Official MoneySavingExpert.com Prescriptions Discussion Thread

savetilibleed

Please remember that if you suffer from one of a number of specified chronic medical conditions, that means you can get an exemption from prescription charges. The conditions and how to apply are listed at http://www.ppa.org.uk/ppa/medex.htm. This applied to England only as there are different arrangements for Scotland and Wales (don't know about NI though).

In all probability if you suffer from any of these conditions, either your Dr or pharmacy will have informed you about this. But I'm surprised to find on a forum I'm a member of for one of these conditions, which I have, that some, especially those newly diagnosed, don't know about it.

Furthermore, once you have the MEDEX, you get exemption from charges for prescriptions medications for conditions other that the one you have qualified for.

mrrickez

Once you have a private prescription from a UK registered GP, you can take it to any pharmacy to be dispensed. There are now several online pharmacies which tend to offer prescription medicines at lower prices than many conventional chemists. Examples of these are pharmacy2u.co.uk and MedsChemist.com (also meds.co.uk). Always make sure that the online pharmacy is UK reg with the RPSGB and displays the RPSGB logo on their site - I think there are many 'dodgy' sites out there but the two mentioned here are legit. Hope this is of some help.

silvercar

Just to correct something in the article, latest advice is that medicines should not be taken with any fruit juices.

savetilibleed

Hi,

Which article was wrong, needing correction? I knew about Grapefruit and its juice affecting the levels of certain medications. I take one such med so I know. Where did you see the info about not taking meds with any fruit juice can you tell me please?

malc_b

My daughter has just had her spleen removed. Although she has free prescriptions at the moment that won't last forever and the current advice is 250mg of penicillin V twice a day for life. Is the 1 month max prescription set in stone somewhere or is it just down the the doctor? And if it is a regulation then patients are being ripped off since 1 month seems to be 28 days of medication, so 13! not 12 prescriptions per year.

After reading in the post above than antibiotics are cheap to buy I looked on the net and found edrugnet.co.uk although I do wonder about the legality. Reading between the lines of the FAQ I guess they have a Dr who writes a private prescription if need be. Anyway, the price of penicillin is £13.25 for 150 caps compared with £7.10 for 56. Not a large saving, 4.95 vs 7.10. Is this an expensive site? It seemed as cheap as any to me although I've not bothered to register meds.co.uk to see if a private prescription would be cheaper (why you have to register just to see the prices.....).

silvercar

savetilibleed wrote: »

Hi,

Which article was wrong, needing correction? I knew about Grapefruit and its juice affecting the levels of certain medications. I take one such med so I know. Where did you see the info about not taking meds with any fruit juice can you tell me please?

Blood pressure group:

http://www.bpassoc.org.uk/mediacentre/Bloodpressurenews/Fruitjuicemayaffectbloodpressuredrugs

British Press:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article4569817.ece

American Press:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/new-reasons-to-avoid-mixing-juice-and-medicine/

PeterPerfect

I have been recently twice to a Sainsbury's pharmacy for medication. I have a medical exemption certificate (option E on the prescription form), and thus a plastic card that gives me free prescriptions.

Anyhow the person behind the till should ask to check for this, but twice now has not bothered. So if I was dishonest I could get away with not paying at all!

They are also suppose to check for Warfarin, which they do not seem to do.

moneysaving_pharmacist

PeterPerfect wrote: »

I have been recently twice to a Sainsbury's pharmacy for medication. I have a medical exemption certificate (option E on the prescription form), and thus a plastic card that gives me free prescriptions.

Anyhow the person behind the till should ask to check for this, but twice now has not bothered. So if I was dishonest I could get away with not paying at all!

They are also suppose to check for Warfarin, which they do not seem to do.

People may get away with it for a while, but the counter fraud people do carry out checks which can result in penalties. To be honest my staff don't ask to see proof of every exemption as we don't have the time.

pinkbubblegum

i have a medical exemption too

i never have to show it, but if they chose to check up on me... then id have a problem if i was lying

savetilibleed

moneysaving_pharmacist wrote: »

People may get away with it for a while, but the counter fraud people do carry out checks which can result in penalties. To be honest my staff don't ask to see proof of every exemption as we don't have the time.

I have one, have done for about 30 odd years. In my local Lloyds pharmacy, one assistant tends to ask to see it and records the number, whereas the pharmacist never does. About 3 years ago I had a tooth out and needed some antibiotics as a precaution. I took the script to a pharmacy I never go to, ticked the box and it was never questioned.