Please would you sign this petition?

[Moggsy]

Please would you be so kind as to sign a government petition to allow people who suffer with ulcerative colitis to have free prescriptions?

More details from petition creator
Ulcerative colitis is lifelong chronic illness that requires lifelong medication, usually consisting of two or more ongoing prescriptions/medications. Cessation or reduction of such medication will in most cases lead to hospital admission and the requirement for surgery. There is no action that colitis sufferers can take to stop the illness and there is no discernable link between lifestyle and the disease. We would therefore suggest that it is only fair and proper that those diagnosed with colitis should receive free prescriptions for medications associated with their illness.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/IBDPrescriptions/


Thanks in advance!

[frivolous_fay]

Sorry to hijack, but here's another petition regarding prescription charges for a life-long, debilitating illness:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Asthma/

[Toothsmith]

Can we all not just be thankful that we have a National Health Service that actually treats these diseases without having to charge the patient directly.

People on low incomes don't have to pay pay prescription charges anyway, and for those that do, prepay certificates keep the cost of the medicines more than reasonable.

Look guys, we have an NHS service that CAN'T give away absolutely everything to this group or that.

It's not a perfect system, but it's pretty good.

'Demanding' extra from it just isn't an option. Who's treatment do you suggest we cut in order to pay for free prescriptions for those that probably could afford it?

[frivolous_fay]

I see your point Toothsmith, but the reason a lot of prescriptions aren't free is because the treatments hadn't been developed when they sat there going through the list deciding what would be free, and what wouldn't. That's why diabetics and thyroid patients get free drugs, and asthmatics and other life-threatening conditions have to pay.

Essentially, the 'list' is extremely out of date. I heard a year or so ago that it was due to be reviewed, but I'm not holding my breath.

Wish I had a link :(

[frivolous_fay]

Maybe we should all move to Wales :)

[Toothsmith]

I see your point Toothsmith, but the reason a lot of prescriptions aren't free is because the treatments hadn't been developed when they sat there going through the list deciding what would be free, and what wouldn't. That's why diabetics and thyroid patients get free drugs, and asthmatics and other life-threatening conditions have to pay.

Essentially, the 'list' is extremely out of date. I heard a year or so ago that it was due to be reviewed, but I'm not holding my breath.

Wish I had a link :(


Good point.

Maybe it should be more a case of evening things up by removing this status from those diseases, rather than adding others to the list?

[Toothsmith]

Maybe we should all move to Wales :)


I'd rather pay! :D

[cattie]

One of the main reasons why people suffering with diabetes & hypothryroidism get free prescriptions is that without the necessary daily medication they would fall into a coma & die. I just thought it worth pointing this out.

[Terrylw1]

The main reason why people suffering with diabetes or hypothyroidism get free prescriptions is that without the necessary daily medication, they will fall into a coma & die. I just thought it worth pointing this out.


Thats very true, good point. However, asthmatics can suffer the same dire outcome without medication as a diabetic can.

Personally, as an asthmatic (luckily not a seriously afflicted one) I don't mind paying since we can't get everything free and the NHS is suffering coping with what it has got on. It would be nice though.

What would be better would be to spend less money on endless meetings like in the private sector of any business...cut down on those endless lunches too.

Signed both.

[frivolous_fay]

The main reason why people suffering with diabetes or hypothyroidism get free prescriptions is that without the necessary daily medication, they will fall into a coma & die. I just thought it worth pointing this out.

Yes, and an asthmatic can suffocate. (and die)

Nearly happened to my O/H. He was a student and didn't know he could get free prescriptions, so he'd cut down to one inhaler (not the one that prevents it) Result: rushed to hospital when he went blue, racing heart for several days, a prolonged stay in hospital.

[Terrylw1]

Sorry to hear that Fay.

I'm pretty lucky as my asthma is not bad at all. I have had a few asthma attacks though and I now how frightening it is. People tell you to calm down and breath deeply. Well, thats not very easy when your lungs can't expell air!

I cut down on my preventatives. I've found that if you keep fit, you just don't need them anywhere near as much. However, it really depends on the extent of your asthma and if you get ill in anyway, you need to go back on them or suffer the consequences.

I've forwarded on the petition to friends who have asthma.

[Spirit]

Buying an annual prepayment card for prescriptions is 90 pounds.

The prescription drugs I collect each month would otherwise cost over 40 pounds each time. This is my best MSE purchase all year .

[Moggsy]

The main reason why people suffering with diabetes or hypothyroidism get free prescriptions is that without the necessary daily medication, they will fall into a coma & die. I just thought it worth pointing this out.

The trouble is many people are not fully aware how serious ulcerative colitis is!!! Patients will die from this condition without various medications, steroids and many hospital stays for re-hydration and intravenous anti-biotics and cortisone!!!

Patients with UC often suffer with tachycardia, low potassium, aenemia from the loss of blood and other serious blood cell irregularities!!!

Many of these patients are hospitalised on a regular basis and end up having emergency or elective surgery to have their colons removed!!!

I didn't ask for a debate on the subject, you can sign or not sign, it is as simple as that!!!

[Toothsmith]

I didn't ask for a debate on the subject, you can sign or not sign, it is as simple as that!!!


You can't really put up a petition to be signed and not expect some discussion on the merits demerits of the request.

I flagged one up about scrapping the New NHS Dental Contract, and got pages of discussion!

Yes, Ulcerative Colitis is a very nasty condition. It is one of many very nasty things that can go wrong with the human body.

Every single one of them gets their thousands of pounds worth of treatment free at the point of use from the NHS, but due to some quirk from the early days of the system, one or two things get free prescriptions as well.

I think the cost of an annual prepay certificate reasonable, for those that have to pay prescription charges anyway, and that maybe the 'free' status of the diseases that do qualify should be looked at again, rather than extending it anymore.

[fastfox]

Hi,

Saying that treatment is free at the point use is not exactly true. Life saving medication is treatment - seeing a consultant or GP is just diagnosis - they don't actually treat the disease.

Put another way how would you feel if you went to casualty and they said you had a broken leg. They then gave you a piece of paper and told you to take it somewhere and pay £100 to get your leg put in plaster.

We also don't charge people for flu vaccinations - so how does that work. Surely they should pay their 7 pounds. When you get a tetanus injection you don't have to pay seven pounds.

The choice people are then left with is pay £100 up front for a pre-payment or pay about £28 per months for prescription charges. Another anomaly - why do you have to pay 4 times as much because your treatment comes in 4 boxes ?

It also makes no economical sense. If someone decides that they would rather pay their rent or mortgage than pay £100 for their prescription pre-payment and end up in hospital then a 10 night stay costs the NHS about £3,000. Surgery cost about £8,000 to £15,000.

For those who are not aware - ulcerative colitis is a life threatening disease with no cure. Many people die each year from both the disease and the side effects of the medications.

If your looking for other places to cut - then how about the following -

1) Free condoms through family planning clinics - hardly vital
2) Abortions (except in exceptional cases such as rape and abuse). Why should the NHS fund a thousand pound procedure because someone could be bothered to use a condom or the pill.

Regards

~Andy Garside

[louise_1981]

Buying an annual prepayment card for prescriptions is 90 pounds.

The prescription drugs I collect each month would otherwise cost over 40 pounds each time. This is my best MSE purchase all year .

I have to agree! I save money after 2 prescriptions, although It would be nice to spend that 90 on something else,

[louise_1981]

fast fox - I have to disagree with the abolishon of condoms.

very few people over the age of 24 use family planning, hence they buy them themselves, and the under 24s are the ones most likely to not buy then due to the embarrassment factor.

on top of that the under 24s are the most likely to have unwanted pregnancies and the nasty diseases (I cant spell any, but was all know which ones) Surely we need to be educating our young people how to use condoms therefore preventing unwanted pregancy and other disease which cost the NHS lots of money.

Plus, it is the only way of preventing HIV/AID which brings another ball game e.g. no cure, not to mention that it costs the NHS to keep the person alive in the cocktail of drug.

on to of that, the condom is the only male form of contraception, therefore, it would be sex discrimination.

Sorry I have totally come of the topic.

but the thing is if you are on a low income ( I was only on the boarder line, so have to pay) then things are free, if not then you have to pay a nominal charge. the medication is often much more that this, so if you can find it cheaper then, do so

[fastfox]

Hi,

I have put more information about the petition at

http://www.ulcerativecolitis.org.uk/colitis_petition.htm

I hope this explains why we think it is a fair request.

~Andy

[Taffyscot]

There but for the grace go I. Anything that I can do to help another human being who is suffering to lessen their suffering I will. Signed and good luck to you. Will sign for hubby too cos I sure am glad that he gets free perscriptions for his parkinson's or we would be in the poor house for sure. Taffy

[melancholly]

i'd love to have free eye tests - i can get a diagnosis on the rest of my body for free and not my eyes. it's not life threatening, but without my glasses i would walk into walls and couldn't function! i'm not trying to belittle the petition - and i think it would be a wonderful result to get UC prescriptions free. i guess i'm trying to say that we all only notice the times when we personally or someone we know personally feels like they are losing out in the system. i think a review of the entire prescription exemption system would be a better approach (and yes, i know that this is a long shot!)

been playing on google looking into how the system works, and it looks like a private members bill was introduced to have prescription exemption for cystic fibrosis this year. thought it might be useful for those of you campaining for other conditions, as getting an MP's support might be a second line of attack on top of a petition. here's the link anyway:
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/pabills/200607/cystic_fibrosis_exemption.htm

[filigree]

Breast Cancer Care have a campaign (http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk//content.php?page_id=10931) to abolish prescription charges for cancer patients and anyone else with a chronic condition.

What bothers me is the inconsistency. There seems to be an arbitrary list of groups who get free prescriptions, while others with equally serious health problems get nothing. The really daft thing is that once you qualify for free prescriptions, you get everything free, even if it doesn't relate to your serious illness! For instance, my ex-husband gets free prescriptions for his underactive thyroid - fair enough. However, if he ever needs cream for his athlete's foot or mouth ulcers he gets all that free as well. In contrast, I don't qualify for free prescriptions so I have to pay for cancer drugs, pain relief etc. I know I sound biased but I can't understand the logic in giving one person free lotion for a minor skin complaint, while making someone else pay for life-saving treatment. Perhaps it would make more sense if the "free" prescriptions were limited to those directly related to the main illness, and expect patients to pay for treatment for minor conditions.

And while I'm on a rant - so many drugs now are available without prescription. This is supposedly a good thing, now you don't have to wait days to see a doctor and often the prices are lower than prescription fees. However, if you get free scrips or have a prepay cert like me, then it costs EXTRA to buy this stuff over the counter. There is a hidden expense in having a chronic illness - sometimes we need little extra things to ease our condition but we have to pay market prices for them. Some doctors are actually very good at recognising that money is a problem and they'll write prescriptions, but nowadays they are prohibited from prescribing certain drugs and you have no option but to pay. Other doctors don't seem to care about the expense to the patient - I had one GP who was horrible and I had to practically beg for prescriptions because we had no money to pay shop prices for medication.

Rightio, I'll get off me soapbox now :p

[verynewmoneysaver]

My 18 year old son was daignosed with Crohns disease this year and has received a tremendous amount of medication. This condition is similar to ulcerative colitis. Thank God we live in Wales. I have signed the petition.

[nikib]

I have signed it too, its a worthy cause

[ethansmum]

My Dad was diagnosed with UC after 3 months of hell, lossing over half his body weight and almost dying. He had a colosotomy when he was well enough to survive the surgery. It took well over 6 months in hospital and a further 6 months or rest before he was 'back to normal'.

I've happily signed your petition!

[moneysaving pharmacist]

I think you would be better off asking for a review of the whole prescription charge arrangements than just looking at one condition. Adding UC or cancer to the current list of exemptions only perpetuates the current situation where there is really no rhyme nor reason for why people get medical exemptions.

Personally I would favour a system where everyone pays a small fee for each item, with a cap on the total fees paid per year - something like £1 per item upto £50 per year. This would at least make people think when ordering repeat prescriptions - the amount of stock returned by patients which has not even been touched makes my blood boil at times.

[catlover1]

Sorry won't be signing as I thonk £90 is excellent vaalue for all your prescriptions and a substantial subsidy already ... the NHS is stetched as it is and I would go the otherway and abolish free prescriptions for things like diabeties ...

xx

[mr_rush]

every patient group has their own agenda. unfortunately with finite resources and free at point of access service, the NHS can't make everyone happy all the time.