Can someone explain my prescription charge please?

[Clumsymum]

After visiting the Dr this morning, she has given me a prescription for a treatment.

She wants me to have 2 packs of the treatment, one for this week, then again next week.

So she filled out the prescription, "2 X packs of gungy stuff, 200mg".

At the bottom of the prescription it says "1 item on this prescription" (printed by the computer).
Dr said that although I can buy the treatment over the counter, because I needed 2 packs, it would be cheaper to have the prescription for 2 packs.

However, the pharmacist has charged me 2 prescription charges £14.40 .

Now, it turns out that is still cheaper than buying it off-prescription (£11 per pack anyway). But the Dr and I both assumed I would only have to pay for one prescription.

I think it's because she has put it as 2 items. If she had put "gungy stuff 400mg " it would have been 1 item and therefore 1 charge. Do think your pharmacy is being unresonable though

Very unfair. Your gp clearly intended you to only incour the one charge. My docs give me 3 months supply of tabs per prescription so saving me a fortune.

This was Tesco pharmacy, the money grabbing so-and-so's

incur

I usually get 2 packs of meds for one charge if it is a months supply (or less). If you require 2 packs of gung a month (and this gungy stuff is a single medication) then it doesn't seem right to me. The exception for me was hormone pills with 2 medications in calender packs. These seem to get a double charge because they are counted as 2 medications. I think before calender packs were made you had to have 2 lots and pay for 2 lots. Well that is how I think it works!

Tesco pharmacy will not keep the prescription charge - all prescription charges go to the government. Pharmacies are essentially just an agent supplying you with the medicine.