MSE News: NHS prescription charges in England to rise

pinetree

No unfortunately people who have heart conditions, arthritis and other chronic conditions do not get free perscriptions the best we can get or buy is a pre-payment certificate.

Bigmoney2

Prescriptions always go up in April, not really news.

Jennifer_Jane

pmduk wrote: »

I have diabetes and as a result used to receive free prescriptions. However once I'd worked hard on my health I stopped taking meds for the diabetes and my free prescriptions immediately stopped, despite many other chronic medical conditions. Hardly an incentive.

I don't know why diabetes prescriptions are free and not other chronic medical conditions, but congratulations on sorting out your health yourself and presumably taking control and living a healthier lifestyle.

I don't understand why the incentive, however, isn't simply your improved health? It must be preferable to be healthy rather than having to take medication.

I hope that some of your other chronic medical conditions also improve in due course. Good luck with it all. It's a terrible thing to not have good health.

Crabman

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Totally agree. Devolution means different priorities are decided. Here in Scotland for instance we don't have choice of hospital or drop in centres.

You're aware of the Barnett Formula I presume...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/9008823/Scrap-formula-giving-Scots-extra-cash-say-Tory-MPs.html

smk77

Middy wrote: »

Great! I am funding the unemployed, the over 60s and those that live in Wales and Scotland.

Crabman wrote: »

Why do those of us who pay our taxes (in England) have to subsidise the prescriptions of those in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland?

Can you imagine the fuss Mr Salmond would make if the situation was reversed?

If you want free prescriptions along with everything else that's free in Scotland then there is one easy solution for you.


Click here to find out more

oldvicar

It seems a bit unfair that charges only apply to 10% or so of prescriptions. The young, old, poor, and those with certain conditions are all exempt from the charges. I don't really begrude them but think it unfair that a minority have to pay, possibly including those who struggle to meet a multi-item prescription fee for an unexpected illness.

Since I take regular medication, I buy a PPC at around £29 for 3 months. One lot of prescription pills I take cost the NHS 19p (yes 19 shiny new pennies) for a month's supply. The other costs around £2. So on top of paying my taxes, the NHS makes a profit out of me by selling drugs.

I am grateful though that if I had to take expensive meds I would not have to pay the full cost.

The same can apply to minor dentistry such as small fillings where (in rural areas) private fees can be less than NHS scale rates. In fact thinking of my last trip to a dentist (when my PPC had just expired) I was sold antibiotics for £5 - the dentist made a profit and I saved a bit on the NHS prescription fee.

donnac2558

Yogibear wrote: »

utter bollox we pay the same taxes as the rest of the uk,I think Salmond is as popular in Scotland as is Cameron the snp got in up here because of apathy from the Labour voters,if you want to query abuse of tax payers money look at what is known as NI the population say a million and a half ,MLAs,MPs they dont pay Council Tax still having the Rates giving them Billions so that the peace can be maintained

Yes we pay rates not council tax and the money is used the same way as the latter. Each council sets its own rates for each area and what they will provide for that. Oh and yes we still pay for our water charges included in our rates too. Not private and not ripped off.

Our MLA and MPs go to Westminster when votes are needed and just say okay we will vote for your motion but what will you give us? Its called doing the best for their voters.

Gordon_the_Moron

There is no such thing as free prescriptions, if they are not charged for the taxpayer has to pay for them, as a tax payer in England it would annoy me if they did introduce uncharged for prescriptions, having had 1 prescription in the last 8 years (which I took for a short time on a doctors advice despite protesting I didn't think I needed it. Turned out I was right and the damned things left me feeling seriously ill)

Uncharged for prescriptions for the elderly, children and the unemployed fine but if you can pay you should pay. Agree that its annoying having to subsidise Wales and Scotland in this too.

whatmichaelsays

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Why put the dental costs up ? I have never seen a poor dentist have you?

I hate this argument.

We get it - dentists and doctors are well off, but why shouldn't they be?

They train for years, they study for years, they're highly skilled at what they do - why shouldn't they be renumerated accordingly?

If you're jealous of the car that your dentist drives or the house your GP lives in, go and do what they did and train to be one yourself.

pmduk

Middy wrote: »

If he has to take these tablets for the rest of his life, he should get them free.

I have 3 friends that take medication for thyroid problems and this medication and others they need to take for other things are free.

Consult your GP.

Most conditions that require life-long medication do not attract free prescriptions.