Surprise charge from hospital after trip to A&E

Mupette

I must admit, I never knew that the NHS hospital would send a bill to you for prescripted drugs given to you in hospital (as you leave - not whilst your in bed) - now i know

I knew about the ambulance charge (although i was led to believe your care in the NHS was free)

Idiophreak

milliemonster wrote: »

Exactly!, anyone who reside in the UK knows there is a prescription charge for medication!

I think you're a little too close to this one...

I'm 29, I've paid for one prescription in my life, a few years ago. Other prescriptions I had as a child when it was free. I can well believe there are plenty of people about who've never needed to pay for a prescription.

I would have *no idea* that I'd have to pay if I went to A&E. If the doctor gave me pills to take, I'd take them.

So, I'm curious...when I was younger I had meningitis and was pumped full of all kinds of things...these days, would I be charged £7.40 for each one? Each injection? Each course of injections?

I think the point you're missing is what qualifies as a prescription...if someone gives me a piece of paper and I go and give it to Boots, I'd think "ah yes, a prescription" and expect to pay. If someone just gave me some drugs, I wouldn't be thinking "they're giving me prescription drugs...I'm going to have to pay for these"...I'd be thinking "the nice doctor's fixing me..I love the NHS"

[Deleted User]

LisaB85 wrote: »

No I'd have used over the counter medication....Co-codamol is available over the counter.

And the 'over-the-counter' strength is very mild in comparison to the prescription strength that is available

Oldernotwiser

LisaB85 wrote: »

He asked if I wanted any stronger painkillers and brought me co-codamol and naproxin. He didn't mention any charge to me or the person I was with and just walked off.

Today I got a letter informing me of a charge of £7.40 per item for the medication I was given so I called them and the man on the phone explained that there are signs in the waiting room explaining there is a charge.....erm I had concussion I could only face forwards and was spaced out!
.

Did the person who was with you also have concussion?

ThumbRemote

ince wrote: »

pathetic. pay up if you are obliged to. you received the treatment. if you didnt want to pay you should have not accepted it regarless of your condition.

Are you suffering from concussion too, or it is just stupidity that prevents you reading and understanding the thread? It's already been stated that the OP doesn't have to pay due to their circumstances.

Charliezoo

I would never have known there would be a charge unless the doctor said something along the lines of 'I'll write you out a prescription for some painkillers'. I think we're used to being given a paper prescription which we then take to a pharmacy and pay for, being given painkilling drugs while in hospital doen't seem the same as having drugs prescribed in the normal way.

I'm glad I saw this thread as I would assume medication given while I'm in hospital wouldn't be subject to prescription charges, I'll check if this happens in future.

Zedicus

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Did the person who was with you also have concussion?

What a stupid question.

What would be the point of getting someone with concussion to accompany someone with possible concussion? They would be no use at all!

You seem to have picked a very appropriate user name.

Idiophreak

Zedicus wrote: »

What a stupid question.

What would be the point of getting someone with concussion to accompany someone with possible concussion? They would be no use at all!

You seem to have picked a very appropriate user name.

Vroosh. That was the sound of the point going right over your head...

Badger_Lady

Zedicus wrote: »

What a stupid question.

What would be the point of getting someone with concussion to accompany someone with possible concussion? They would be no use at all!

You seem to have picked a very appropriate user name.

I think the point is that OP said 'signs in the waiting room were pointless because I had concussion and couldn't read them'. However OnW is pointing out that another person was in the waiting room with OP and was presumably 100% capable of reading and understanding the signs.

Azari

Idiophreak wrote: »

Vroosh. That was the sound of the point going right over your head...

I think he was being intentionally sarcastic.