Why do I have to pay my GP £13 just to write me a prescription?

viru.doshi

Hi,

I need to get some anti-malaria tablets and to do so I need a prescription from my GP.

Paying for the actual tablets I can live with but why and on what grounds can my GP ask me to pay £13 just to put pen to paper to write the prescription?

First I thought all doctor's did this, but my friend said his didn't charge him so I'm questioning this now?

I'm 22, I've just graduated from university this month if that's any help.

Greatful for any help,
Viru

hardpressed

Anti-malaria tablets are not available on the NHS, your doctor has to write you a private prescription. Isn't it better to pay, than chance getting Malaria? The cost of the tablets is only a small proportion of the cost of you holiday.

viru.doshi

Sorry I think you misunderstood what I said. Forget about the cost of the tablets, I know I have to pay for them.

What I am questionning is why do I have to pay for the prescription being written in the first place?

They are asking me to pay £13 to them just to write me a prescription, I can't understand why.

Ted_Hutchinson

viru.doshi wrote:

They are asking me to pay £13 to them just to write me a prescription, I can't understand why.

The doctor has to be paid for his time and in the same way banks have minimum charges for going overdrawn your GP has a minimum charge for writing prescriptions. He won't get any kick back from the chemist supplying the tablets or the drug company who makes the tablets so his only recompense for the time he spends deciding what is the most appropriate medication for you is this minimum charge.

If you want a prescription for Flee treatments for your cat you will have to get a prescription from your vet and they will demand to see the cat first and the minimum charge for seeing the cat and writing the prescription may well be more than the £13 your doctor is asking for servicing your needs.

angeleyes

You can get them without a prescription from the chemist over the counter me and oh when to dom rep last aug and thats all we did and oh needed special ones cos gets ezema

viru.doshi

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

The doctor has to be paid for his time and in the same way banks have minimum charges for going overdrawn your GP has a minimum charge for writing prescriptions.

Well that to me seems totally wrong. I had my jab's this morning and he didn't advise me which would be the best to take, he said ask the pharmacist!! And he went on to say if I want a prescription I could just ask the receptionist to write me one when I know what I want, so I won't even be using his time :mad:

viru.doshi

angeleyes wrote:

You can get them without a prescription from the chemist over the counter me and oh when to dom rep last aug and thats all we did and oh needed special ones cos gets ezema

Thanks, but the tablets needed for thailand are perscription only medication, i.e Malarone or Dyoxcycline.

Ted_Hutchinson

viru.doshi wrote:

Well that to me seems totally wrong. I had my jab's this morning and he didn't advise me which would be the best to take, he said ask the pharmacist!! And he went on to say if I want a prescription I could just ask the receptionist to write me one when I know what I want, so I won't even be using his time :mad:

Well the vet doesn't really need to see the cat to identify the fact it has fleas but that doesn't stop him charging. Case of when they've got you by the short and curlies they can ask what they like.

There do appear to be some ant-malarial's that can be obtained without a prescription see list here

viru.doshi

Thanks for the link Ted, already been on that site Unfortunately the over the counter tablets are the ones which are for low risk areas or areas where the malaria isn't resistent to Chloroquine, Thailand has multi-resistant mozzies so it's gotta be one of the prescribed tablets.

I guess I'll have to give in and pay the £13.

Thank you all for your replies.

Sugar_Coated_Owl

I found this which may be of interest and explain why you are having to pay.

Under the NHS regulations, a GP or his deputy can write a private prescription for a patient but cannot charge the patient for writing a private prescription if the patient is registered for NHS care with that GP or any other GP in the same practice.

The only exceptions to this rule are when an NHS GP writes either a private prescription for drugs that are requested by the patient “just in case” of the onset of illness while outside the UK, or else when a private prescription is required for the prevention (chemoprophylaxis) of malaria.

in_my_wellies

If he writes the script as part of a normal consultation this would be NHS time so how could he charge for that?