itself from them so they would have made a loss on those tablets.

Although they could have rung the lloyds and told them to return the prescription back to the spine for the boots to give it to you.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 06/03/2021 16:00

@luxxlisbon actually yes. You are right. Iirc it doesn't ask details. Really just "have you ever ..." and "is your blood presure within". It's been like 7 months so I might be forgetting some bits

TrufflyPig · 06/03/2021 16:07

You were charged for an emergency supply which is for all intents and purposes is a private transaction.

The pharmacy will not get reimbursement for the tablets they have given you as the prescription has gone elsewhere, hence the charge to cover their losses.

Rumplestrumpet · 06/03/2021 16:12

I can't believe everyone is saying you're being unreasonable, but perhaps we're looking at different issues.

Are you being unreasonable to blame Boots for charging you? Yes. They don't really have a choice.

Are you being unreasonable for questioning the whole system? Absolutely not. It's ridiculous and misogynistic. Why on earth are women made to jump through all these hoops just to get a simple contraceptive that has been around a long time and is open to almost no misuse.

You should be able to get a year's worth at a time for a start and ideally you should be able to collect it from pharmacies or order online for free, with a reminder to see your GP every year or so for a check up. Why do we think we can't trust women to make informed choices about their bodies?!?;

I say this as someone who hasn't used any contraception for years due to infertility, so it's not about my own experience so much as a principle.

Asdparent · 06/03/2021 16:19

Similar happened to me. Script sent to online pharmacy. I had to get a emergency supply from my boots( normal pharmacy) i didn't pay for it tho. Perhaps as im in Scotland?

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