Boots Minor Ailments

fewgroats

If you are entitled to free prescriptions you may be accepted for the Boots' Minor Ailment Scheme if it operates in your area. Apparently Calpol is not part of it, but there may be an alternative product which has the same effect?

https://www.nhs.uk/news/medical-practice/minor-ailment-scheme-doesnt-provide-free-calpol-for-all/#what-is-the-minor-ailment-scheme

teddysmum

It's been going for years, but they can only let you have specific products for named problems, so there are some products which can be provided for problem A but not B even tough it is a recognised treatment for both.


What they can supply , free of charge will decrease soon ,as GPs are being told not to prescribe about 50 drugs and treatments that would be cheaper over the counter, than in a paid for prescription.


The list surprised me as I would never have considered approaching a doctor for cough medicine,sudocrem,sore throat treatments, sunburn lotion,paracetamol etc.

jenniewb

teddysmum wrote: »

It's been going for years, but they can only let you have specific products for named problems, so there are some products which can be provided for problem A but not B even tough it is a recognised treatment for both.


What they can supply , free of charge will decrease soon ,as GPs are being told not to prescribe about 50 drugs and treatments that would be cheaper over the counter, than in a paid for prescription.


The list surprised me as I would never have considered approaching a doctor for cough medicine,sudocrem,sore throat treatments, sunburn lotion,paracetamol etc.

I've been told by my GP that absolutely nothing you can buy over the counter (price is irrelevant) can now be prescribed. This sounds like a good idea until you consider the price of some of the more expensive drugs which are now out of my league.


It's all well and good thinking "oh well what's the odd virus to a poor person, they'll recover" but two things strike to mind. Firstly if there is someone who is ill and cannot recover as quickly as they otherwise would (think; mutating and growing illnesses) they are going to put everyone else they sneeze, cough and sweat over at risk because they are ill. Secondly; what if they have an impaired immune system -very likely that someone with a lower income will be in a lower income job or part time in their job (so in a part time income) because their immune system isn't working properly and then they get more ill because they are already vulnerable....it's either very ill thought out as a policy or it is very well thought out and I'll let others draw their own dots...

fewgroats

Could you see another doctor, Jen? Make an emergency appointment, that kind of thing?

dawyldthing

teddysmum wrote: »

It's been going for years, but they can only let you have specific products for named problems, so there are some products which can be provided for problem A but not B even tough it is a recognised treatment for both.


What they can supply , free of charge will decrease soon ,as GPs are being told not to prescribe about 50 drugs and treatments that would be cheaper over the counter, than in a paid for prescription.


The list surprised me as I would never have considered approaching a doctor for cough medicine,sudocrem,sore throat treatments, sunburn lotion,paracetamol etc.

A lot of this will be for supported living folk as we can't give paracetamol over the counter, sore throat treatment. If they want to buy it themselves they can but we're not allowed to support them to buy it (if it makes sense)

teddysmum

I think it is a cost thing first of all as you can but paracetamol , ibuprofen, calpol ,cold treatments over the counter for less than their cost via prescription ; much less at the likes of Aldi.


People who can have free prescriptions take up valuable ,limited consultation time just to get these; some on principle because it's their 'right' and not even bothering with the 'inferior' service from a pharmacist.


Drugs referred to are available over the counter so are not going to rob anyone of life saving treatment.

jenniewb

fewgroats wrote: »

Could you see another doctor, Jen? Make an emergency appointment, that kind of thing?

In my surgery apparently this is a rule. It doesn't seem fair when there are some medicines I really need and can't get because they are out of my budget so I go without. They may be over the counter, it doesn't make them affordable when they are £20 a go.


I know that with emergency health care (on-call GP service) all they will do is suggest a medicine to take and will then request your GP prescribe it (as it has to come from someone's purse strings) the GP could then refuse if they have banned it from their list. I've not had this particular thing happen yet as their rule on no OTC prescriptions seems quite recent.


I have had prescriptions from A&E before but I'll only go there if it is a total emergency and having been on one too many drips in my time (I have underlying and at times, severe health issues) to go back unless it is an emergency. I know people overuse A&E but from experience, there really isn't a worse place I'd want to be when I am feeling very ill than an A&E waiting room for hours, especially when you have to be there by yourself. Yes you do get help in the end, but it is a very depressing and lonely place to be.