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How many months supply is a standard NHS Prescription?

13

Comments

  • pattycake
    pattycake Posts: 1,590 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Philippa36 wrote: »
    As you need your thyroxine for life you should get it free. Ask your GP for an exemption certificate - you need to fill in most of it and your GP signs to say its correct.

    For those who only get 1 month, speak to your GP to see if they'll change it to 2 due to cost. I doubt you'll get more than 2 months but it all helps.

    Thanks Phillipa, but I do get my meds free. I should have said that in my post. I have been on Thyroxine for 7 years and I am on my second exemption certificate.
  • sharnad
    sharnad Posts: 9,904 Forumite
    i get 3 months worth of 2 inhalers, the other lasts barely a month each time. 6 months of the pill at a time.

    it's different by area, had a real fight when I moved to my last doctors to get them to give me more than one of each inhaler at a time :mad:

    My pharmacy is attached to the doctors. I get one inhaler for each perception I pay for
    Needing to lose weight start date 26 December 2011 current loss 60 pound Down. Lots more to go to get into my size 6 jeans
  • i get 3 months worth of 2 inhalers, the other lasts barely a month each time. 6 months of the pill at a time.

    it's different by area, had a real fight when I moved to my last doctors to get them to give me more than one of each inhaler at a time :mad:

    If it's the blue asthma inhaler then Asda pharmacy can sell them over the counter now - 2 for £7 which is less than the cost of a prescription :)

    http://your.asda.com/press-centre/asda-pharmacy-launches-first-to-market-initiative-offering-asthma-relief-without-prescription

    HTH
  • Sassia
    Sassia Posts: 64 Forumite
    Mine used to be 6-monthly but it's been changed to monthly as "we want to monitor and maybe change your medicines" but nothing has been changed the last 6 times I've been back.

    It's annoying as I have to take time off every time I need a GP appointment whereas I could pop to the pharmacy in my lunch break to collect it. And as my doctor's surgery closes between 12-2 I can't make an appointment in my lunch break either.

    I thought legally employers had to give you 2 hours paid time off to go to doctor's appointments. Or maybe that's just our local government policy (I work in public sector for local government so it's often over and above legal requirements).
  • System
    System Posts: 178,355 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    There is no entitlement to paid or unpaid time off to attend medical appointments apart from pregnancy related appointments
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • tea_lover
    tea_lover Posts: 8,261 Forumite
    I only get 1 month at a time too and it's really annoying. I have co-codamol and metformin each month and it's a real hassle having to order the repeat pescription and collect it (can't get a chemist to do it unfortunately). Also of course the cost is shocking, even with a pre-payment certificate.
  • Nicki
    Nicki Posts: 8,166 Forumite
    DD is on medication to control her epilepsy which also needs to be taken daily long term (perhaps permanently) and we only get a month at a time, even though she is too young to pay for her prescriptions. That is a real pain, as not only do I need to order the prescription, but the pharmacist also then needs to order the medication when the prescription is presented to him, so we sometimes have to make 4 separate trips over the period of a week to get our hands on the stuff. We do try and use the repeat prescription facility with the pharmacist but it isn't hugely efficient and doesn't always work and we can't afford for DD to ever run out.
  • KxMx
    KxMx Posts: 11,167 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    tea_lover wrote: »
    I only get 1 month at a time too and it's really annoying. I have co-codamol and metformin each month and it's a real hassle having to order the repeat pescription and collect it (can't get a chemist to do it unfortunately). Also of course the cost is shocking, even with a pre-payment certificate.

    A yearly PPC works out at £2 per week or £8 per month for unlimited medication. And you get two months payment free.
    I think it's a good deal myself! On top of regular meds never know when you might need something else such an anti-biotics.

    I doubt you'd be able to get more than monthly painkillers, but have you asked if the amount of metformin can be increased?
  • Skyllo
    Skyllo Posts: 269 Forumite
    Nicki wrote: »
    DD is on medication to control her epilepsy which also needs to be taken daily long term (perhaps permanently) and we only get a month at a time, even though she is too young to pay for her prescriptions. That is a real pain, as not only do I need to order the prescription, but the pharmacist also then needs to order the medication when the prescription is presented to him, so we sometimes have to make 4 separate trips over the period of a week to get our hands on the stuff. We do try and use the repeat prescription facility with the pharmacist but it isn't hugely efficient and doesn't always work and we can't afford for DD to ever run out.

    Can you phone the pharmacy when you're ordering the prescription to say that you'll need the medication in the next couple of days and if they could order it?

    tea lover: are you not entitled to a medical exemption certificate if you have diabetes requiring medication? (Unless you take metformin for another reason).
  • mazza111
    mazza111 Posts: 6,327 Forumite
    Oh come on we shouldn't moan about it really.

    My GP is monthly for most things, but my stomach tablets are 2 monthly.


    My dd however, when it comes to her painkillers, it's weekly :eek: It's a PITA to have to go up every week for them. I can understand it though, as they want her to cut down as much as possible on them as they can be addictive. But weekly.... Keeping in mind she is disabled... Feels like we're never away from the place.

    At least our presciptions are free up here :)
    4 Stones and 0 pounds or 25.4kg lighter :j
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