Nhs Prescription Charges To Rise

[Sam_26]

We have just had notification that NHS prescription charges are to rise from 1st April 2008 from £6.85

"The increase will mean 25p on prescription charges in England, taking the charge for a single prescription item to £7.10 from 1 April 2008."

My advice to any one who pays more than 2 charges a month is to buy a 12 month pre-payment certificate, which charges are layed out below, as these will rise on 1st April 2008, but you can freeze your charges for 12 months this month.

"3 monthly Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPCs) will be available at a cost of £26.85. These replace the 4 monthly PPCs. PPCs will also be available by 10 monthly direct debit instalments of £9.87. Certificates purchased by a single payment will remain unchanged at £98.70 for one year"

[kristi]

Just move to Wales, they are free here! Maybe they will start charging again soon I dunno but I did see a notice saying something of the sort in Boots. I don't mind paying for my prescriptions but what you pay in England is too much. I wouldn't mind paying a small amount as long as the money was going towards cleaning hospitals etc.

Kristi

[saintscouple]

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[TAG]

If you have a two monthly repeat prescription then it is possible to only have to buy 2 x 3 month certificates and still have enough medication throughout the year. You just have to time it right.

[bringmeshoes]

i have to get either 5 or 6 medications a month so i have a pre-payment card. personally i think it's disgusting that wales get if free but we have to pay, we all pay n.i contributions so why shouldn't we all get it free?
i have very serious asthma and have 3 inhalers and 2 lots of tablets to control this, if i couldn't affors this i could potentially die from an asthma attack (may seem far fetched but over 2000 people a year in the uk die from asthma attacks) yet heroin addicts get methadone free...something wrong somewhere

[moneysaving pharmacist]

i have to get either 5 or 6 medications a month so i have a pre-payment card. personally i think it's disgusting that wales get if free but we have to pay, we all pay n.i contributions so why shouldn't we all get it free?
i have very serious asthma and have 3 inhalers and 2 lots of tablets to control this, if i couldn't affors this i could potentially die from an asthma attack (may seem far fetched but over 2000 people a year in the uk die from asthma attacks) yet heroin addicts get methadone free...something wrong somewhere

Health is a devloved issue - the Welsh and Scots can do pretty much whatever they want, as long as their overall budget balances. The Scots are really innovative with their pharmaceutical services and I just hope some of them get taken up in England.

Patients on methadone don't automatically get their prescriptions free - the same rules for exemptions apply as for any other prescription and I have dealt with a few patients on methadone who paid for their prescriptions.

[mr_rush]

Just move to Wales, they are free here!
That's what an extra £1000 of money per head of population gives you. Together with no tuition fees in Scotland, free eye tests etc etc...

[somewhere sunlight]

I was told in my local chemist (scotland) that the cost is going down to £5 per item and that a 3 month pre payment card is going to be £17