End of free prescriptions ?

Blue in Munich said:
Or it might drive people to use the pre-payment certificate and put something back into the system? Just over £2 per week for all your prescription medicines doesn’t seem an unreasonable price to pay.
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The Mrs has a prepay...saves us a fortune as I'm at the pharmacy every other week picking up something for her....
 
Isn't this the usual scaremongering of the Express? There has been a consultation on the matter (which closed in September 2021) but I'm not aware the results have been published yet - let alone any actual decisions having been made on the matter. But the Express has been repeatedly reporting the mattter as a "done deal".
 
Aren't they just raising the age limit in line with state pension age, rather scrapping free prescriptions altogether?
 
RichA said:
Aren't they just raising the age limit in line with state pension age, rather scrapping free prescriptions altogether?
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Thats what the consultation was about. With two possible scenarios - a) everyone under state pension age to start paying straight away, or b) protection for those currently over 60 and only those currently under 60 to pay.

But given that the consultation only closed in September, I'd suggest it's far too soon for it to have even been "analysed" yet - and certainly too soon for policy makers to have decided how they want to proceed with it.

Certainly seems to me to make sense to bring it back in line with state pension age? But as an "over 60 but under 66" obviously, and selfishly, I'd opt for (b)
 
H'mm! In the first few seconds the words '... are going up 20p to £9 on April 1st...'!
Seems like a (n early April 1st) hoax to me!
 
Perhaps if stuff like paracetamol was taken off the list of drugs that are available on prescription the savings would probably
reduce the cost anyway ?
I get a pre pay for my heart meds as i have to pay for them but my mate gets his asthma drugs free i believe , we both need them to
stay alive but one is free and one not , i think what you pay is more than reasonable and it boils my p155 when people complain
about the charges , if they had to pay full price for the meds that would make their knees wobble .
 
I’d support it. It’s another thing that’s not really free.
I think there should at least be a nominal fee. That way people would be more likely to only get what they use.
 
backwoodsman said:
Thats what the consultation was about. With two possible scenarios - a) everyone under state pension age to start paying straight away, or b) protection for those currently over 60 and only those currently under 60 to pay.

But given that the consultation only closed in September, I'd suggest it's far too soon for it to have even been "analysed" yet - and certainly too soon for policy makers to have decided how they want to proceed with it.

Certainly seems to me to make sense to bring it back in line with state pension age? But as an "over 60 but under 66" obviously, and selfishly, I'd opt for (b)
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will prob be pushed up to pension age

or as we need to pay for covid most of the freebies will be removed.. pay yourself. save more in your pension but be taxed more on it because we are broke

the economics (not politics) of covid repayment is going to be just scary.
 
oxymoron said:
Perhaps if stuff like paracetamol was taken off the list of drugs that are available on prescription the savings would probably
reduce the cost anyway ?
I get a pre pay for my heart meds as i have to pay for them but my mate gets his asthma drugs free i believe , we both need them to
stay alive but one is free and one not , i think what you pay is more than reasonable and it boils my p155 when people complain
about the charges , if they had to pay full price for the meds that would make their knees wobble .
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my wife gets free meds for her thyriod but my mum didnt

it was always told to me if your body isnt producing enough then its paid for (wifes was underactive) where as if its producing too much its not paid for

not sure how true it is mind
 
In Scotland all prescriptions are free, but I have a few thoughts on this.
  • I believe it was a political move by the SNP before the Independence vote in part of their method to buy votes.
  • It is a benefit obviously as I don't have to pay for my prescriptions.
  • BUT, it is also abused. I have spoken to my Doctor on this and he has said to me that he's been asked by people for Paracetamol free on prescription. When he's refused, the normal response is "But I'm entitled!". And his response is, "it costs me £9.00 to raise a prescription for something that you can buy for 50p in the shops, it's not a good use of NHS funds". They're not happy but he stands his line.
  • I was at a friend of mine who opened one of his cupboards, and it had several box of Co-codamol in them. He says that he doesn't use them any more, but the doctor keeps giving them to him. I asked why he didn't tell the doctor to stop them and his response was "Well, they cost me nothing". My missus and I pointed out, quite strongly, that whilst HE didn't pay for them (he doesn't work), WE most certainly did, out of our wages and NI Contributions. There was a short pause and then he said "I never thought of it like that".
 
I use a prepay certificate and it is great. Would be happy with a few changes to the system:

1. Everryone has a pre-pay certificate. Cost to be deducted at source as part of PAYE. Those out of work would obviously not pay.
2. Medication that is available readily over the counter that does not need a prescription should be paid for.

I remember a dcotor asking if I wanted a prescription for paracetemol (which i declined) when the surgery was 100 yeards from Sainsburys that sold them for 18p
 
GB72 said:
I use a prepay certificate and it is great. Would be happy with a few changes to the system:

1. Everryone has a pre-pay certificate. Cost to be deducted at source as part of PAYE. Those out of work would obviously not pay.
2. Medication that is available readily over the counter that does not need a prescription should be paid for.

I remember a dcotor asking if I wanted a prescription for paracetemol (which i declined) when the surgery was 100 yeards from Sainsburys that sold them for 18p
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I haven't needed a prescription for over 10 years...can I get a rebate??
 
Prescriptions are an easy target because people mistakenly see them as a more egregious waste of money than other abuses. Someone who arrives at an Emergency Department with something they have had for weeks but they decide on a Friday night it is time to be seen, wastes more NHS resources than someone who gets their paracetamol from the GP. Not that GPs should supply OTC drugs, but the reality is that the cost is minimal.

The argument for prescription charges is precisely the same as the one for co-payment (i.e. a fee for every GP visit). There is good evidence that co-payments do not have one of the desired effects, to discourage wasters from attending, but instead they deter people with proper medical needs from attending.
 
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