GPs cutting back on repeat prescriptions - widespread?

Comms69

People need to remember that the fee paid for prescriptions (the £9 odd) doesn't cover the full cost, and in many cases doesn't cover even a fraction.


Those who receive free prescriptions cost the NHS money both in the medication (which is overcharged for the NHS. e.g. for paracetemol the cost is £3) and then the dispensing charge on top


It's not sustainable.

GwylimT

halogen wrote: »

My eye drops are £12 a bottle. My optometrist said my GP should be prescribing it.

You can always get a private prescription if you wish.

GwylimT

calleyw wrote: »

Thats not what I said. I said there are a few who do abuse the system because they get free prescriptions due to tax credits/low income/UC. So get everything they can for free on it. I know as people have told me that they do it to get Gaviscon etc for free.



People get up in arms about paracetamol being on prescription don't understand that its not a pack of 16 thats being prescribed but a box 500 at a time. Which is a amount you can't get OTC. I have no issue with those people still getting it on prescription.


Yours


Calley x

You can buy 100 paracetemol at a time, you can also get ‘dummy’ prescriptions, GP provides a note requesting said person can purchase 500, the pharmacist is then able to sell the person 500.

kirtondm

Their is still funding for the more complicated eye drops but you are expected to have to discount all the lower cost ones first.

Preservative free drops could easily be in that price bracket,

You do not need a prescription for most dry eye drops.

snowycatgirl

It's not just things that can be bought OTC. A relative is a diabetic dependent on Insulin for the the last 50 years. Four times in 12 months they have switched his needles to a cheaper brand and they make it more painful to inject his insulin. In the end I complained to the CCG who agreed it was not acceptable to expect someone dependent on Insulin to use a cheaper inferior product. A group of diabetics all bombarded the CCG with the same problem, they soon got the message.

trinidadone

Im not referring to free prescriptions though

trinidadone

GreenQueen wrote: »

Yes, I've lost my anti-histamines and eye drops for my hay fever as both can be bought OTC. I have a pre-payment prescription, so wasn't paying for them before.

As above, the first I knew was when I requested them as a repeat, and they weren't there when I went to pick them up.

just a slight correction, you pay for your PP card, so u are paying!!

iammumtoone

I am not surprised and about time.


I get prescribed items for my son, they expensive to buy you only have to look on ebay and there are loads for sale. Clearly from those getting as a free prescription item as soon as they can to sell on.

Mrs_Ryan

My eye drops are on prescription- I have chronic dry eyes and was prescribed some by eye casualty which they told me to tell my GP to put on repeat. Normal eye drops wouldn’t work- my pharmacy once told me when I needed some urgently that they could just this once sell them over the counter but I would have to pay £17 for them!