GP refusing to give private prescription

[overun]

My husband visited the GP today and was prescribed 2 items. He explained how he was no longer allowed to give a private prescription as it was seen as defrauding the NHS! My husband pays a ridiculous amount of tax so why should he be penalised again? Anyone else had this happen?

it took me a while to understand this as I didn't even know it happened.

however, if I have understood it correctly you are saying the private prescription is less than the NHS prescription and say "He explained how he was no longer allowed to give a private prescription as it was seen as defrauding the NHS!"

I'm surprised it's ever been allowed. And it shouldn't have been.

I say this as someone who has to have a pre pay on account of asthma.

It depends what the gp is prescribing.
Things for erectile dysfunction and malaria prophylactic tablets are written on a private script from an NHS Dr as the nhs won’t pay for them.
Bog standard tablets for blood pressure (for example) are written on an nhs script.

Ginfiend - No. I actually** was asking if anyone else had experienced this.

If it’s not a nationwide rule then I think there would be room to argue for a private prescription. I was wondering if this was happening in other parts of the UK.

So if the medication costs more than £8.40 he gives you an NHS prescription and if it's less he gives you a private prescription. I hope he's got into trouble.

My GP routinely writes me a private script. I've never asked, they just check if I pay then prescribe privately

Why should you have the right to argue for a private prescription? If everyone did that we'd have to start paying to see GPs!

You've lost me.

Is your husband not entitled to use the NHS?

He isn't asking for a private prescription for the expensive items though is he? You can't have your cake and eat it.

I have private scripts if I receive treatment in the UK but I also have a private GP appointment because I am a non-resident.

Im being really thick but what is a private prescription?

You get a private prescription if you go privately.

And an NHS if you go NHS.

The fact that there's some crossover is entirely new to me.

Sounds like someone spotted that your GP was defrauding the NHS and has put a stop to it. Good.

The quid pro quo to that fact that we only have to pay £8.40 for medication that costs £300 per dose is that we also pay £8.40 for medication that costs 10p per dose. Trying to get out of it for the cheap stuff directly impacts the whole viability of the NHS system. I get that you didn't instigate this OP but your GP shouldn't have been doing this.

When we've paid privately to see a GP we've been given a private prescription, when we've seen a GP on the NHS we've been given an NHS prescription. The idea behind NHS prescriptions is that for every prescription where the medication costs hundreds of pounds there are prescriptions where the medication costs 20p (which is what our last private scrip cost) So yes if you are seeing an NHS GP for free its not unreasonable to expect you to pay for your medication and the GP is defrauding the NHS (which is struggling in the extreme without you whinging about not paying your £8.20) if they issue you with a private one.

It seems not many of you have experienced being given a cheaper alternative (private prescription). I bet if you were offered it you’d take it!

potato it allows you to purchase the prescription medication at cost price rather than 'NHS rate'. A lot of items are very reasonable. Eg. a 7 day course of Amoxicillin is £1.68 (2015 price) rather than the NHS rate of £8.60.

over I have! I work in the business and always get a private prescription written up if I can. Perks of the job I guess.

It’s not just this GP giving out private prescriptions (well he used to) our previous GP in a different county also did this.

It seems not many of you have experienced being given a cheaper alternative (private prescription). I bet if you were offered it you’d take it!

Actually no I wouldn't, as a household we too pay a lot in tax and are comfortably off, I would far rather pay honest prescription charges to a service that I value greatly and can not see how it can continue to offer the services that it does in its current form when it is stretched to the limits.

Kunil is spot on

Your GP has been behaving appallingly by doing this.

No, I wouldn’t.

Put your hands in your pockets and pay what you should.

Er just pay the 8 quid and have a private gp in the future.

That's the way it is going anyway cos god forbid anyone contributes.

I bet if you were offered it you’d take it!

I love it when posters judge everyone by their own low standards.

The rules have changed.

It used to be gp’s could write private prescriptions. If the drug was cheaper than the prescription charge, for example, or if you wanted to buy paracetamol for a child because nursery needed it prescribed- save the nhs money.

Now gp’s can only write private prescriptions if the drug is not available on the nhs. Google it there are lots of guidelines.

Surely if your DH sees the GP every few years only, AND pays lots of tax, he can also afford the £3-£5 maximum difference in cost between a really cheap private prescription and an NHS one. How embarrassing to whine about this.

We could have a whip round for the OP. Everyone put a quid in.

OP you are a cheeky fucker. Yes I would pay. Yes I do pay.

I pay tax and am thankful I live in a country with a nationalised health service. Don't you dare imply everyone's standards are as low as yours.