Repeat prescription

calleyw

jmt wrote: »

I really dislike my doctors and they take advantge of their dispensing status as I have found out to my cost in the past - I have suffered from a lack of iron and my doctors prescribed Pregaday. I paid £6 per month for nearly a year before someone told me that you could buy this over the counter for less than £1 for 28 day supply, so this time I want to know what my rights are.

When ever something is cheaper than a prescription I have always been told by the pharmacist it is so. And most people I know have had the same experience even down to telling us about pre paid certificate as well.

So it was not just the dr that did not advise you properly neither did the pharmacist.

Yours

Calley

LameWolf

somebody_else wrote: »

Thank you elsien. Your post prompted me to check the website for my practice and it looks like they've just started a new on-line service for repeat prescriptions.

Our GP has an answering machine that takes orders for repeat meds, (no good to me as I can't use the phone), but luckily they accept requests by email now, as well.

One of my meds is on a one month repeat (controlled drug), another two are on two month (I think), and another two on three month. Mr LW's are on a two-month, and the others he was advised by the GP to buy OTC as they are cheaper that way (99p as opposed to £7.10). It gets confusing to say the least!

somebody_else

LameWolf wrote: »

Our GP has an answering machine that takes orders for repeat meds, (no good to me as I can't use the phone), but luckily they accept requests by email now, as well.

Unfortunately, I am registered with one of the largest GP Practices in Europe and they had to stop taking repeat requests over the phone several years ago, as it was just taking up too much time.

I'm not sure when the on-line ordering started, but it looks fairly recent. It'll certainly save me having to traipse down to the surgery every month. I'm in a similar position to you, in that I'm on various meds but they tend to be prescribed for different periods of time and the least I can get away with is once a month.

Biggles

jmt wrote: »

I paid £6 per month for nearly a year before someone told me that you could buy this over the counter for less than £1 for 28 day supply, so this time I want to know what my rights are.

Pregaday's an over-the-counter medicine, which you don't need any prescription for. Though your dispensary (or any pharmacist you took it to) could have advised you that you could buy them cheaper, there wouldn't have been any requirement on them to do so. But it would, obviously, have been nice of them.

TOBRUK

I know it can be hard trying to keep check on your meds when some are monthly and then some are 56ays etc. When I need a repeat I only have to phone the chemist for repeats - they take them to the surgery. In two days they are ready to pick up, but I am lucky because they deliver them if I want for free.;)

jmt

Biggles wrote: »

Pregaday's an over-the-counter medicine, which you don't need any prescription for. Though your dispensary (or any pharmacist you took it to) could have advised you that you could buy them cheaper, there wouldn't have been any requirement on them to do so. But it would, obviously, have been nice of them.

In 20 years I have never had a paper prescription as I live in a rural area and my doctor dispenses, this is why I dislike them - they obviuosly knew that I did not need a prescription, but took my money each and every month for nearly 12 months.

jmt

Biggles wrote: »

I think they may well be right that, if you are going to buy privately, you should be given a private prescription.

But, if you have regular medication, have you looked at Prepayment Certificates (£27.85 for three months, £102.50 for 12 months)? Then any additional prescriptions would be completely free.

The on-line chemist I was looking at using is called assetchemist.co.uk and they require a NHS prescription before they will send the medication, so I cannot understand why the doctor is saying I need a private prescription.

Biggles

jmt wrote: »

The on-line chemist I was looking at using is called assetchemist.co.uk and they require a NHS prescription before they will send the medication, so I cannot understand why the doctor is saying I need a private prescription.

Can't you? I can ;-)

If he dispenses it, he makes a few bob. If he's not going to dispense it, I would think he's within his rights to charge for a private prescription if he knows it is for a commercial (non-NHS) transaction. However, many docs will write a private script foc.