Would you have asked for pain relief on prescription?

[Metaphors]

DS2 has hurt himself. A day in A & E has thankfully proved uneventful and he'll be OK in a couple of weeks. In the meantime he needs pain relief and I was advised to give paracetamol and ibuprofen. He struggles with tablets so I've brought the liquid (like they gave him in hospital) total cost £7

It's not the end of the world, we can afford it, we got lovely care at the hospital and things could have been a whole lot worse, but if they'd given him a prescription, it would have been free (to me).

If I'd asked, would they have prescribed it? Would our GP? I'm not sure I could be cheeky enough to ask anyway, would you?

and the pharmacy would pay all of their costs how exactly? IT's not over-inflated just because its more than cost price!

Probably the same way they pay it now when they have to fulfil a free child's prescription.

By selling OTC stuff and getting paid by the CCG for providing a pharmacy service.

Having appts used for stuff like that is crazy. Maybe it would save money long term if stuff like that was free to kids. But then how do you police how much people are taking?

No, I can afford cal pol. If I was food bank broke yes I would ask for it on prescription.

By selling OTC stuff and getting paid by the CCG for providing a pharmacy service

Except the pp wanted parents to get it at cost price instead of how it works now. And my question was how would that work then, if the pharmacy has to buy it in then sell it on at cost price?

DS has been sent home from hospital with paracetamol before now - with the right amount prescribed for his age which is handy for when we need to give him max amounts not just the normal box amounts (if that makes sense!)

Generally though I buy it, because I can afford to. But I would rather it be available free that for children to suffer because their parents can't afford it.

Locally there is a minor ailments scheme so people can access free basic medication for children without having to waste GP time which is a better approach IMO.

You can bottles in poundland.

I wouldn't have asked for paracetamol or ibuprofen as it's something we always have in anyway.

I think the nurseries asking for prescription only painkillers are ridiculous.

It's not just nurseries. Schools do it too, even at secondary sometimes.

I hadn't even thought about school, which I should have as I work a school office! Yes, we will only administer medicines that are prescribed by a doctor.

There are no official rules requiring that, other than the school policy but we have found that's the only way to go because otherwise you have a million bottles of things to be given "as required"

Dd2 has migraines and the school are happy to give ibroprofin (or calpol) that I send in not on prescription. I don't think they needed anything other than me to sign a form.

I think places are told not to prescribe painkillers you can get over the counter, although they are also told to use their discresion (ie if the person really can't afford it then they will do).

But our chemist has own brand ibroprofin for 1.25 a bottle and own brand calpol equivalent for 1.99 so it's not really expensive.

Our pharmacy has the scheme as Sirzy said where they give out free paracetamol and ibuprofen to stop people going to the GP for it.

I work on a children's ward and a lot of the Doctors refuse to prescribe it after some smaller operations as we tell parents to buy it themselves. It's too expensive to give out to everyone. And often quicker to buy it yourself then wait three hours for pharmacy.

I think anyone willing to wait for a hospital pharmacy just for Paracatamol must be desperate for it!

No it's £1 for a bottle in asda. I would never ask for it on prescription

As a prescriber I always ask parents if they want a prescription for a child's pain relief. You just never know someone's circumstances and I'd much rather be sure the child was definitely going to get the medicine. If your child needs a lot you will have to have a prescription anyway as there are limits to the amount you can buy OTC.

I wouldn't expect a school to give any medication other than inhalers or allergy medicine as they are for education not childcare though.

If my primary school DC are ill enough for calpol etc then they are kept at home.
DD's secondary will give pain killers from the MI room but they phone parents to check first.

Sorry - i have waited in a hospital pharmacy - will explained ... where i live the sunday phamacy is open sundays for an hour, same bank holiday - no 24 hour Asda etc- it was 3am satruday night - so yes desperate