Selfish/thoughtless NHS users

teddysmum

badmemory wrote: »

Also if you couldn't afford your levothyroxine prescription you would die.

A free prescription for hypothyroidism is not being disputed. What is, is the fact that someone with this disease also gets free prescriptions for, unrelated, ailments.


Free all round prescriptions for certain diseases were discussed on another forum and someone who queried the practice, was told ,by a nurse that the it is historic; a number of diseases were chosen, because the sufferer could develop related conditions, which would need further medication, but though this was not always the case, no amendments were made.

Becles

MothballsWallet wrote: »

Is it NIHCE who are in charge of that list? If so, they need to be replaced by someone with a real working brain.

Also, I can think of a load of other conditions that need to be added to that list.

I'm not sure who is in charge of the list.

I know Crohns and Colitis UK charity had a meeting with some MP's to discuss the disease including adding it to the list for free prescriptions, there was something to do with the way it's classed for disabled benefits, and improved signage and more accessible toilets for all people with invisible disabilities. The MP's didn't take it seriously and just kept giggling at the word diarrhoea

missbiggles1

doodle-bug wrote: »

The prepayment is good value, if you need a lot of items.

Problem is, I have been made redundant and am still looking for a job. As my husband works, we must get just over whatever threshold it is as I get absolutely nothing. Suddenly, the £104 seems to be quite high. I know they do it in some instalments, but @£30 seems high when you are living on a very tight budget.

£9pcm for all your prescriptions is an absolute bargain, particularly if somebody in the household is working!

[Deleted User]

doodle-bug wrote: »

Suddenly, the £104 seems to be quite high. I know they do it in some instalments, but @£30 seems high when you are living on a very tight budget.

Provided that your prescriptions are issued monthly you can get a whole year's meds for £87.30 by buying three 3 month PPCs.

TeamPlum

LilElvis wrote: »

There are more life-threatening conditions where prescriptions have to be paid for than ones where medication is provided free for all. My husband has a condition which means that he cannot eat unless he takes his medication, but he has to pay for his whilst yours is free. How is that fair?

Diabetes is pretty life threatening without drugs . . .

LilElvis

TeamPlum wrote: »

Diabetes is pretty life threatening without drugs . . .

I never said it wasn't. What I did say is that there are many other medical conditions which require drugs to stay alive but for which the patient has to pay. Without his medication my husband cannot eat, as in not a mouthful. Fortunately he hasn't had a serious attack in a very long time but it could prove fatal at any time. His longest stay in hospital was 6 months, the majority in intensive care, near-death twice and leaving weighing less than 7 stone and morphine-addicted. Does that sound life-threatening enough to qualify for the same dispensation afforded to diabetics when it comes to prescription charges?

Waterlily24

Can be with the drugs too unfortunately.

DomRavioli

Please don't also forget that there are zero mental health conditions funded under this - i know of too many people who go without medication because they struggle to afford it (everything from clinical depression through to paranoid schizophrenia and everything inbetween, and a lot of people are on multiple meds).

[Deleted User]

DomRavioli wrote: »

a lot of people are on multiple meds

The number of items is irrelevant, if you're taking regular meds every month it's cheaper to use three 3 month PPCs.

moneyistooshorttomention

..and, when it comes to free prescriptions, what I dont understand is why all prescriptions for everyone are free IF they live in Wales.

Is this something that the Welsh Assembly has control of under those "devolved powers"?

Whatever the reason for things being different in this part of the country = it doesnt make sense to me to have this as an automatic thing regardless.

I can follow the logic of free prescriptions throughout the country for the over-60s - courtesy of the fact that so many British people have become pretty unhealthy by that age. But for the under-60s? = why?