Is the NHS still free at the point of use?

Jerry_Mander

I developed trigger finger where your finger sort of locks into a clawed position. My doctor recommended a splint but said I'd have to pay for it. So what's the situation as far as the NHS being "free at the point of use"? If I'm having to pay for something the doctor has recommended surely it is not free at the point of use?

poppy12345

I know a couple of years ago i was diagnosed with carpal tunnel and my GP told me they weren't available on the NHS but i could buy the wrist support. It only cost me a few pounds so i didn't argue with that.

A finger splint can be bought from amazon from about £7 so not a huge amount of money. https://www.amazon.co.uk/DAILINK-Finger-Splints-Straightener-Stabilizer/dp/B09DPVXBM1/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=finger+splint&qid=1637167429&sr=8-5

pollyanna_26

A GP can prescribe treatment- medication approved by Nice but not aids. A splint is an aid , just like a wheelchair and not expensive. The NHS is very underfunded now hence the need for Paracetaol to be removed from list of approved meds.

Paracetamol is available over the counter very cheaply eg Wilko 29p for 16 tabs

A splint is usually short term need and they aren't expensive to buy. For those on disability benefits those payments are supposed to help with the extra costs with disability.

My youngest dd is on enhanced PIP and SG ESA. She qualifies for free prescriptions but has never claimed them although she averages 29 repeat meds each month. We buy the annual PPC which more than covers her meds in the first  month. They would be unaffordable otherwise on a monthly basis. Direct debit opeions are also available  to spread the cost.

I'm not wealthy just very careful financially and over time bought her walking sticks then wheelchair , shower stool and other aids. The NHS has been struggling for quite some time due to underfunding and increased demand so needs all the help it can get.

Not everyone can fund various things but it is worth stopping and thinking whether a splint or paracetamol should be available free of charge.

polly

It's actually Free at the Point of Need and NICE makes the decisions on what constitutes need.

Spoonie_Turtle

Jerry_Mander said:

I developed trigger finger where your finger sort of locks into a clawed position. My doctor recommended a splint but said I'd have to pay for it. So what's the situation as far as the NHS being "free at the point of use"? If I'm having to pay for something the doctor has recommended surely it is not free at the point of use?

You didn't have to pay to see the doctor. 

It is annoying having to pay for things that historically would have been provided (when I had tendonitis ~15 years ago my wrist splints were free, even the replacement once the first had worn out; the doctor went and got them from within the surgery during the appointment, didn't even have to prescribe) but that's unfortunately the nature of living in a country run by those who value profit over people.  [Not taking sides, that applies to any party underfunding public services.]

Jerry_Mander

pollyanna_26 said:

A GP can prescribe treatment- medication approved by Nice but not aids.

Ok but where do you get that information from? This is sort of what I'm trying to find out. As far as I am aware there has been no change in legislation that would enable NICE to dictate what is and isn't prescribable for free. I'm really looking for the legal basis on which they are saying they can restrict what is prescribed for free.

onomatopoeia99

Jerry_Mander said:

pollyanna_26 said:

A GP can prescribe treatment- medication approved by Nice but not aids.

Ok but where do you get that information from? This is sort of what I'm trying to find out. As far as I am aware there has been no change in legislation that would enable NICE to dictate what is and isn't prescribable for free. I'm really looking for the legal basis on which they are saying they can restrict what is prescribed for free.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012, which converted NICE from a special health authority (it was created as such in 1999 by different legislation) to a non-departmental public body.

It has always been able to determine which treatments the NHS will fund and which it won't, that's basically it's purpose. If you seriously believe the NHS was ever obliged to fund everything you are sadly mistaken, that has never been the case, right from Nye Bevan's day.

Obviously with "only" £175 billion core funding the NHS is a bit stretched.

KxMx

If you Google the name of local area + CCG prescription restrictions there are likely to be documents you can read on their website.

NHS England also from time to time put out new restrictions too. Just had a letter myself saying I can no longer get prescription treatment for a non diet related vitamin deficiency on prescription, and will need to buy myself as they now class it as self care and patient responsibility. 

GP did at least blood test me beforehand and will do another after 3 months on commercial supplemens. 

Savvy_Sue

KxMx said:

NHS England also from time to time put out restrictions too. Just had a letter myself saying I can no longer get prescription treatment for a non diet related vitamin deficiency on prescription, and will need to buy myself as they now class it as self care and patient responsibility. 

The same has happened with emollients for dermatology patients: items which were previously available on prescription are no longer available because either it's reckoned to be self-care, or a cheaper equivalent has been identified which should be just as good. Misery. 

Maybe the OP doesn't realise, but not everyone gets a free NHS eye test, the glasses aren't free, and even an NHS dentist will charge for checkups and treatment. 

Langtang

Between 2011 & 2018, the Scottish Govt spent £58M prescribing paracetamol. That's a lot of paracetamol at c29p a pop. IMO if you can afford to buy it, you should. You could always have pleaded poverty with the doc, and he may have prescribed it for you.

strawb_shortcake

Langtang said:

Between 2011 & 2018, the Scottish Govt spent £58M prescribing paracetamol. That's a lot of paracetamol at c29p a pop. IMO if you can afford to buy it, you should. You could always have pleaded poverty with the doc, and he may have prescribed it for you.

Same as Aspirin is given out on prescription, even when my Husband had the prescription certificate we bought the Aspirin separately.

calleyw

Langtang said:

Between 2011 & 2018, the Scottish Govt spent £58M prescribing paracetamol. That's a lot of paracetamol at c29p a pop. IMO if you can afford to buy it, you should. You could always have pleaded poverty with the doc, and he may have prescribed it for you.

Makes a great headline.  But the why's are never explained in any of those articles. The reason for prescribing paracetamol is a lot of people use it as there only pain killer and you can get 100 or more at a time on a script.  Where as in a supermarket you can only get 3 boxes at a time.  Which I personally have no issue with it being on perscription.

I don't feel that people who are in constant pain should be made to be left in pain as they can't get what they need from one place. And they not should be treated as second class citizens.