To think blanket free prescriptions for over 60s NEED to end?

[Idratherbepaddleboarding]

I know this will be controversial but I popped to the doctors in my lunch break to collect my prescription and joined a longish queue. Everyone in front of me was over 60 and collecting huge bags of medications and I was the only one paying for any of it.

I don’t dispute that I should have to pay but often I can’t afford it which has led to me having to miss days of my medication, leaving me feeling very emotional and at times suicidal (medication is for depression). Perhaps if everyone who has over a certain income had to pay, they’d be able to lower the prescription charge for everyone or be able to afford the pay rises they say they can’t afford for nurses and junior doctors.

The killer was that every single one of the people in front of me got back into massive, brand new SUVs, one couple into a Range Rover and another into a Jaguar. If they can afford to own (and run!) cars like that, paying for a prescription would be a drop in the ocean for them. AIBU to think that free prescriptions should be limited to those in pension credit just like Universal Credit?

When DH’s grandad died, his mum and auntie shared out his collection of prescription paracetamol and ibuprofen (I know they should be returned to the pharmacy but they’d only have been destroyed and both are ex nurses so I guess they know what they’re doing). I’m not joking, there were boxes and boxes of the stuff, we didn’t buy painkillers for years and these will have cost the NHS a lot more than they would from the supermarket and weren’t even taken by the person that they were intended for! Surely paracetamol and ibuprofen should not be available on the NHS at all?

I really don’t want to bash the over 60s and it wouldn’t be a vote winner for politicians but surely we can’t afford to keep free prescriptions for those that can afford them?

I'd rather they just made it free for everyone. Makes no sense that some people who are on daily medication pay and others don't.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/buy-prescription-prepayment-certificate/&ved=2ahUKEwjv-sC_h7b-AhUIKcAKHYP_B70QFnoECAwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1A1JYuO_NYFYC4YcJrbSUZ

If you're struggling to pay for your prescriptions, have a look at the link

Move to Wales, everyone has free prescriptions.

move to Scotland, everyone gets it free (at the point of use) 😉

I think It should be like one pound an item. Otherwise a lot of people just fill the repeats whether they need them or not. I used to work in a chemist and when people passed away the relatives would often bring back carrier bags of unused meds. We had to just chuck them. Such a waste.

We just need England (by which I mean the current Tory government) to do as in Scotland and Wales - it should be free for everyone.

Interesting you want to make things shitter for others, rather than better for yourself.

Well yes that would be nice (and helpful)! Although I suppose there’d be an increase in people on prescriptions (although that might be a good thing for those that need them but can’t afford them!).

Thanks, I’m only one one medication so it would be more expensive, but might help others!

That’s a good point, the Tory’s keep banging on about not having any money though (unless it’s for something they want to have the money for!).

We need to start paying for the NHS, full stop. My grandpa is probably the richest person I know, was able to retire at 50, sell his house for 900k more than he bought it for, he doesn’t need free anything. I agree Op.

every single one of the people in front of me got back into massive, brand new SUVs, one couple into a Range Rover and another into a Jaguar

Every single one, in this long queue? Where do you live, Chipping Norton?

None of them are free! Not in Wales or for over 60s - the tax payer is paying.

I dislike the nasty ageist tone of the OP but I agree with the principle. I am 65 and get my many prescriptions free. I don't need a subsidy. Before I was 60 I simply bought an annual pre-payment certificate. That was also heavily subsidised but significanly fairer.

The NHS is on it's knees and could put that money to better use than subsidising those who don't need it.

There are always exceptions for those on the lowest incomes. That should be enough.

Really, I doubt many could afford their medication if they had to pay!

I think there are two separate issues here. If you’re struggling then yes look at whether you can qualify for free prescriptions. Or speak to your GP. If not, if you can economise in other areas like visiting a community fridge etc could you then put money towards your medication?

In terms of your question, yes YABU. If we start introducing charges for older people based on savings/ income etc plenty of older people (even those who can well afford it) would simply stop taking medication and it costs much more once someone is hospitalised with a heart attack/ stroke etc, than just to provide their medication. And don’t be quick to judge by cars etc, I’d bet many were getting lifts etc, you can’t judge someone’s circumstances in a snapshot.

Absolutely agree...DH is 60 now and feels embarrassed that he is affluent and doesn't pay for his meds when the NHS is on it's arse.

I think there should be more ringfencing of free prescriptions - my cousin has hormone issues following a serious post-birth bleed, and has 3/10 of the medical conditions that get you a medical exemption from paying (i.e. free prescriptions). Fair enough; without the meds she'd be dead so she needs access to them without worring about money. BUT the exemption isn't limited so also means she gets ALL prescriptions free...

Even she admits there's no reason why she should get e.g. rash cream, painkillers for a sore elbow when she overdid the gardening, for nothing. She's relatively affluent and can afford to pay and is baffled at the waste.

There’s a link between very deprived areas, life expectancy and less years of good health - you’d hit the poorest people between 60 and 66, with statistically more years of chronic ill health and who are on low wages, but don’t get benefits or pension credits.

Imo, it would be better to stop people going to GPs and A & E, with minor self limiting ailments or moaning about secondary care to GPs; or calling ambulances for trivia through education - then, there would be more of those resources for seriously ill people, rather than faffing about with prescription costs.

Expanding means testing doesnt necessarily make something cheaper overall, because the admin costs increase. There's also at the moment the question of where the capacity to do this extra work would come from.

I'm impressed you joined a long queue but got out quickly enough to see everyone getting into their cars.

The reduction in admin costs by making them all free in Wales and Scotland apparently covered the cost of lost payments.

I’ve worked for over 45 years and retired due to I’ll health, I have 14 different medications to help with my chronic illness, so you think I should pay for those as I’m only 62? I get my NHS pension which is not gold plated like everyone seems to think, I won’t get my state pension until 67. I own a house so presumably you think I’m rich. Yeah, jog on!

No. These folk have paid into the system all their lives. Healthcare is a fundamental right

I didn’t say long I said longish, there were 5 people in front of me and they were getting back in their cars as I left as the pharmacy team dealt with everyone nice and quickly, the reason for the queue was that the person in front had had their medication lost so they were dealing with that. Everyone of them was getting into big, fancy cars and either driving or part of a couple who were both collecting prescriptions.

@PeonyFairy where am I being nasty and ageist? It’s impossible to discuss prescriptions for people over 60 without mentioning age and it’s factual that some, if not many don’t need these as their income is high enough to pay for it, even you yourself say that you don’t need free prescriptions.

Well quite.

This is yet another one of 'those threads' to gauge reactions.