Official MoneySavingExpert.com Prescriptions Discussion Thread

Plastictools

Just for the record I've been on MSE for three years, just never got round to joining forum until I saw this patronising medic dabbling in politics and economics. Doctors have a duty of care to their patients and if that includes working within the rules to prescribe more than 28 days medication circumstances which fall within clear guidelines, then that is what they have to do. Making statements related to 'season ticket' arguments is totally off the point and arrogant. Perhaps when your friends complain about the cost of their alcohol you remind them that they need only catch a ferry to France and save a fortune on the duty? Doubtless you have all the calculations to hand, as you obviously have better things to do than worry about patient welfare in the real world.

mickscript

savetilibleed wrote: »

I started getting repeat prescriptions in 56 day cycles a couple years ago. Don't know why, I didn't ask or anything. Didn't even know it was possible. Makes it more convenient in some ways, but on the other hand I have 4 regular items (one of those are issued as an 84 day pack) plus a couple of irregular items, so I find I go to gets 'scrips much more often than 2 months as the others have got out of phase with dose changes etc. When it was 28 days + the 84 day item I could get a whole month supply and it wouldn't be a great stack of them even if I didn't need some items for 2-3 weeks.

Still I'm just glad I don't have to pay.

Thanks for the comment. I do believe that they are trying to bring these anomalies into line and I can therefor understand why waste occurs, but it is really good to see someone with a sensible approach. It is not just about patient cost it is about saving time for our medical staff. Some already agree that it is false economy!
I only get reviewed once a year and I am not suggesting that I should be prescribed for that length of time. However if they want to give us 28-day supply so they can supposedly keep an eye on us then I wonder if they will be seeing us every 28 days for a review. I don’t think so. Unfortunately most of our doctors seem to think we are too thick to realise the truth, anyway as there are now three of Doc N's "lucky ones" lets hope that somewhere out there a doctor will finally speak out for his patients without trying to increase his income. Regards

Plastictools

I needed a repeat prescription and asked for 56 days. Receptionist amended screen and said that if patients were under 60, paid for prescriptions and were on stable medication, they would automatically prescribe two month's supply on request. :beer:
Looks like some doctors can actually read guidelines and have better things to do than make fatuous political statements.

mickscript

Plastictools wrote: »

I needed a repeat prescription and asked for 56 days. Receptionist amended screen and said that if patients were under 60, paid for prescriptions and were on stable medication, they would automatically prescribe two month's supply on request. :beer:
Looks like some doctors can actually read guidelines and have better things to do than make fatuous political statements.

That’s fantastic news. I am so glad to hear that you have got a result, you just need to publicise that fact. So much for Doc Ns theory. He thought you were my friend. You are now! All the best.

kolin_2

very annoyed with prescriptions at the moment. currently i'm on 3 different drugs. if all three drugs were on one sheet, i'd pay for the 3 prescriptions, £21.30?

but, because one of the drugs slips onto a second sheet i have to pay £28.40, essentially paying £7.10 for a piece of paper. The drug in this case is warfarin for which I get 0.5mg/1mg/3mg and 5mg. annoyingly the 5mg goes onto the second piece of paper. I used to keep asking them (when i put in for a repeat prescription) to put all the warfarin on one sheet, but they didn't, so now i don't bother. and don't know who to complain to.

i'd be tempted to get the prepay thing, but
a) i cannot afford a 102 quid lump sum, and
b) i may be off my drugs in a couple of months time, so whats the point now?

mickscript

kolin wrote: »

very annoyed with prescriptions at the moment. currently i'm on 3 different drugs. if all three drugs were on one sheet, i'd pay for the 3 prescriptions, £21.30?

but, because one of the drugs slips onto a second sheet i have to pay £28.40, essentially paying £7.10 for a piece of paper. The drug in this case is warfarin for which I get 0.5mg/1mg/3mg and 5mg. annoyingly the 5mg goes onto the second piece of paper. I used to keep asking them (when i put in for a repeat prescription) to put all the warfarin on one sheet, but they didn't, so now i don't bother. and don't know who to complain to.

i'd be tempted to get the prepay thing, but
a) i cannot afford a 102 quid lump sum, and
b) i may be off my drugs in a couple of months time, so whats the point now?

Hi you could try to have a word with your Doctor. He may be prepared to increase the length of your prescription from 28 days to 56 that would be a start the NPC guidelines state that if your condition is stable and you pay for your prescriptions this should be taken in to account you can find more information at prescriptionripoff.co.uk Good luck.

kolin_2

mickscript wrote: »

Hi you could try to have a word with your Doctor. He may be prepared to increase the length of your prescription from 28 days to 56 that would be a start the NPC guidelines state that if your condition is stable and you pay for your prescriptions this should be taken in to account you can find more information at prescriptionripoff.co.uk Good luck.

thanks for that information, I've been on this medication since last july (08), but never got a pre-pay because it could have ended at anytime.

savetilibleed

kolin wrote: »

thanks for that information, I've been on this medication since last july (08), but never got a pre-pay because it could have ended at anytime.

You could have got a three month prepay for about £28.

pauljohnson_2

I find that buying a three month pre-payment may be a better option if the first prescription is on the first day of issue and the last prescription is on the last valid day. Then leave purchasing the next pre-payment certificate untill needed. If only one prescription is used per month, up to four months a year would be saved (33%?)

titanflux

Rant-time.

I do agree with most of what is being said. One thing I will offer is that there is very clear evidence that sticking to 28-day prescriptions reduces waste medicines. £800m of prescribed medicines end up unsused every year in the NHS in England alone - think how many people could access all those life-prolonging anti-cancer drugs, etc. How many of those unused drugs end up in land-fill or in our water supply or in the hands of those who shouldn't have them? On many, many occasions I have relieved relatives of recently deceased patients of several bin bags at a time of unused medicines that kept being prescribed time after time.

Even better, cut the waste and use the money to drop or eliminate prescription charges instead - like Wales already have and Scotland are well on the way. This would solve the 28-day prescribing issue for those who have to pay. With the current system, many people don;t get all their medicines dispensed due to the charges and they suffer or shorten their lives as a result, and end up costing the NHS more in future treatment.

Or the other option is to lower income tax with the saving - depends how altuistic you feel.

By the way, I don't work for the NHS.