Rumours Re Scrapping Prescription Charges?

Chocolatelovinggran

Respectfully, icanhandthemback, if you have insulin dependent diabetes, the condition is permanent, and life threatening.
Without insulin injections, my DD would be very unwell, and then dead, in quite a short period of time.

Respectfully, Chocolatelovinggran, I haven't suggested that it should be any different. I have only argued in defence of people with certain conditions like thyroid deficiency getting free prescriptions across the board following on from Doodledog's post. I'm not sure why you have tagged me with your comment but no offence taken here.
Diabetes is a horrible condition and I get on my high horse regularly about Type 2 being self-inflicted as it appears to be genetic in our family but Type 1 is just a horrible, life threatening, autoimmune condition I wouldn't wish upon anybody let alone take away their free prescriptions. I wish your DD well and hope she stays well.

PollyEsther, I don’t agree with the suggestions of prescriptions free of charge.
Buying an annual prescription from the pharmacy, or six month one is cost effective. I bought one annually when still working as auto immune and other conditions mean unfortunately, I need consistent medications.

Your anecdotal evidence of older people not using the meds they’re prescribed is just that, your limited experience. I won’t be the only poster here who had morphine and other treatments in the cupboard after my husband’s sudden death. Some of us are prescribed drugs to which we react badly, so another is prescribed.

Yes they should be returned to the pharmacy to be disposed of but medication in older age often reflects ill health. A little compassion won’t hurt

For avoidance of doubt, my post was not to ‘rank order’ conditions that ‘deserve’ free treatment, but to suggest that the fact that only some qualify makes no sense, particularly when the patient gets all prescriptions free if they have a qualifying condition.

Iam64, Thank you for discussing with me rather than accusing.

I do take your point. I've had the sad task of dealing with two very close relatives' deaths in the last couple of months. In both cases, I returned bags full of medications to the pharmacy. I've done it before during my working life. I'm not "blaming" elderly people for having unused drugs, but it is a fact that older people are by far the biggest users of prescription medications. In some cases they haven't had a proper medicine review for years.

In any case, I thought the current discussion was about making prescriptions free, not charging people who currently receive them for free. This tangent started because somebody claimed that people misuse things they receive for free.

Doodledog

For avoidance of doubt, my post was not to ‘rank order’ conditions that ‘deserve’ free treatment, but to suggest that the fact that only some qualify makes no sense, particularly when the patient gets all prescriptions free if they have a qualifying condition.

I agree with you. That's why, in my opinion, all prescriptions should be free.

If savings need to be made to fund that, maybe doctors could stop prescribing drugs which can be obtained cheaply over the counter.

Some of us are prescribed drugs to which we react badly, so another is prescribed.

Iam, I am one of those posters!!! I am allergic to so many drugs and am often left with boxes of unused meds.

veronica678

There should be a charge. I also think the price of the drug should be shown as well so people realise what they would pay outside the NHS and perhaps appreciate what they're getting.

Trouble is people might get annoyed about paying a lot of money for a prescription drug that costs very little. They’ll just feel that they’re subsidising people whose drugs cost a lot.

Marydoll

^Some of us are prescribed drugs to which we react badly, so another is prescribed.^

Iam, I am one of those posters!!! I am allergic to so many drugs and am often left with boxes of unused meds.

Which is why, if someone starts on new medication, the GP should advise them to buy a PPC in case they have to change their medication several times to get it right.

MayBee70

Marydoll

Some of us are prescribed drugs to which we react badly, so another is prescribed.

Iam, I am one of those posters!!! I am allergic to so many drugs and am often left with boxes of unused meds.

Which is why, if someone starts on new medication, the GP should advise them to buy a PPC in case they have to change their medication several times to get it right.

That doesn't solve the issue of unused drugs. Of course there will always be some trial and error and I don't suppose anybody begrudges anybody that, but I don't understand why people keep the drugs they know they're not going to use.

I still don't see that making prescription medications free for the 10-11% who aren't currently eligible will make the problem any worse. I thought this thread was about the 10-11%.

Incidentally, I joined this site because there's a big hole in my life after two recent deaths.

PollyEsther, I’m relieved my response wasn’t seen as accusing. I responded rather sharply because experience tells me there is so much sorting out and organising involved in bereavement, a time when grief and trauma may be at its peak. I’m sorry that you also have recent experience of death. Sadly it’s part of being older that we have close experience of death .

I hope not MayBee. Fifteen years ago I was ill enough to be prescribed one of the then new biological drugs to treat psoriatic rheumatoid arthritis. The cost then was around £12000 a year or more. Here I am at 77 doing ok. My drugs are out of patent so cost a lot less but to quote my consultant “ keeps my patients out of wheel chairs”
Surely none of us object to others having potentially life saving treatments which we all contribute towards via our nhs x

Iam64

I hope not MayBee. Fifteen years ago I was ill enough to be prescribed one of the then new biological drugs to treat psoriatic rheumatoid arthritis. The cost then was around £12000 a year or more. Here I am at 77 doing ok. My drugs are out of patent so cost a lot less but to quote my consultant “ keeps my patients out of wheel chairs”
Surely none of us object to others having potentially life saving treatments which we all contribute towards via our nhs x

My point was that if someone paid nearly ten pounds for a prescription only drug and realised that produced generically it only cost a few pence they’d feel angry about it and probably wouldn’t think about the cost of the research that went into the drug initially. I was a bit angry at my vets when I found that I was having to pay a lot of money for something for my dog that only actually cost a few pounds but I had to pay a lot for the actual prescription to get it from Pet Med direct. I do think that people should know how much some medication costs to stop them stockpiling though.

PollyEsther, what do propose people do with the unused drugs? A lot of pharmacies won't take them back, they can't be re-issued nor can we put them down the toilet and we are told not to bin them because it is not good for landfill.

icanhandthemback

*PollyEsther*, what do propose people do with the unused drugs? A lot of pharmacies won't take them back, they can't be re-issued nor can we put them down the toilet and we are told not to bin them because it is not good for landfill.

Why ask me?

PollyEsther

icanhandthemback

PollyEsther, what do propose people do with the unused drugs? A lot of pharmacies won't take them back, they can't be re-issued nor can we put them down the toilet and we are told not to bin them because it is not good for landfill.

Why ask me?

Probably because you said:

That doesn't solve the issue of unused drugs. Of course there will always be some trial and error and I don't suppose anybody begrudges anybody that, but I don't understand why people keep the drugs they know they're not going to use.

I just thought if you thought that was problem, you might have a solution. That's all.

icanhandthemback

PollyEsther

icanhandthemback

PollyEsther, what do propose people do with the unused drugs? A lot of pharmacies won't take them back, they can't be re-issued nor can we put them down the toilet and we are told not to bin them because it is not good for landfill.

Why ask me?

Probably because you said:

That doesn't solve the issue of unused drugs. Of course there will always be some trial and error and I don't suppose anybody begrudges anybody that, but I don't understand why people keep the drugs they know they're not going to use.

I just thought if you thought that was problem, you might have a solution. That's all.

That occurred to me too, Iam.

I had a month of injections, (controlled drugs ) worth £1000 lying unused, because I had started to develop serious side effects.
I could not get anyone to dispose of them. The hospital advised me to call the company, who manage my hospital prescription, but they could not help, because my account had been closed by the hospital..
The hospital couldn't help. I was stuck with them.

Eventually, I had to empty them (not easy), put the syringes in a sharps bin, wait until I changed biologics and give the sharps bin to the courier, when he delivered the new medication..
That took months.

Yesterday, I saw a GP about a heart issue. The GP wanted to immediately increase the dose of one of my drugs.
I don't suppose you have any 20mg at home? he asked.
I had kept some, when they were reduced months ago, just in case they needed to be increased again. They were lying unused, but I knew, I would probably need them again.

Sometimes, there is a reason for keeping unused, prescribed medicines.

The other side of the coin. I had come off an RA drug, disposed of it responsibly, only to be put back on it some time later.
I had to wait for my GP to act on the hospital report, write a prescription, for me to travel to the next town to the surgery, to pick it up, then wait for the pharmacy to order it.
If only I had hoarded some.😉

It is not as simple as you imply PollyEsther.

PollyEsther

MayBee70

Marydoll

Some of us are prescribed drugs to which we react badly, so another is prescribed.

Iam, I am one of those posters!!! I am allergic to so many drugs and am often left with boxes of unused meds.

Which is why, if someone starts on new medication, the GP should advise them to buy a PPC in case they have to change their medication several times to get it right.

That doesn't solve the issue of unused drugs. Of course there will always be some trial and error and I don't suppose anybody begrudges anybody that, but I don't understand why people keep the drugs they know they're not going to use.

I still don't see that making prescription medications free for the 10-11% who aren't currently eligible will make the problem any worse. I thought this thread was about the 10-11%.

Incidentally, I joined this site because there's a big hole in my life after two recent deaths.

It's not 10-11% that aren't eligible to pay, it's around 40%.

The figure you quote is worked out on prescriptions dispensed - it doesn't include all those people who haven't had a prescription dispensed.

One of the factors influencing fee prescriptions in England is that many of those 40% may need medication but won't/can't pay for it.

I know my children have avoided even asking for a prescription in leaner financial times because they were just above the limit for free prescriptions. As they were just above the limit for all the other benefits too, something has to give and sometimes that was their medication. When I found out, I paid for them but they didn't always tell me. When one of them ended up with a serious infection, I insisted they set up a prepayment certificate which we would pay for if need be.

Visgir1

Big mistake if they do. I personally think if you are still working and not at state pension age you should pay. Free from age 60, needs to be changed.

Just continue free for those who need to be exempt for specific conditions like cancer, diabetes (non-diet), epilepsy, specified endocrine/thyroid disorders, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, severe physical disabilities. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is also covered.
Roughly 89% of prescription items in England are dispensed free. English policy relies on the remaining 11% who can afford it to help.

The Devolved Countries have less population and more money per person from Westminster, so they choose to spend it this way.

HRT free? I have always paid for mine!

OldFrill

PollyEsther

MayBee70

Marydoll

Some of us are prescribed drugs to which we react badly, so another is prescribed.

Iam, I am one of those posters!!! I am allergic to so many drugs and am often left with boxes of unused meds.

Which is why, if someone starts on new medication, the GP should advise them to buy a PPC in case they have to change their medication several times to get it right.

That doesn't solve the issue of unused drugs. Of course there will always be some trial and error and I don't suppose anybody begrudges anybody that, but I don't understand why people keep the drugs they know they're not going to use.

I still don't see that making prescription medications free for the 10-11% who aren't currently eligible will make the problem any worse. I thought this thread was about the 10-11%.

Incidentally, I joined this site because there's a big hole in my life after two recent deaths.

It's not 10-11% that aren't eligible to pay, it's around 40%.

The figure you quote is worked out on prescriptions dispensed - it doesn't include all those people who haven't had a prescription dispensed.

One of the factors influencing fee prescriptions in England is that many of those 40% may need medication but won't/can't pay for it.

I apologise for getting it wrong.

What you say makes an even stronger case for making all prescriptions free.

I'm still trying to find out exactly how much of the money raised through charges is spent on admin.

Marydoll

icanhandthemback

PollyEsther

icanhandthemback

PollyEsther, what do propose people do with the unused drugs? A lot of pharmacies won't take them back, they can't be re-issued nor can we put them down the toilet and we are told not to bin them because it is not good for landfill.

Why ask me?

Probably because you said:

That doesn't solve the issue of unused drugs. Of course there will always be some trial and error and I don't suppose anybody begrudges anybody that, but I don't understand why people keep the drugs they know they're not going to use.

I just thought if you thought that was problem, you might have a solution. That's all.

That occurred to me too, Iam.

I had a month of injections, (controlled drugs ) worth £1000 lying unused, because I had started to develop serious side effects.
I could not get anyone to dispose of them. The hospital advised me to call the company, who manage my hospital prescription, but they could not help, because my account had been closed by the hospital..
The hospital couldn't help. I was stuck with them.

Eventually, I had to empty them (not easy), put the syringes in a sharps bin, wait until I changed biologics and give the sharps bin to the courier, when he delivered the new medication..
That took months.

Yesterday, I saw a GP about a heart issue. The GP wanted to immediately increase the dose of one of my drugs.
I don't suppose you have any 20mg at home? he asked.
I had kept some, when they were reduced months ago, just in case they needed to be increased again. They were lying unused, but I knew, I would probably need them again.

Sometimes, there is a reason for keeping unused, prescribed medicines.

The other side of the coin. I had come off an RA drug, disposed of it responsibly, only to be put back on it some time later.
I had to wait for my GP to act on the hospital report, write a prescription, for me to travel to the next town to the surgery, to pick it up, then wait for the pharmacy to order it.
If only I had hoarded some.😉

It is not as simple as you imply PollyEsther.

By law, community pharmacies have to accept unused drugs. If they won't, report them to the NHS because it's part of their dispensing contract.

Not ones , which are couriered, by a third party, having being prescribed by a hospital clinic.

Are you a clinician, PollyEsther?

Marydoll -

If a community pharmacy refuses to accept an NHS prescribed controlled medication contact your local Controlled Drug Governance team. The Glasgow one is:

• 📧 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
• 📞 Phone: 0141 201 6033
• 🏢 Address: Controlled Drug Governance Team, Pharmacy Services, Clarkston Court, 56 Busby Road, Glasgow, G76 7AT

Marydoll

Not ones , which are couriered, by a third party, having being prescribed by a hospital clinic.

Are you a clinician, PollyEsther?

Marydoll and I, along with other posters have expensive injectable biological drugs delivered by courier. The syringes need to be maintained at a temperature that means they go straight into the fridge.
The drugs aren’t prescribed by GPs but by rheumatology consultants. Used syringe bins are collected by the courier who delivers a new bin

Thank you, Iam.

You have clarified it better than me.
It is not that community pharmacies refuse to accept them, they cannot.

Thank you Old Frill, for the info, but it is not applicable in my case.
I can assure you, I am pretty on the ball, when it comes to managing my medications. I have to be.

Mine were unusual circumstances, hence the difficulties, which I experienced. Not many patients have £2000 worth of one medication sitting in a fridge.

I actually have a separate fridge for the injections, because nothing can touch the sides of the boxes and possibly interfere with the required temperature.