Give asthmatics free inhalers

System

Indie_Kid wrote: »

But it would be cheaper than having to admit someone to hospital because they're having an asthma attack. For many, (including me) everyday things like aerosol cans can set it off. Before I was given clenil, I was at a real risk of not being able to breathe at night - even if I took my blue inhaler.

How would free inhalers prevent you being affected by aerosols?

Indie_Kid

!!!!!! wrote: »

How would free inhalers prevent you being affected by aerosols?

Read my first sentence again.

lisyloo

Read my first sentence again.

So are you saying you'd risk going to hospital than paying for an inhaler?

I'm sympathetic about having to pay but I don't see the logic to that.
If you genuinely couldn't afford one surely it would be free anyway because of your financial circumstances.
Whilst I'm sympathetic, risking going to hospital to save a few quid is just nuts isn't it?

Valli

The system is competely unfair and massively flawed.

I'm a 'new' asthmatic.

Had my first script for 2 types of inhaler and nebules (because, to save me goinng into hospital they loaned me a nebuliser to use at home) and (you'll love this) sat, in a car, WHEEZING, ringing up for a pre-pay because of the 3-item script I had just been issued with...
and the next day doc gave me a further script for ABs
which put me into 'profit' - the wheezy wait was worth it!

As I am also on HRT careful pre-ordering and re-ordering of scripts a prepay is saving me £££

especially as the prescription for HRT elicitits a double charge because there are 28 of one tablet in the bubble wrap plus, for part of the month, there is a teeny tiny extra tablet in.

And the reply form the health minister, when I had the temerity to compain to my MP?

Not everybody pays for prescriptions!

well I KNOW that! Thing is - I DO!

It comes in one box, in one blister pack but it's charged as TWO ITEMS!

Kazza_Monkey

I'm asthmatic and a migraine sufferer ok my migraines aren't life threatening but I can lose two weeks of my life if I don't have my sumatriptan I don't mind paying for it but £7.80 for 6 tablets does seem a bit steep and you can't buy them over the counter either. I and other asthma sufferers would die without our inhalers I'm not asking for a freebie but perhaps a reduced price for the inhalers as the condition isn't something that can just cured. Asthma that isn't under control can cost the nhs far more money if the sufferer is admitted in a&e.

System

Kazza_Monkey wrote: »

Asthma that isn't under control can cost the nhs far more money if the sufferer is admitted in a&e.

That is an argument that applies to a lot of things. I've always taken the stance that those that get free prescriptions for a condition get them because the condition WILL kill them or do serious irreparable damage if left untreated rather than MAY.

Just to set the record straight I am on three different medications a month for life so have a pre-pay. One condition if left untreated could lead to stroke, aneurysm or heart failure but it is only a possibility and not a certainty. I would love to get them free but that's life.

miketaff1408

Kazza_Monkey wrote: »

I'm asthmatic and a migraine sufferer ok my migraines aren't life threatening but I can lose two weeks of my life if I don't have my sumatriptan I don't mind paying for it but £7.80 for 6 tablets does seem a bit steep and you can't buy them over the counter either. I and other asthma sufferers would die without our inhalers I'm not asking for a freebie but perhaps a reduced price for the inhalers as the condition isn't something that can just cured. Asthma that isn't under control can cost the nhs far more money if the sufferer is admitted in a&e.

Sumatriptan IS available OTC as Imigran Recovery. @ approx £6 for 2 tablets, depending on where you shop (only 50mg strength). So £7.85 for 4 tablets isn't too bad.

The system is flawed in some places, I totally agree. As a pharmacist, I am a staunch defender of the NHS though. Other countries you would have to pay privately for medication. Here at least you will at the most have to pay no more than £13 per month for your treatment (if you buy a pre-payment for a monthly DD) - I regularly see scripts for a leukaemia treatment called GLIVEC - these can cost £1600 a box for me to buy in. £7.85 for those - bargain!

This may be controversial, but my solution would be to scrap the NHS prescription fee which is only paid by the minority, and introduce a nominal fee per item that EVERYONE has to pay, say 10p per item prescribed. If you were to see the waste medicines that is generated by this country, you would be shocked. Regularly we receive black bags filled with medications returned to us, most not ever used but still faithfully ordered every month. You could lay out unopened packs with jan,feb,mar,apr,may etc all on their labels. If people were to have to pay the 10p fee, they would think twice about ordering them in the first place.

photome

miketaff1408 wrote: »

Sumatriptan IS available OTC as Imigran Recovery. @ approx £6 for 2 tablets, depending on where you shop (only 50mg strength). So £7.85 for 4 tablets isn't too bad.

The system is flawed in some places, I totally agree. As a pharmacist, I am a staunch defender of the NHS though. Other countries you would have to pay privately for medication. Here at least you will at the most have to pay no more than £13 per month for your treatment (if you buy a pre-payment for a monthly DD) - I regularly see scripts for a leukaemia treatment called GLIVEC - these can cost £1600 a box for me to buy in. £7.85 for those - bargain!

This may be controversial, but my solution would be to scrap the NHS prescription fee which is only paid by the minority, and introduce a nominal fee per item that EVERYONE has to pay, say 10p per item prescribed. If you were to see the waste medicines that is generated by this country, you would be shocked. Regularly we receive black bags filled with medications returned to us, most not ever used but still faithfully ordered every month. You could lay out unopened packs with jan,feb,mar,apr,may etc all on their labels. If people were to have to pay the 10p fee, they would think twice about ordering them in the first place.

As an Astma sufferer I agree, everyone should pay or no one should pay, as the NHS couldnt affort the latter, then everyone in the UK should pay.

It should be a fair system at the moment it is grossly unfair

themull1

I think its wrong that diabetics get free prescriptions for anything, not just diabetic related items.

Mockingjays

themull1 wrote: »

I think its wrong that diabetics get free prescriptions for anything, not just diabetic related items.

I agree that obese people with type 2 diabetes who developed diabetes due to their lifestyle should not get free prescriptions, but not those who couldn't help developing it. I do appreciate that this is not the case for all diabetics. The strain obesity is putting on the NHS is well known, as is the rise in obesity related type 2 diabetes. If they had to pay maybe they'd be encouraged do something to help their health.

I've had my asthma all my life through no fault of my own, and a cousin died from his asthma. I know 3 people who've got type 2 diabetes through their obesity and now get free prescriptions because they're on medication due to not being able to control it by diet.

If you make yourself ill through your lifestyle (obesity related type 2 diabetes) you get free prescriptions. If you have a chronic condition through no fault of your own, you pay for prescriptions.

I'm not sure how this is fair exactly?