abolished prescription charges?

warmhands.coldheart

culchied wrote: »

Sorry but I think the idea of abolishing prescription charges is just naff and pure politicking on the part of our local MLAs and Minister. The health service is strapped for cash so, what do we do? Yes, that's right, reduce the amount of money going into the health service even further. Still, it wins votes I suppose.

I think considering the small percentage of people who actually do pay for prescriptions, it probably cost more to administer the charges than actully get paid..

As regards to winning Votes.... Who wins them??? OK maybe it was "Administered" by a UUP Health Minister but it would have had cross party agreement so I find it hard to see who would gain politically!

niceday999

I am certainly glad to see an end to prescription charges
I didnt realize there were so few people who paid for their prescriptions. As someone who works and always have i have always paid for mine....
Is it only people on benefits who get theirs free ? Surely everyone cant be on benefits ?

NAR

What if you have a prescription dated 30th March; will it be filled for free today?

fin54

AS for the idea of abolishing prescription charges is just naff, I am sorry but I have to disagree with you about this one. As a person who has worked most of my life and still working it makes me very angry that I pay national insurance every week and if I need medication I then pay for it, when people who don’t work pay nothing and get everything free including drink money if they are alcoholics.
It’s about time the working person got something back for their taxes and national insurance

wishicouldmakeitbetter

Just curious - what percentage of people did pay for prescriptions? What percentage of working age? A lot of people talking about "many" people get free prescriptions and "nobody pays for prescriptions anyway". Anybody got actual figures for this please? I too am quite happy to have paid for them but OH has asthma and needs regular scripts so am glad that he now gets them free. I think it is costing NHS £13m to do this!
Thanks G

tara747

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought that the most anyone used to pay was the cost of an annual certificate - can't remember exactly how much but it was about £100.

I am happy to be getting free prescriptions from today, of course, but tbh I'm sure that the £13m could have been better spent elsewhere in the health service.

Of course, abolishing prescription charges is a great financial decision compared to giving away millions of £££s of taxpayers' hard earned cash to those who couldn't be bothered to take out contents insurance and then got flooded (grr). No, of course I don't mind buying you new stuff you tight git!!! :mad:

fin54

I could think of better ways for the health service to save money (and I have worked for them for the last 23yrs) Get rid of managers who do dam all other than look good doing nothing. Stop spending money on fancy furniture and paintings for manager’s offices. Bring back matrons and then maybe we will have a health service to be proud of, where hospitals and old people’s homes will go back to being clean and a healthy place to be in rather than when you go into hospitals and come out with infections like MRSA

NAR

Couldn't agree more. :T

Torry_Quine

caz2703 wrote: »

I agree with your comments but when Scotland abolished charges I think the local government had no choice. Then again, with an election coming up what better way to get people to vote in your favour than to have some sort of event that happens close to the time. It's almost like the Presbyterian Mutual resolution - I don't believe in coincidences and MPs aren't a generous bunch so by default I look at something that benefits me and wonder how they're going to shaft me in return.

Charges in Scotland have been reduced to £3 and will be abolished next year.

jenheiffer

caz2703 wrote: »

I'd love to know how so many got them for free then. Being a tax payer I've had to pay all my life up until I got pregnant and no-one I know doesn't pay for them including my mum who, because she doesn't work but doesn't claim job seekers, gets hit with tax and charges such as prescriptions.

Let me explain.

Everyone of pensionable age got free prescriptions, and as the older you get the mpore likely you are to need medications, it follows that the majority of items were being dispensed free.

Also everyone of any age who has diabetes has always also been allowed free prescriptions and these people require quite a few regular items.

The initial proposal was to give all cancer patients free prescriptions as a lot of people in their 50's are diagnosed with this, but it was extended to everyone to ensure fairness to people with other chronic conditions.