I always get two months' worth as well ... but nobody pays for prescriptions here. A popular move by the SNP government, but I'm not sure I agree with it. Those of us who can afford to should be paying.
Bee x
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
I’ve got about three months’ worth of my medication in stock. Periodically I email the surgery telling to suspend deliveries for a couple of months but it’s like feeding strawberries to dogs. At least I get to have regular friendly chats with the ‘drug dealer’.
I always get two months' worth as well ... but nobody pays for prescriptions here. A popular move by the SNP government, but I'm not sure I agree with it. Those of us who can afford to should be paying.
Bee x
Surely those who can afford to are paying taxes … isn’t that the principle of the NHS being ‘free at the point of use’?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I get 3 months supply from my GP , but I had to change surgeries to maintain this. The surgery I was with said they had received new "guidelines" from the BMA and they were sticking to them like %^$£ to a blanket which meant they would only prescribe 1 month at a time and they wanted to see me every 3 months. Given that here a GP visit is £54 per visit there's no way I'm doing that when I'm fit and healthy with two minor conditions that need tablets.
That might be necessary if I had any serious conditions , but were talking about someone who runs 20 miles a week cycles on his none run days and walks 10 miles once a week with a friend so I moved surgery.
My new doc agrees he will do 3 monthly as long as I see him once a year so I do and combine that with a Wellman examination. ( Apparently its Wellperson now).
Our prescriptions are free here where I live but the doc charges £7 to write it out.
I suspect the changes are BMA guidelines being taken to literally. Maybe someone in the health sector may know more about this and can advise.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
Prescriptions aren't free at the point of need if you live in England and are over 16 but under 60, unless you have one of a few specific medical conditions, are pregnant/a new mother, have a disability or are on certain benefits. When it's put like that, maybe there are more people who don't pay than who do.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
It's not far short of £10, which might not be much to me @Dovefromabove , but it's a lot for people on lower incomes with more outgoings than I have (eg children to feed and clothe). I don't object to paying, but I think it's wrong that whether you pay or not can depend on where you live.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Oh I totally agree @JennyJ ... for folk on lower incomes £10 can be a large proportion of their budget, and I know of quite a few folk who are deterred from going to the GP when they really should because they know they would not be able to afford a prescription fee.
What I was trying (and obviously failing) to say was that the fee is usually considerably less than the cost of the medication. There are of course schemes which help with the cost if someone needs repeated prescriptions, but so often these are onerous to set up and not really helpful to those on limited incomes who are often time-poor as well.
I totally agree that's "it's wrong that whether you pay or not can depend on where you live" ....... sadly that's devolution in action.
If I were in charge taxes would be set at a rate that would be honest with the public about the cost of running our society in a satisfactory way ...there would be a lot of other changes too ... however, I don't advise you to hold your breath while you wait for that day ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
A popular move by the SNP government, but I'm not sure I agree with it.
Those of us who can afford to should be paying.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That might be necessary if I had any serious conditions , but were talking about someone who runs 20 miles a week cycles on his none run days and walks 10 miles once a week with a friend so I moved surgery.
My new doc agrees he will do 3 monthly as long as I see him once a year so I do and combine that with a Wellman examination. ( Apparently its Wellperson now).
Our prescriptions are free here where I live but the doc charges £7 to write it out.
I suspect the changes are BMA guidelines being taken to literally. Maybe someone in the health sector may know more about this and can advise.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
George Bernard Shaw'
amount isn’t it … my understanding is that the fee was introduced to cover admin rather than the meds.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
What I was trying (and obviously failing) to say was that the fee is usually considerably less than the cost of the medication. There are of course schemes which help with the cost if someone needs repeated prescriptions, but so often these are onerous to set up and not really helpful to those on limited incomes who are often time-poor as well.
I totally agree that's "it's wrong that whether you pay or not can depend on where you live" ....... sadly that's devolution in action.
If I were in charge taxes would be set at a rate that would be honest with the public about the cost of running our society in a satisfactory way ...there would be a lot of other changes too ... however, I don't advise you to hold your breath while you wait for that day ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.