Rumours Re Scrapping Prescription Charges?

MayBee70

You can get a three month one for @ £30 which still saves money if you’re on several items. Surely someone who can’t afford £30 would be on benefits?

No, not necessarily. It depends what your other expenses are. For example, if mortgage rates shoot up and you come to the end of your fixed term, you might find that you suddenly have increased housing costs which you have to absorb. Similarly gas, electricity, water or other such non luxury items. Childcare costs a fortune too so if you are working and you have children, you might find that you have huge childcare costs which you just can't stop paying. You might have to run a car to get to work. The gap between those on Benefits and those on low income is huge once you go a penny over. Then you have to live on less than those with help. £30 in one hit suddenly becomes much less affordable.

You can get a three month one for @ £30 which still saves money if you’re on several items. Surely someone who can’t afford £30 would be on benefits?

Not everyone can afford the seasonally prescription ticket, it's a lot to fork out in one go for a lot of people.

Iam64

PollyEsther

Iam64, You seem to know exactly what happens to used syringes, so there's no problem. Nobody needed to ask me.

I have recent experience of disposing of similar medications as Marydoll. The local community pharmacist accepted them without a murmur.

Having joined this site, I really am beginning to think it's not the place for me. There's just so much aggression.

I may be miss reading your comment but I experienced it as unfriendly. I ‘seem to know’ what happens to the syringes patients like myself and Marydoll are prescribed because I’ve been a patient of expensive biologic injectables for over fifteen years.
Like Marydoll, I’ve had significant adverse reactions to one of the drugs. I’d had the best year of my life after being ill enough to qualify. I was taken off the drug, several grim months with the reaction, combined with increased RA symptoms. My stock of drugs was eventually collected in a sharps bin because of the potential risks associated with it being re prescribed.

It wasn't intended as unfriendly. I know very well that syringes are classified as clinical waste and arrangements have to be made to dispose of them. Local councils will collect sharps bins. They collect mine whenever I contact them.

By law, community pharmacies have to collect any unused medications, apart from clinical waste, whoever prescribed them

I honestly don't see what any of this has to do with charging or not charging for prescriptions.

I'm not continuing this conversation.

Moii

So people will going to the Dr's for spray costing the NHS 100s in GP appointment and dispensing costs to save £4.50 at the chemist.

Not necessarily. The NHS can decide which medications it allows clinicians to prescribe. I would support a review of some of the cheap OTC medications which are currently prescribed.

I confess that I have low dose aspirin on my repeat prescription and have done for years. I do take it and I'd be happy to pay for it. The advantage of having it on the repeat script is that I remember to order it every month along with my other medications. If I had to buy it myself, I guess I would just have to get used to buying it from the pharmacist every time I collect my meds. People who order online would have to tick a box and arrange payment, which I guess isn't too difficult.

PollyEsther

Iam64, You seem to know exactly what happens to used syringes, so there's no problem. Nobody needed to ask me.

I have recent experience of disposing of similar medications as Marydoll. The local community pharmacist accepted them without a murmur.

Having joined this site, I really am beginning to think it's not the place for me. There's just so much aggression.

I may be miss reading your comment but I experienced it as unfriendly. I ‘seem to know’ what happens to the syringes patients like myself and Marydoll are prescribed because I’ve been a patient of expensive biologic injectables for over fifteen years.
Like Marydoll, I’ve had significant adverse reactions to one of the drugs. I’d had the best year of my life after being ill enough to qualify. I was taken off the drug, several grim months with the reaction, combined with increased RA symptoms. My stock of drugs was eventually collected in a sharps bin because of the potential risks associated with it being re prescribed.

So people will going to the Dr's for spray costing the NHS 100s in GP appointment and dispensing costs to save £4.50 at the chemist.

PollyEsther, if I sounded aggressive, I certainly didn't mean to so I apologise if you got that impression. I sometimes write in a hurry and there doesn't seem to be a lot of emojis on this site so tend not to use them much here.

Absolutely no aggression PollyEsther.
Just making sure, there is clarity.and posters are in possession of the facts.

You gave the impression of being very knowledgeable, which is why I asked if you were a clinician.
.
Old Frill was really helpful in trying find the appropriate information for me.
Iam64, confirmed what I had already posted.
That is what posters on here do, they support each other.

You were very fortunate.that you managed to successfully dispose of syringes of toxic injections at a community pharmacy.
It doesn't change the fact, that I couldn't.

Anyway, I need to withdraw. I am in bed with heart issues, I am supposed to be resting, not getting worked up over the dispoal of medication.😉

I have too much time on my hands.

Iam64, You seem to know exactly what happens to used syringes, so there's no problem. Nobody needed to ask me.

I have recent experience of disposing of similar medications as Marydoll. The local community pharmacist accepted them without a murmur.

Having joined this site, I really am beginning to think it's not the place for me. There's just so much aggression.

OldFrill

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

Exactly!

Community pharmacies are obliged to accept used medications even if they were originally prescribed by a third party.

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.

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

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

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

Are you a clinician, PollyEsther?

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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*, 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, 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.

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.