Surprise charge from hospital after trip to A&E

bcl999

Another thread where it's all kicking off and the original query gets lost in the fray.

I am middle-aged, lived in the country all my life and I didn't know that hospitals now charge for prescriptions!

To the OP, have a look here to see if you can get exemption or refund http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Prescriptioncosts.aspx If you're not in England rules could be different. Also, hospitals usd to have "almoners" departments, where you could get advice about things like this.

Maydot

LisaB85 wrote: »

As a 'qualified' nurse she should know Wales, Scotland and NI were free, maybe she is a qualified nursery nurse.

Sorry but couldn't let this go without a comment. I am a qualified Nursery Nurse (N.N.E.B) and have worked within the NHS as part of a Health Visiting Team (all qualified Nurses) for the last 14 years. I don't consider myself any less intelligent than them, I just chose a different career path. I do know that prescriptions are free in other parts of the UK so I'm not sure what your point is. Surely this is just general knowledge and nothing to do with a persons qualification.

Back on topic though, I was quite shocked at Milliemonsters response to you. She should understand that any visit to an A&E Dept. can be a bewildering and stressful experience for the majority of people and with so many signs and posters displayed it is understandable that you would have missed the one relating to drug charges. I have to hold my hand up and admit I did not know that medication handed to you by a department doctor would incur a prescription charge (maybe its because I'm a Nursery Nurse ) but that's information I will now take "on board".

I'm sorry about your accident and I feel it would have only taken a second of the Doctor or Nurses time to explain the charge to you. Could I suggest that you write to the hospital and make the confusion over charges clear to them - I know it won't help you but it may help future patients. Unfortunately I can't guarantee it it will be acted upon but all complaints are registered and you should at least get a response. Hope you are fully recovered now

I apologise in advance if I have taken your remark the wrong way, I just read it as being a little derogatory, but its possible I'm being overeactive, probably the stress of working within a shockingly understaffed NHS team!

custardy

bcl999 wrote: »

Another thread where it's all kicking off and the original query gets lost in the fray.

I am middle-aged, lived in the country all my life and I didn't know that hospitals now charge for prescriptions!

To the OP, have a look here to see if you can get exemption or refund http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Prescriptioncosts.aspx If you're not in England rules could be different. Also, hospitals usd to have "almoners" departments, where you could get advice about things like this.

well this is the thing
I havent had much dealing with hospitals (thankfully)
I once went to the dental hospital
they couldnt deal with the tooth as i was going to need a general
they did give me medication and apologised they had to charge me
IIRC it was under 30p at the time (10 years+)
I was in A&E in December,got asked if i wanted pain meds(it had been 8+ hours)
I said yes
In Scotland we don't have prescription charges but I would have assumed no charge regardless,given it was issued in that way.

KxMx

I think there is some consfusion here. Any drugs/pain relief that are injected or swallowed while you are at A&E are not charged for.
If you are handed anything to take home (assuming you have not been admitted, the rules again are different) then the charges kick in.

In England only since everywhere else it's free.

LisaB85

Maydot wrote: »

Sorry but couldn't let this go without a comment. I am a qualified Nursery Nurse (N.N.E.B) and have worked within the NHS as part of a Health Visiting Team (all qualified Nurses) for the last 14 years. I don't consider myself any less intelligent than them, I just chose a different career path. I do know that prescriptions are free in other parts of the UK so I'm not sure what your point is. Surely this is just general knowledge and nothing to do with a persons qualification.

Back on topic though, I was quite shocked at Milliemonsters response to you. She should understand that any visit to an A&E Dept. can be a bewildering and stressful experience for the majority of people and with so many signs and posters displayed it is understandable that you would have missed the one relating to drug charges. I have to hold my hand up and admit I did not know that medication handed to you by a department doctor would incur a prescription charge (maybe its because I'm a Nursery Nurse ) but that's information I will now take "on board".

I'm sorry about your accident and I feel it would have only taken a second of the Doctor or Nurses time to explain the charge to you. Could I suggest that you write to the hospital and make the confusion over charges clear to them - I know it won't help you but it may help future patients. Unfortunately I can't guarantee it it will be acted upon but all complaints are registered and you should at least get a response. Hope you are fully recovered now

I apologise in advance if I have taken your remark the wrong way, I just read it as being a little derogatory, but its possible I'm being overeactive, probably the stress of working within a shockingly understaffed NHS team!

Certainly wasn't a dig at nursery nurses as I do know there is a lot of training involved but it is a different sector yet milliemonsters comments were flawed and wrong therefore when they commented on being a nurse I wonder if it is in a different sector.

Her comments about my concussion and insinuating I never had concussion as they didn't keep me in really got my back up.

Wasn't meant to offend you it was just a bit tongue in cheek. (My aunt actually works in a nursery and went to college so not sure if that makes her a nursery nurse but I know she deals with SEN children)

Jakg

Humphrey10 wrote: »

Ambulance charge? I went to A&E twice a year ago, I was not charged for the ambulance either time, in what circumstances is the ambulance charge made?

In a road traffic accident, an ambulance is chargeable - but it's normally dealt with by the insurers.

SingleSue wrote: »

Then I read it properly and realised he wouldn't be charged anyway as he is full time education.

Being in full time education doesn't make it free (i.e. being a student over 18 you still have to pay now)

looby75

Jakg wrote: »

Being in full time education doesn't make it free (i.e. being a student over 18 you still have to pay now)

no you don't, if you are in full time education you only have to pay once you hit 19.


You can get free NHS prescriptions if, at the time the prescription is dispensed, you:

• are 60 or over
• are under 16
• are 16-18 and in full-time education

I asked in the chemist about this just the other day as dd needed another prescription and she said she didn't have to pay until she was 19.