Pharmacy dispensing fees

polkadot

I haven't posted on the forum for advice in AGES so I really hope this is the right place for it. I'm trying to find out what I should be paying for my prescriptions? Is it £7.10 per prescription, or £7.10 per item? I am have cerebral palsy and have been diagnosed with depression. I take codiene and diclofenac for pain management and am on fluoxitine for the depression. I do get repeats, but obviously one filling provides me with 30 days worth of medication (the whole waste medication and fear of overdose thing:rotfl:), I have always payed £21.30 per prescription. DF noticed the other day for the first time and is adamant that I should only have been paying £7.10. Obviously I hope he is right because if I didnt HAVE to pay around £250 a year for my meds I'd be very happy. My doctor has tried to wean me off of the meds and it just isn't practical if I'm going to enjoy any real quality of life.

custardy

surely you should be paying the annual fee?

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Medicinespharmacyandindustry/Prescriptions/NHScosts/index.htm

NHS charges

From 1 April 2008, charges will be:

Prescription: £7.10
12-month Prepayment Certificate (PPC): £102.50
3-month PPC: £27.85

Full details are contained in:

i cant help if its per item as ive never had a prescription for more than one thing

beautifulgorgeous_2

The charge is for each different item. So two packets of paracetemol, one charge but one of paracetamol and one of ibrophen then two fees are payable. You should get a prepayment card as it would save you money.

WolfSong2000

if you're going to be on meds for the rest of your life it may be worth seeing if you're eligible for an NHS card which exempts you from paying for prescriptions at all...I'm sure there's a proper name for it, but I'll be damned if I know what it is, sorry!

I was told to get one by my GP a few years ago as I am (and will be permanently) on Levothyroxine for an underactive thyroid.

Just a thought

poppy_f1

WolfSong2000 wrote: »

if you're going to be on meds for the rest of your life it may be worth seeing if you're eligible for an NHS card which exempts you from paying for prescriptions at all...I'm sure there's a proper name for it, but I'll be damned if I know what it is, sorry!

I was told to get one by my GP a few years ago as I am (and will be permanently) on Levothyroxine for an underactive thyroid.

Just a thought

snap saves me a fortune as im also on folic acid, vit b12 tablets and antibiotics at present

polkadot

WolfSong2000 wrote: »

if you're going to be on meds for the rest of your life it may be worth seeing if you're eligible for an NHS card which exempts you from paying for prescriptions at all...I'm sure there's a proper name for it, but I'll be damned if I know what it is, sorry!

I was told to get one by my GP a few years ago as I am (and will be permanently) on Levothyroxine for an underactive thyroid.

Just a thought

Thanks. Anyone know what this is called please? I was under the impression that I had to have a benefit like DLA to do this. I'm in the process of applying for DLA-but its a LONG process.

Biggles

polkadot wrote: »

Anyone know what this is called please? I was under the impression that I had to have a benefit like DLA to do this. I'm in the process of applying for DLA-but its a LONG process.

That would be the medical exemption certificate.

DLA won't help in that respect, it's nothing to do with disability. It only applies to persons that have certain very specific medical conditions that require regular prescriptions. Take a look at the list here http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1126.aspx

mazza111

Do you work? There are certain benefits that entitle you to free prescriptions too, or you can apply on low earnings. They can advise on this at the pharmacy or at benefits office. My daughter has psoriasis, and costs a small fortune for all her lotions and potions, we have found a yearly certificate is the best way to go.

PinkPig

The medical exemption card is only available for specific conditions and your doctor would probably have told you about it - no harm in asking the pharmacist next time you get your prescription. Whatever your illness you can pay for an annual "unlimited prescriptions" card, known as a "prepayment certificate". It's currently £102.50 per year (you can also buy per quarter) and you can buy one at http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1127.aspx. This means that if you're paying more than this per year you can get one and save money.

If you're paying as you go along, then the pharmacist is correct that the charge is £7.10 per item. There's no limit on what quantity (e.g. how many tablets, etc) each item is, but each different medicine costs £7.10. This generally corresponds to the number of things listed on the sheet, but there are a few exceptions - there are a few things that are listed individually but cost 2 or 3 charges because they contain more than one drug, and if the same drug is listed in a different formulation (particularly capsules vs. tablets) this usually counts only as a single charge.

polkadot

Thank you, I'll have to go have a squizz at the links. I don't work, but my fiance does and it seems Im negated in alot of areas because he does a full week and earns about 23k a year. I realise it's not a meager salary, but with three of us and me needing so much help it's getting more and more difficult.

hjb123

I currently have a prepayment card, I pay about £10 per month and that is for however many prescriptions I need in the month