Maternity Exemption

[PenelopePeters]

Hi all. I couldn't find a simple answer to this anywhere so hope you can help here.

I am pregnant and recently went to my local pharmacy to get some lozengers because I have a sore throat. When I showed my maternity exemption card they told me that this is not covered, and that I had to pay - so I did pay. The reason I went to the pharmacy instead of GP is because i have read that the we, the publc, shouldnt bother the GP for 'simple' issues such as these.

Can someone help clarify things because I am confused.

Many thanks.

can you get throat lozenges on prescription???

The exemption are only works for prescription medicine and some treatment (eg dentist). I wouldn't go to a doctor for some throat sweets. I don't think they would even prescribe them to be honest. I would just buy them off the shelf at the pharmacy ( as you did).

Here's a link to the leaflet that came with mine a month ago - link.

Many thanks for so. Does this mean that unless i have a prescription the pharmacy will give me nothing? or if i had asked for cough medicine would it have been given free?
What adds to my confusion is that i went to GP for my first child, who is under one, and whilst there asked for Calpol for her teething pain and the doctor told me to buy it from the shop.

Only items on prescription will be given free. Anything that comes over the counter you will have to pay for.

You must have a prescription from a doctor or a dentist The card only means you do not have to pay prescription charges (in addition to allowing you certain free treatment). You cannot use it to go in to a pharmacy and obtain over the counter medicine for free - whatever that is; be it cough medicine or lozenges.

Ps - re the calpol. Dh is a dentist and won't prescribe it apart from in exceptional circumstances. . It's too expensive. Apparently same for the doctors too. Presume that's why you were told to buy it.

i am broke.

If you genuinely can't afford a packet of throat sweets, you will need to go to the doctor for every minor ailment then and see if you can get them on prescription. Explain same to the dentist. Prepare yourself for some hard questioning though. Even people subsisting entirely on benefits usually have a spare pound for lozenges.

They don't do cough medicine on prescription any more. It stopped when I was a child (or so my mother said). I know in Scotland if you register with a pharmacy then they can give certain items for free if you have a maternity exemption. For example antacid, camomile lotion etc. Normally generic version of a brand.

Lol at being able to walk into Boots, fill my basket and flash my exemption card!

Prescriptions only, OP. Seriously - throat sweets? What are they, 50p?

Ditto LunaticFringe. I had an awful sore throat last year when I was pg with DD2. The pharmacist refused to sell me anything and suggested I just drink plenty or sucked a boiled sweet to keep the throat lubricated. Take a couple of paracetamol for the pain (generic pack will cost you under 20p in the supermarket). Same for prescription Calpol/Nurofen. I always refuse it if I'm offered it in the GP - the generic brands can be bought for a couple of £.

Lozenges was just an example - in hindsight a bad one. To LunaticFringe: if money wasn't tight do you think I would go to such lengths as write a post on this site? I am making an effort to save what few pennies I have to spend on my child, so please don't patronise me.
Perhaps I am the only one surprised that my GP wouldn't prescribe Calpol for a child that is teething and had a fever.

Lozenges was just an example - in hindsight a bad one. To LunaticFringe: if money wasn't tight do you think I would go to such lengths as write a post on this site? I am making an effort to save what few pennies I have to spend on my child, so please don't patronise me.
Perhaps I am the only one surprised that my GP wouldn't prescribe Calpol for a child that is teething and had a fever. .

My gp will write a prescription for generic paracetamol syrup - not calpol

Why would you ask for a prescription for an item under the prescription price charge? Someone has to still pay in the end. I can understand if you would save money on the prescription price but for throat lozenges?

OP don't think anyone is patronising you, its just the NHS is available to us all for the "really really" necessary medical items we need..not "example items like lozengnes or stuff of that ilk.....but for really necessary medical items, and people "draining" it of unnecccessary medical items are leading to the problems our NHS is facing with the really awful medical problems of providing adequate care for a variety of very serious issues ..to name but a few, home care for our elderly community, respite care for families of serious ill children or other loved ones, cancer care.... not being met . This names but a few but you get my drift. I read your post earlier today and it infuriated me, but have taken a few hours to compose myself so my post was not rude or even a bit abrupt...its just the NHS is not an endless pit...its all a balancing act However calpol is a necessary item and if the doctor will not prescribe it I feel that if your child needed it for teething then obviously if the doctor will not prescribe it he feels you have the means to purchase it...given his tough job of balancing your child's teething problems with his previous and next patients problems of sometimes more serious issues that cost more than say £1.99 at the local pharmacy.

I think (sorry if it comes across wrong) that if I had an ill child I would eat beans and toast for every meal to ensure they had the necessary medical treatment necessary and not compromising another persons care... ie: I would rather pay the price for calpol to make it more possible that NHS money was used for really serious treatment of other more needy people.

I am not meaning to offend anybody in low income families...i am myself in a low income family and have medical issues that need payment for prescriptions but I am not a necessity (as such) and would not "drain" our wonderful NHS when I can sacrifice a few things to pay for my prescriptions...As and when I do need the NHS I have no qualms that I have not abused the system and ...well thats for the future....

Please dont be upset anyone..its just how I feel about this :-)

Thank you.