Scotland-free eye test?

bunny999

clkaz wrote: »

Just to clear some things up. Scotland has its own Parliament as I am sure many are aware, and it has been given the power by Wesminster/ British Government to control health and education in Scotland, naming two of the major ones.

This is why we get free university tuition fees, free prescriptions for EVERYONE now, free eye test every 2 years for everyone! I don't know how it is in England regarding health.

Apologies if some of this sounded condescending, just wanted to clarify things.

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Back to my question, could I get contact lenses from my opticians using my current prescription? Would the consultation cost money if I was to use the trial?

There isn't a lot that isn't "free" in Scotland - "free" as in paid for by the English tax payer.

Torry_Quine

CountryGuy wrote: »

Then how come England doesn't get them free as we are under the British Government too?

Different priorities have been decided for England such as drop in clinics which we don't have in Scotland.

CountryGuy

Thanks everyone for the explanations.

Very much appreciated.

CountryGuy

bunny999 wrote: »

There isn't a lot that isn't "free" in Scotland - "free" as in paid for by the English tax payer.

Now I'm even more confused

So the English tax payers are also paying into Scotland and Wales?

Surely if they have their own Parliaments and the Welsh Assembly then the English taxpayers shouldn't be paying in to them?

bunny999

CountryGuy wrote: »

Now I'm even more confused

So the English tax payers are also paying into Scotland and Wales?

Surely if they have their own Parliaments and the Welsh Assembly then the English taxpayers shouldn't be paying in to them?

Couldn't agree more. Unfortunately they only have the power to spend taxes not to collect them.

Torry_Quine

CountryGuy wrote: »

Now I'm even more confused

So the English tax payers are also paying into Scotland and Wales?

Surely if they have their own Parliaments and the Welsh Assembly then the English taxpayers shouldn't be paying in to them?

We all from England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland pay the same taxes into one central pot ie Westminster. Each country then is given money from that and it is up to each country how they spend it. that is why some things are different in each country.

CountryGuy

Torry_Quine wrote: »

We all from England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland pay the same taxes into one central pot ie Westminster. Each country then is given money from that and it is up to each country how they spend it. that is why some things are different in each country.

Ah! Thank you. So does anyone know what cutbacks Wales and Scotland have made to compensate for the free prescriptions, eye tests etc.

Torry_Quine

CountryGuy wrote: »

Ah! Thank you. So does anyone know what cutbacks Wales and Scotland have made to compensate for the free prescriptions, eye tests etc.

It's a matter of different priorities. I don't know a lot about the system in England as compared to Scotland but I do know that drug availability can be different. We don't have the choice of which hospital or the maximum waiting times but there are bound to be other differences.

clemmatis

CountryGuy wrote: »

Ah! Thank you. So does anyone know what cutbacks Wales and Scotland have made to compensate for the free prescriptions, eye tests etc.

Wales has very long waiting times compared with England, though not as truly appallingly long as they were (in my part of Wales, there was a wait of years to see an orthopaedic surgeon and months for investigation of a breast lump; for example). This isn't only though because of free prescriptions (most people in Wales, which is poor and has many long-term ill people, got free prescriptions before, under the England/Wales rules). The eye test rules are the same as in England. In Wales, the "etc." then is:

longer wait times

slower ambulance response times

lesser access to certain treatments (e.g. IVF)

poorer funding for the HS

I hope this helps...

CountryGuy

What part of Wales are you from clemmatis? North or South?

We have booked a caravan in South Wales for a week (New Quay)

It is supposed to be part of my therapy to encourage me to get out and about and start socialising again. Shame the cost isn't covered under the NHS though lol.

I am actually looking forward to it as I know Wales is a beautiful country and I can't wait to see some of the scenic views.