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?

Rich Grandparents? As a Grandparent who worked all my life as did my mother who literally died a day after her last working day you are totally wrong. This is another rose tinted spectacles view of older peoples lives. My mother never got any benefits and died with absolutely nothing in her bank account having worked full time from age 14 to 70. You have no idea what you are talking about.

And there would be more victims if methadone wasn't free. Best not twist it though, methadone is just the easiest/cheapest solution for the government instead of providing a) any sort of preventative schemes to try and break the cycle of drugs and support/mitigations for other factors that are shown to increase the liklihood of adduction and b) accessible rehab and ongoing support in the community- it's not easy to come off of heroine and then to taper down off of methadone.

You have and I'm not engaging any longer with you. YOU'RE RIGHT.....BE HAPPY

It is awful how much the Tories are upping our taxes by stealth. They have imposed the highest tax burden for decades and just keeping piling on the charges.

As for University, because my parents rented they could not deduct anything from their income for my university fees, they couldn't afford to pay and there were no loans. I worked for a year before I could go to Uni to get some funds and every holiday to pay my own way.

Maybe the "rich grandparents" could cough up???

I'm not sure where you are coming from but you are clearly of the generation to benefit from student grants etc, as am I. Also had to pay for kids' education, still am. Not sure why you are so angry with previous generations. This fallacy that they had it all so much easier is just that - a fallacy!!!

@IQuiteLikeFaggots But it works both ways. Plenty of young folk round my way have tons of spare cash yet are dependent on draining the state when it suits.

In what way is that then?

Yeah. Fuck them to be honest. I'm sure many of them are doing just fine.

I remember when my parents got their free bus passes. At that time they owned three properties and two cars.

In that case, I don't suppose they made much use of their bus passes. Since it works by repayment to the bus companies for journeys actually made, the bus pass won't have been at much cost to the taxpayer.

I think things like medication, health care etc. Should be affordable. Not necessarily free for everyone (could be free for some depending on financial situation). Maybe there could be a a threshold price that once your annual medications is above that then it's free. That way it wouldn't be disproportionately affecting people with chronic illnesses.

I think I've used mine twice in 5 years. DH is disabled and more comfortable in the car. I think he's used his once in 11 years. Don't know how everyone is coping with our mad expenditure.

I agree OP. I was in the Chemist a couple of weeks ago. Paying for my Asthma Inhalers prescription. An oldish lady in front of me was complaining she had driven up twice for her prescription now, it still wasn't ready, and she was wasting petrol. The Chemist went and got it off the Shelf for her instead. 2 boxes of Elastoplast tape, a grand total of £3.50. Why was this free on prescription? I'm paying for Asthma medication, I've had to pay for this since I was 20, I'm 56 now and will presumably have to pay for a good few years yet.

Why should I have to pay when I’m that age. I’ve paid a fortune in NI payments over the years. I already pay for a dentist because no NHS ones. What should the cut off be for paying - do you have a salary or pension limit in mind ?

Because that powers that be haven't planned for the huge ageing population. There won't be enough working age adults to pay for your free prescriptions.

Everyone saying that they want prescriptions, bus passes and TV license means tested yet when child benefit is means tested all of MN complain about how unfair it is despite an income of £3k pcm.

So? Part of the point of the policy is to get people out of cars. Are you keen on air pollution? That costs a lot as it causes so much ill health.

The passes are also a way to subsidise bus transport, which is necessary to prevent closure, job losses and even more cars.

Those who want to drive still do and no charges are made - the only cost is the pass itself, which they do not have apply for in the first place if they will never use it.

@AskMeMore where are you based because people in England who are over 60 certainly do not have to pay for prescriptions.

That depends on whether we tax the robots. Or increase immigration.

We have a need for increased workforce to provide all the services required by the ageing population. That can either be AI, or people, or some of both. But we will not have an ageing population and no corresponding increased need for services - they need care.

I shall be working long into my 60s and so the small free prescriptions I will get are a drop in the ocean compared to the ongoing tax I will be paying not to mention my company paying company NI contributions for me

should I not get a state pension either? Seems jolly unfair !

The system is an arse but it isn't just free prescriptions for the over 60s.

I was diagnosed with graves disease in 1989. Had a sub total thyroidectomy which rendered me hypothyroid. Because I need Levothyroxine from the age of 29 I got free prescriptions for everything. Antibiotics, hydrocortisone, anti-inflammatories, etc. It shoukd just have been the levothyroxine, just as asthmatics shoukd get their inhalers free and yet they don't.

Other absurdities relate to Nice guidance. Example one: distal radius fracture shoukd not be reduced with gas and air alone. But it's only guidance so many A&E departments ignore it.

Similarly the most optimal drug for osteoporosis (teriparatide) is only recommended for those who are 65 plus with more than one vertebral fracture. If you are under 65 and have had 6 fractures, including two vertebral ones in five years, you can't have it unless you pay £2500.

The message therefore is that when not following NHS guidelines it save the NHS money, they may be ignored. When ignoring them might cost the NHS money, they may not be ignored.

And the NHS expects the public to continue to respect it. Bah!!!

@Felixss you seem to have forgotten that many, many people who retire continue to pay tax.

I'm super jealous of 5 customers who can get their prescription quickly at pharmacy. Even seeing one customer get their prescription quickly would be amazing in my experience.

I was coming to say exactly this.
The costs of administering an increasingly complex system begun to outweigh any benefits.

Previous comments about paracetamol on prescription are slightly misplaced as well. This is because it’s about getting it in the quantities needed. I take 8 a day. I would be going buying paracetamol every 2-3 days, because of the amount you’re allowed to buy. It’s not really practical for me. I’m on 9 other medications, so I also get paracetamol on prescriptions - so I can get boxes of 220 at a time. I used to get a pre-payment certificate, but I live in Scotland, so the costs are covered for us. (Importantly, not free; just free at pint of need. NHS Scotland pay for it, which was a decision by Scottish government.)

I'm over 60 and still working and paying in but I disagree with you on this. The average person on the average salary, in average health in the UK has had more out of the state than they have paid in by around the age of 70. It is unsustainable.
I am shocked at the greed of a lot of my age group complaining about pensions, pension ages, etc with no thought for the younger people who will be paying for this
There was a good article about this in The Times last Saturday and explained it well