Bloomin doctors

Bennifred

But there are many, many life-threatening conditions which don't entitle you to free prescriptions....where's the fairness in that?

I agree with the poster who said that the free prescriptions for specific conditions should only cover the specific condition, not every sniffle. Some people just take advantage.....

Errata

somethingsgottogive wrote: »

I think entitlement to free prescriptions for an ongoing, life threatening illness is fair enough, but it's really taking the p*** using your free prescriptions for things like painkillers/cough medicines/throat sprays. It also annoys me when certain people who NEED medicines continuously, (say 2 different inhalers for asthma, for example) make literally a FEW pounds more than the cut off point and have to pay nearly £15 every couple of weeks, when others can get aforementioned unnecessary items for free...

The alternative to paying £15 every couple of weeks is to buy an annual certificate which costs out at £2 a week.

calleyw

gab1 wrote: »

My mother has 'thyroid problems' and without her medicine she would soon be dead, that is why patients with 'thyroid problems' get free prescriptions because their condition is life threatening

My husband would be dead with out his medication too. It would be a slow and very painful death. The condition has tried to kill him once and caused a bleed on the brain or a stroke leaving him disabled.

But he does not get free prescriptions. He has a pre-paid certificate.

If is he is very lucky he might be in remission and off the drugs in couple of years. But he will always have the condition and be under a hospital for the rest of his life. With the real possibility of flare ups at any time. Which if not caught in time could end with him dying.

I think it is very unfair when his only income is benefits that he is expected to pay for drugs to keep him alive. At one time he was on 7 different tablets a day. I bet your mother does not have to wait up to two weeks to get the life saving drugs dispensed fully as he local chemists have problems sourcing them everytime.:eek: Good job he always get new supplies when he still has a month supply left.

But saying that he is very special person due to the rarity of his condition. All the consultants love him:rotfl:

So to me you argument is moot as there are plenty of other conditions that are life threatening. And they don't get free prescriptions.

I do also agree that anything that is available OTC should not be allowed to be prescribed unless there is reason such as being used in pain relief and you need to take OTC medicines everyday at high doses.

Yours

Calley

kathy206

OP I think your wife was well out of order TBH , even if she was feeling like crap- a polite- "is there nothing I can get on prescription, please?, "or even, "is there nothing a little cheaper as £10 is a bit pricey" would probably have elicited a more positive response from your GP.
Why can't people look after themselves any more? Why, at the first sign of a sniffle do some people think it's necessary to infect the whole waiting room coughing and snuffling to be told "its a virus" then rant that the GP had the audacity to insist they actually PAY for an OTC treatment? It drives me mad that people are willing to fleece an already beleaguered NHS for paracetamol- (Cost 20p) calpol(own brand just as good and just over a quid in the supermarket) and other cheap otc meds just because they "don't pay for prescriptions".:mad:

pmduk

My Doctor couldn't understand why I didn't need my annual antihistamine prescription this year. I bought them online after finding cheap sources here. I get free prescriptions, and I suspect it would have cost the NHS a great deal more than I paid for them.

Michtaylor09

gab1 wrote: »

My mother has 'thyroid problems' and without her medicine she would soon be dead, that is why patients with 'thyroid problems' get free prescriptions because their condition is life threatening

Same here. Without my Thyroxine, I wouldn't be alive today, It's not as though I could alter my diet to make my thyroid work again.

I have a friend though who has asthma and has to buy a prepayment certificate, Not on imo.

I think the OP was out of order though. Bad enough going to the doctors when you've only got a virus, but to demand a prescription for throat spray is ridiculous.

Emmylou_2

I work part-time due to disability, and am fortunate enough to be eligible for some DLA and some tax credits (they make me be able to afford to work part time rather than full tme). Because of the tax credits, I get free prescriptions.

I went to the GP this morning, for a routine-ish check of my meds (I take four different tablets a day) and a general "how you doing". I'm very lucky in that my GP runs "open surgery" every morning - if you turn up between 9 and 10.30, you're guaranteed to be seen before Dr F has his lunch. I got there just past 9, and took my place in the queue (equipped with newspaper) and got comfy in the waiting room. And thanked Dr F profusely when, at 11.10, I left clutching my prescription for the next six weeks.

I went to Boots and cashed in my script. And purchased (OTC) some diarrhoea (can't spell that) relief stuff/rehydration sachets, cos the bathroom cabinet was a bit low. And then to Tesco and bought ibuprofen and paracetamol (painkillers are cheaper in tesco than boots, but I prefer the taste of boots' rehydration stuff :rotfl:).

At NO POINT has it ever occurred to me to ask the doctor to prescribe me ibuprofen, or throat sprays (I suffer recurrent sore throats due to a "compromised" immune system and find them a godsend), or anything else that you just have in the bathroom cabinet. Because I'm grateful for what the NHS does give me...and realise that it's stretched almost to breaking point and that I wouldn't last a minute in an "American" system...

foreign_correspondent

the free prescriptions cover type 1 and 2 diabetes, thyroid conditions, and some other specific illnesses... they do not cover, however, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, MS and many other debilitating and potentially life threatening conditions.

I knew a young woman aged 17 who had awful juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which had rendered her unable to walk at some stages of illness, she was in almost constant pain, had limited mobility and she had had to have a replacement hip in her teens - when I asked her what she was getting for their 18th birthday she told me she had asked her mum and dad to buy her a prepayment ticket for her prescriptions because she was concerned that she wouldn't be able to afford them otherwise... the free prescription system does not seem to be fair or equitable, and I think if people are all in their lucky enough that their condition and titles than to free prescriptions that they should not abuse the system and try to get prescriptions for completely unrelated conditions.

FATBALLZ

Can a mod change the thread title to 'whining old bat takes NHS funding from people who actually need it' please.

It's a more appropriate rant.

Yama_2

Chester85 wrote: »

Your wife clearly had the flu or a short term bug

You've utterly wasted a doctors time, cost the taxpayer in prescripton fees

GP's are generally overworked, relatively well paid but not in terms of their workload and have to deal with demanding morons like you

If I'd been the Doctor I'd have told you to go home, drink fluids and rest.

Pathetic

As for prescriptions being free for 'thyroid problems' when much more demanding lifestyle prescriptions (such as those with coeliac disease, a gluten intolerance) having to pay is equally disturbing.

Praise, Vent, Warning?

More like...get a life you ingrate

I know that you've already had a bashing but flu symptoms such as sore throat, temperature etc are side effects of some thyroid medications and indicate low white blood cell count thus requiring immediate hospitalization (best see a doctor then?). Prescriptions aren't free for all thyroid sufferers - I have to pay for mine.