NHS - massively overpaying for basic items

78 replies

allmycats · 03/10/2026 13:28

Why are the NHS still paying stupid inflated prices for basic items ?
In the chemist today I bought 100 low dose aspirin for £1.99
The lady said you can ask for these on the NHS and I said that as they are not much money I was happy to pay for them. She then told me that they would have cost the NHS £9.80 for the same thing.
The government need to really look into this sort of massive wastage and stop suppliers vastly overcharging.

OP posts:

Badbadbunny · 04/10/2026 19:21

Greybeardy · 04/10/2026 19:00

the sticky dots for ecgs can definitely be left open and the unused ones be used for the next patient. Eventually if they're left long enough they'd probably dry out and become less useful but anywhere doing a reasonable frequency of ecgs isn't going to find that a problem.

Show quote history

That's common sense, but as I say, when I've had it done, they go in the bin and the nurse has said it's due to hygiene/infection control, etc.

Lovelysausagedogscrumpy · 04/10/2026 19:48

Badbadbunny · 04/10/2026 15:58

I've said this a few times in different threads. My DH has treatable, but incurable cancer. He's on permanent chemotherapy drugs. We checked the "cost" as per the NHS pricing website (I know it's not definitive), one particular tablet is over £1k and the other is £300 per tablet. His prescription is for 3 of the former and 21 of the latter. In reality, with agreement of his haematologist, he actually takes only 2 of the former and 14 of the latter. Yet, instead of her reducing the prescription quantities, she carries on issuing prescriptions for the 3/21, so DH now has a box full of the "extras" he nevers takes. DH has asked her several times to adjust the prescription but she says it's "too hard" as any change needs some kind of approval/authorisation from some sort of committee. Pharmacy won't "not issue" the ones that aren't needed and says they can only issue exactly what's on the prescription. We've suggested to the pharmacy that we give them the "surplus" straight back over the counter upon collection so that they can be assured they've not been tampered with, but they say they'd just dispose of them. So, every single month, up to £3k of tablets issued unnecessarily and unused. That's just one patient. We've pointed this out to the haematologist but all she says is that "her dept" have the funding in her cost centre so it's not costing "her dept" to waste the tablets!

Show quote history

That’s insane !!

Fluffypuppy1 · 04/10/2026 20:06

Soundsok · 04/10/2026 13:21

It was a huge publicity stunt for Tony Blair and I don't think anyone asked any sensible questions about the interest rates (which are about 40% I think). The NHS will be paying massive amounts forever.

Show quote history

It’s way more than that, especially with the expensive maintenance costs added. My local hospital had a redevelopment worth £160 million. The total repayment will be around £760 million. There was either some serious back handers going on or some incredibly financially illiterate people involved.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread