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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Being told to sign up to Patient Choice which will come with a cost

7 replies

Bonsa1 · 28/05/2025 11:08

I’m under a specialist NHS department (lymphedema) and get support stockings sent. I pay for prescriptions. This time the nurse seeing me said that they’re being pushed to ask patients to sign up for Patient Choice so their team doesn’t pay for them. Staggeringly even though they come in packs of two I’ll have to pay a prescription for each stocking. She wants me to try longer ones and I balked at paying for those too so £40 just for 2 pairs and particularly if I don’t get on with the longer ones so she said they wouldn’t process those with Patient Choice ie clearly they don’t have to.

She was lovely but do I have a choice re signing up to Patient Choice? Aren’t I shooting myself in the foot and just signing myself up to big bills. Will put me off having more when needed if I’m honest.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bonsa1 · 28/05/2025 11:19

Basically is this common and the way things are done now?

OP posts:
willowbuffytara · 28/05/2025 11:57

Do a pre payment prescription? That’ll cover as many as you need

SleepyRic · 28/05/2025 12:07

If they refuse to prescribe them because they're available over the counter essentially then all you can do is put a complaint in. It's worth doing if you genuinely can't afford them but otherwise what you've heard is what's being pushed.

Essentially anything that is available over the counter is planned to stop being prescribed as a cost/time saving measure. Hopefully reducing people coming in for consultations on athletes foot, fungal nail, corns, requests for paracetamol/ibuprofen/cough syrup/worm treatment....

It's worth checking if the same stockings are available online, often same product can be sourced much cheaper elsewhere.

Original poster
Bonsa1 · 28/05/2025 12:10

SleepyRic · 28/05/2025 12:07

If they refuse to prescribe them because they're available over the counter essentially then all you can do is put a complaint in. It's worth doing if you genuinely can't afford them but otherwise what you've heard is what's being pushed.

Essentially anything that is available over the counter is planned to stop being prescribed as a cost/time saving measure. Hopefully reducing people coming in for consultations on athletes foot, fungal nail, corns, requests for paracetamol/ibuprofen/cough syrup/worm treatment....

It's worth checking if the same stockings are available online, often same product can be sourced much cheaper elsewhere.

No they’re not they’re nearly £40 a pair - I checked.

It’s really confusing. I was getting them free before. Why not now?

OP posts:
SleepyRic · 29/05/2025 01:57

Historically lots of over the counter products have been prescribed, costs to the NHS were over £500million a year. Lots of measures are coming in to try and make cost savings and it seems your stockings are coming under this.

TatteredAndTorn · 29/05/2025 03:17

Patient Choice seem to be an external contractor who can process nhs prescriptions. So you should still be able to get your stockings on prescription, which would either be free if you qualify or you could get a pre payment certificate which limits cost to about £10 per month. . Are you sure it was explained to you properly? You shouldn’t be paying for things for chronic conditions even if they are available over the counter so what people have says about reducing costs for over the counter meds doesn’t apply.

https://patientchoicedelivery.co.uk/compression-prescriptions/

Compression therapy hosiery on NHS prescription

NHS prescription hosiery – delivered to your home - Patient Choice Delivery

https://patientchoicedelivery.co.uk/compression-prescriptions/

Original poster
Bonsa1 · 29/05/2025 09:40

TatteredAndTorn · 29/05/2025 03:17

Patient Choice seem to be an external contractor who can process nhs prescriptions. So you should still be able to get your stockings on prescription, which would either be free if you qualify or you could get a pre payment certificate which limits cost to about £10 per month. . Are you sure it was explained to you properly? You shouldn’t be paying for things for chronic conditions even if they are available over the counter so what people have says about reducing costs for over the counter meds doesn’t apply.

https://patientchoicedelivery.co.uk/compression-prescriptions/

No. It wasn’t explained at all. I’m utterly confused.

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