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?

Sure. What's your point? I do think the list of conditions that get free treatment should be looked at too. Eg why thyroid but not asthma? But not being medical I don't know if there's a reason for it.

I think it’s something to do with if you don’t take them your condition would deteriate and it would cost the nhs more.

Thats why the recent motion in Parliament wasn’t successful.

The thyroid one is because (I believe) that once a patient starts taking Levothyroxine (the thyroid hormone replacement) they need to take it for life, as it alters their existing thyroid function? So they're kind of stuck with it.

It's one of the medications where, if you run out, the pharmacist will give you some to tide you over for a couple of days while a new prescription is being sorted out.

Boots wouldn't do it for me when I lost a packet on holiday. They made me phone my surgery and get them to fax a prescription. It was a nightmare as they were closing early and I was struggling to get an answer from the surgery.

It might depend on family/friendship groups. I'm 70 and don't know anyone in my generation who votes Tory, I do know some who are 20 years younger though.

Good plan.

Closet voters ?

Would everyone admit to voting Tory at the moment.

Like Brexit, they don’t all admit to voting for it these days… I know quite a few that were celebrating the morning after the results. Now, apparently, they voted remain.

In my city I couldn't get council housing, have a look at Cathy Come Home if you think private renting was great back in the 60s and 70s.

How many on here had to Google Dignitas😂
The workhouse first, surely, then they cost v little and still work. Breaking up rocks or making rope.

Don't think so although it obviously can happen. I know my siblings and old friends political views from decades ago and they have been consistently left wing. DH was a Tory voter years ago but as he's got older he's got more left wing and is actually very anti Tory, he seems to defy the rules that you get more right wing as you get older.

I do have some friends who don't talk about politics, people I've known for less time (but probably 20 or 30 years) so I don't know about them. The people I know who definitely voted leave and vote Tory are in their late 40s/50s. Don't know why just how it has worked out.

Iwasafool, I'm also in my seventies and don't know anyone of roughly my age who votes Tories. My only child will be 44 this year and would not dream of voting Tory! Most of his friends are of the same mindsight except one (whom I have known since they were kids).

However it has to be said we do not generally mix with people with whom we have little in common. I very much like my neighbours either side but have no idea about their political views.

I agree with you about private rentals in the sixties and seventies, I had a fair bit of experience of some grotty places as a single girl and knew couples, sometimes with a child, who also lived in unpleasant homes. It was very difficult to get decent social housing, those who did achieve that were generally fortunate and really happy with their new places (and some council places from the 1950s where people were rehoused post war are lovely with beautiful gardens). However I did have a friend, single parent, who was given a brand new duplex council flat, with small patio garden, on a new estate which turned out to be one of the most notorious estates in South London. Vandalism, robbery, drugs, violence - you name it. She was eventually rehoused to somewhere a lot nicer, thank goodness.

I meant 'tory', not 'tories', first sentence above.

TBH Your the one who said they have had and continue to have social housing, which is usually either HA or council, as a decent enough tenant, highly unlikely to get a sect 21 if one of these is your landlord.

Or are you now saying you rent privately?

Private renting has always been shite, its just more shite now because there is very little alternative.

Sorry, where have I said anything about people have had and continue to have social housing.

I don't rent.

I think you must have me confused with someone else. I honestly don't know what you are talking about. I'm a bit worried now that I've had a blackout and posted stuff I know nothing about. Can you direct me to where I've said that?

@Iwasafool

Humblest apologies! you are correct, its @Zebedee55 who i should have replied too.

Well that's a relief, at my age I do worry about dementia and I thought this might be it.

You can't always assume people are rich because of their vehicles. I have a brand new electric Peugeot. I'm 54 & it's the first time I've ever had a brand new car.
Am I rich? Far from it. I got my car on motobility because I have Stage 4 cancer. I've had to take ill health retirement, but I hadn't planned to retire till my mortgage was paid off. I may have a great new car but money is very tight.
It would be great if England could make all prescriptions free. But if not maybe the free prescription age should go up, as the retirement age has.

I don't know that private renting is all 'shite' nowadays, Alexandra. I know someone (younger than me), who has rented a small house for several years which is very nice indeed and prior to that had a couple of good flats. Also know others who did rent decent places before buying. I suppose it depends where you live and what is available.

I let a very nice flat to a couple and they are extremely happy paying me a reasonable rent. I'm responsible for the fitted kitchen and other fixtures and replace things as and when necessary, for example a fridge freezer last year, and obviously any repairs. The year before there was a new washing machine and something else needed fixing which I can't remember now.

Anyone lever 60 has probably paid into the system for over 40 years….you’re saying they get their prescriptions free! Just have a think about it!

I agree with you, Gall, however the same has been stated many times on this thread and refuted; apparently, no matter how much tax and NI a person has paid over the years (and still often pays tax as a pensioner), most will never have contributed as much as they are likely to take out. I am dubious about that and also think we should have a caring society, ie the vulnerable looked after regardless of how much they have been able to contribute. However it has been said.

And lots of the women will have paid very little at all as there were more long term SAHMs and housewives in the past. Not saying they shouldn't be looked after. But just pointing out they haven't all contributed that much in terms of tax and NI.

Not so much in my generation, Macaroni, I haven't come across many women of roughly my age (73) who haven't gone out to work, at least part time, after having children. My mother and mother in law plus various aunts didn't work. However a lot of husbands paid more in contributions in order that their wives received more when of pension age. My father in law did that and I know of others but they are not of the generation we are talking about.

PS to my previous post (I wish we could edit):

During my working life women were encouraged to opt out of contributions and pensions, I cannot remember the reasoning behind that (and I didn't), but a lot did. I wonder how they are doing now if they are still alive.

I've turned 60 (didn't really want to lol but the alternative isn't that great either!!)!!

People were losing their homes and saddled with the massive debts that will have followed them round for years- never had a drawbridge in the first place!!

I just struggle to understand this rampant block hatred of a whole generation as if though we're to blame for every ill in life...!!

I think that sadly a lot of people try to superimpose what things were like in the 70s and 80s over current conditions, life and health expectations, and societal 'norms'. It's like comparing apples and pears.
'apparently, no matter how much tax and NI a person has paid over the years (and still often pays tax as a pensioner), most will never have contributed as much as they are likely to take out. '
it would be interesting to do the calculation here, based on someone who started work at 15 and drew a state pension at 65/66, considering the 33% basic tax and changes in personal allowance, and current expected life span of 80 years or so - and how that has changed since the 70s and 80s. And plus or minus children. That could be 50 years of contribution adjusted for inflation, plus interest, compared with 15 years of state pension payments....ooooh that's a Big Sum!