Does my 5 year old entitles to an NHS free Calpol or Cough Medicine when he got cold?

[olies]

Hi, Everyone,
My 5yrs 3 months son got a bad cold with the tepreture beings over 102 in the first night adn over 101 in the second.

I have run out of Calpol over weekends, with money tight, I decided to take him to GP for 10am. I have run out of Calpol and couging medice, I was thinking as his younger brother, 3 y.o., got a similar symptons, in fact today he got husky voice and sneazing ( i.e. typical cold).

GP did not offerred medicine, Dr said that he doesnot need antibiotics, just Calpol. I am between jobs at present, money tight, for some reason I thought that up to a certain age kids can get a basic medicine for free or do you have to be on a benefit for that?

kind regards,

olies

I have run out of Calpol over weekends, with money tight, I decided to take him to GP for 10am. I have run out of Calpol and couging medice, I was thinking as his younger brother, 3 y.o., got a similar symptons, in fact today he got husky voice and sneazing ( i.e. typical cold).

GP did not offerred medicine, Dr said that he doesnot need antibiotics, just Calpol. I am between jobs at present, money tight, for some reason I thought that up to a certain age kids can get a basic medicine for free or do you have to be on a benefit for that?

kind regards,

olies

Some doctors will prescribe it, others won't. There is nothing in place to say they have to.
There are cheaper own brand versions of calpol, if that's any help.

dunno. They can prescribe painkiller, expectorants etc, if needed, because my gp has done it (he's also advised me to buy X, Y, Z product as well). I've never come across calpol on prescription and I'm not personally aware of any entitlement for young children to free over the counter medications. - which doesn't mean it doesn't exist, of course!

You could always ask for painkiller, see what he says.

you need to ask the GP
then they might prescribe it and then you get it free

If you have to pay for prescriptions for him, then getting a scrip from the GP isn't worth it.

under 16s get free prescriptions

Children under 16 get free pescriptions though.

Could you ask your Health Visitor Olies? Mine has given me a pescription for my daughter's dry skin before.

If you live in scotland you can register with your local pharmacy on the minor ailments schem - this means that if you dont pay for prescriptions you get things like cough medicine, calpol, etc for free.

Not sure whether they hav such a thing in england?

I think it very much depends on what illness the child displays ....I have 3 ds and sometimes get calpol sometimes dont-you can buy it quite cheaply-tbh i dont think a cold warrants a doctors appointment.

did you say you were skint and ask for a prescription? I've never been given free calpol equivalent at the GPs but when DS has been at the walk-in centre and unwell with a temperature I've been given either bottles of the cheap non-branded calpol or a prescription without even asking for it.

so basically no - there's no absolute right to free over the counter medicines for children. it depends on whether doc/nurse chooses to write a prescription.

I have been prescribed children's paracetamol/ibuprofen before. However, thats been if they have had an earache or soemthing.
You can get Boots, or Lloyds or Superdrugs own brand for cheaper than calpol and its just as good. Buy a jar of vapour rub as well (again own brand is cheaper) and rub it on their chest, it will help with the snot!

Oh, sorry, didn't realise kids prescriptions were free . Shows how often my two are ill!

I think you maybe need to ask the GP for the prescription?

quick as got todash to playgroup

the doc can write a prescr for non-branded calpol etc. my doc's are v quick to offer! this obv free as under 16s get free presc.

round here, you can register for pharmacy first which means you can ask the pharmacist about simple ailments and get simple medicines etc.

If you are skint , ring him up and explain, surely he will writen you one then. The prescription won't be calpol though, it will be non-branded children's paracetamol.