2 prescriptions a month costing £16.40)? Save money at least £89 pa - more with more than 2 with a prescription prepayment certificate Direct Debit £104 pa England only - £10.40 @ NHS

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2 prescriptions a month (costing £16.40)? Save money (at least £89 pa - more with more than 2) with a prescription prepayment certificate £10.40pm Direct Debit (£104 pa) England only

£10.40 NHS24 Jan 15

Source: HotUKDeals | Deals > Groceries

Opening post

Newbold

24 Jan 15

Time for a reminder on this one for anyone (only about 40% of people) in England unlucky enough to have to pay for their own prescriptions - particularly as prescription charges will be increasing on 1 April. Buy the £104 12 month PPC now to avoid the increase, or a three month one for £29.10. A yearly PPC will cost just £10.40 a month (for 10 months only) with a direct debit.

IF YOU'RE BUYING JUST 2 ITEMS A MONTH THIS WILL SAVE YOU MONEY - AT LEAST £92 A YEAR WITH 2 ITEMS A MONTH, AND ANOTHER £98.40 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL MONTHLY PRESCRIPTION

APART FROM THE PPC ITSELF, THERE ARE TWO KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER:

1 CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS WILL GIVE YOU A COMPLETELY FREE MEDICAL EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE (SEE BELOW*)

AND

2 YOU CAN CLAIM BACK PREVIOUS PRESCRIPTION COSTS FOR UP TO 3 MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE PPC SO LONG AS YOU ASK THE CHEMIST FOR AND RETAIN THE RECEIPT FORMS FP57

************************************************************************************

Did you know you can save money with a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC)?

If you know you’ll have to pay for a lot of NHS prescriptions it may be cheaper to buy a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) – effectively a prescription 'season ticket'. A PPC covers you for all of your own NHS prescriptions, including dental prescriptions, no matter how many items you need. However, this does not include other health costs, for example the provision of wigs and fabric supports which are only provided through the hospital service.There are two PPC options to choose from:

A three month PPC costs £29.10 and could save you money if you need more than three prescribed items in three months

A 12 month PPC costs £104.00 and could save you money if you need more than 12 prescribed items in a year

How much can I save?

If you need two items each month you can save over £90 with a 12 month PPC

If you need three items each month you can save over £190 with a 12 month PPC

If you need four items each month you can save over £285 with a 12 month PPC

There are several payment options available. If you choose the 12 month PPC, you can pay for this by 10 monthly direct debit instalments.

How to apply for a PPC

Please check if you are entitled to free prescriptions before you apply for your PPC.

It's quickest to buy your PPC online. The PPC will start from the day you submit your application, unless you request a different start date. However, the start date must be within one month before or after the date of your application.

If you prefer talking to someone, you can call the PPC order line on 0300 330 1341. Again, your certificate is valid from the day you make the phone call unless you request otherwise.

Ensure you have your bank details or credit/debit card details ready.

Tip - Although the PPC is valid from the day of your application it may take a couple of days to receive your certificate. This means, until your PPC arrives you may have to pay for your prescription in advance and ask for a refund afterwards.

You can apply by post as well. Complete and sign your application form and send it with a cheque, postal order or credit/debit card details to:

NHS Help with Health Costs
PPC Issue Office
PO Box 854
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE99 2DE

Some pharmacies may be able to sell you a prescription prepayment certificate. However, you won’t be able to pay via direct debit if you purchase from a pharmacist. Please either contact your local pharmacy or view the list of registered pharmacies on the NHSBSA website to find out who is selling PPCs.

Useful tips:

Remember to apply for a new PPC in good time, otherwise you will have to pay full prescription charges if your PPC runs out.

If you have to pay for prescriptions while you are waiting for a new PPC and need to apply for a refund, ask the pharmacist for a refund and receipt form (FP57) in order to claim back the costs. You can claim for the refund of prescription charges up to three months after paying. The refund and receipt form (FP57) explains what to do.

If you buy a 12 month PPC by direct debit you are entering a commitment to pay all the instalments. If you use the PPC after failing to pay an instalment you may incur a penalty charge.

Top comments

Sebules to warriorsq

24 Jan 15 35 #29

Typical that the lazy Thyroid entitles you to benefits but a hard working one wouldn't :wink:

1on4

24 Jan 15 28 #44

That's the biggest load of crud I've read on HUKD for a while.

Baldieman64

24 Jan 15 23 #45

Everybody should pay for prescriptions - even if it's only £2 per item.
I'm sick of having to wait four days to see a doctor only to get an appointment and find that the surgery is chock full of people with very little wrong with them who are there because they are not prepared to pay 40p for paracetamol and want it on a "free" prescription.
This is literally bankrupting the NHS and denying treatment to people who desperately need it.

Besford to misterboumsong

24 Jan 15 13 #35

Nothing's 'free' - us English are paying for yours!

All comments (193)

d84rk_knight

24 Jan 15 #1

Thanks for the reminder.

macc1980

24 Jan 15 2 #2

10% of people! Surely not... Looks like I'm one of the 10%

scott_w_1981

24 Jan 15 #3

And me :smiley:

Annasteven

24 Jan 15 #4

So only one in ten people are not on benefits, a child or pregnant? Seems incredibly unlikely. However, have some heat for a timely reminder.

Dyslexic_Dog to Annasteven

24 Jan 15 2 #6

I wonder if they meant to put only 10% of people DO NOT have to pay?

satan666wayne to Annasteven

24 Jan 15 3 #7

Or over 60.

Annasteven

24 Jan 15 2 #5

Apparently it's 73% of people who pay, many of whom have long term conditions. So the PPC will be useful.

1on4 to Annasteven

24 Jan 15 1 #11

That figure is almost certainly wrong. Approx 25%? of the population are over 60, then you have to consider everyone on a low income (not just unemployed and on benefits), those who are pregnant or who had a baby in the last 12 months or anyone under 18 (20% of population).

1on4

24 Jan 15 #8

I think what the OP meant was that 10% of prescriptions are paid for, not 10% of people have to pay.

satan666wayne

24 Jan 15 4 #9

In our pharmacy this week we dispenced 2534 items 18 of these are paid for. This is about the same every week.

thepharmacist to satan666wayne

24 Jan 15 1 #13

Busy place!!!

Shard to satan666wayne

24 Jan 15 1 #41

I guess that if you are ill enough to be off work you may need lots of prescriptions each week, if you are well enough to work chances are you virtually never need a prescription, can't remember the last time I had one but it would have been many years ago

hogheadtoo to satan666wayne

24 Jan 15 #50

bobon to satan666wayne

24 Jan 15 1 #67

I've suspected this for a long time.Every time I put my hand in my pocket to pay the staff behind the counter always look surprised.I'm one of the 18 :disappointed:

Askrulous to satan666wayne

24 Jan 15 #140

Lol, and there I was thinking it was the ageing population that was knackering our nhs!!!

Bu5ter

24 Jan 15 #10

I work 60+ hours every week just to put food on the table and pay over £400 in tax and national insurance a month, So yeah I'm one of the UNLUCKY one's to still be paying full whack for prescriptions.

Country's a joke!

Heat added though as it could save those who need regular prescriptions a bit of money

mdsreddy to Bu5ter

24 Jan 15 #56

I agree, totally unfair charges for hard working people. And it's free for everyone in Scotland and Wales. I have signed a lot of petitions against this. FYI I am a doctor and always have patients complaining about prescription charges. Let's hope it becomes free for everyone in the future....

taffyevans to Bu5ter

25 Jan 15 #156

move to Wales, Scotland or France then. Free meds for all is long overdue. my cancer wasn't serious enough to qualify for the free scripts.

thepharmacist

24 Jan 15 1 #12

Have to say nationally I would think that the 10% is not far wrong, there is a whole list of exemptions on the back of prescriptions some mentioned eg under 16's over 60's, pregnant (also for one year after giving birth), NHS tax credits, income support, but also the following and many more:-

Diabetics, under active thyroid etc and those with medical exemptions
War pensions
Contraceptive
16,17 and 18 in full time eduction
Those with a limited income eg university students, works via application hc1 application

Sure there is a few more!
I recommend prepayment certificates for those that need it.

pennijar

24 Jan 15 1 #14

My wife has a PPC and it saves us paying almost £60 a month for the meds she takes after her accident.

dreamt12

24 Jan 15 1 #15

If you are on long term prescriptions, ie mine lanzoprozle because of a damaged oesophagus due to medical treatment you can get a medical exemption certificate. Had mine for nearly 10 years now and only renewed it a couple of times.

bfam

24 Jan 15 #16

Didn't know about this. Heat

rcn206

24 Jan 15 #17

Great reminder OP. I've used this a couple of times when I knew I needed a few things and it saved me a decent wedge.

Newbold

24 Jan 15 #18

This might help - the 10% relates to the number of prescriptions issued. The % of people exempt was around 60% in 2009.

Prescription Charges Review
Implementing Exemption from Prescription Charges for People with Long Term Conditions
A report for the Secretary of State for Health by Professor Ian Gilmore
November 2009

Prescription charges – statistics

● Many people in England are already exempt from prescription charges –
around 60% – through exemptions relating to age, medical condition or
income (see Annex C).
● Nearly 90% of the 843 million prescription items dispensed each year are free.
However, prescription charges raise almost £500M per year for NHS services.
● Prescription pre‑payment certificates (PPCs) are available to patients. A 3 month
PPC costs £28.25 and a 12 month PPC costs £104 and can be purchased by 10
monthly direct debit instalment payments. The 12 month PPC saves money to
patients who have more than 14 items prescribed over the year.
● The number of items dispensed in the community continues to rise from 796
million items in 2007 to 843 million in 2008. The drug cost to the NHS (not
including dispensing costs) of all prescriptions dispensed in the community was
£8.3 billion in 2008.

satan666wayne

24 Jan 15 #19

Yeah are we are a multiple so at the moment we are running on pharmacist and two staff one part time. I'm sure you know how the story goes.

socks_uk

24 Jan 15 #20

I wonder what percentage of all prescriptions issued are the contraceptive pill? They are free to everyone aren't they?

lucyferror

24 Jan 15 #21

Thanks. Didn't know that you can buy it in advance.

philjstephenson

24 Jan 15 #22

its nice to see that if you work for a living and pay your taxes etc you still have to pay for your dental, eye and general healthcare and prescriptions, however this scheme is one of the good things you can do to reduce your charges, heat for this and thanks for the reminder, a lot of people dont know about this!

sally71

24 Jan 15 #23

On Monday I was prescribed 5 items, I went home and bought a 3 month prepayment for £29 saving just over £10, the lady who works in pharmacy recommended it. Hubby has annual one as he has 2 items every 4 weeks.

Kasc4185

24 Jan 15 #24

I usually get a 3 month one for use during the spring/summer for hayfever as I need tablets, 2 lots of eye drops and nasal spray so saves me a fair bit. Good of you to share as some people don't realise - heat added

grimleaper

24 Jan 15 #25

Heat from me for the heads up... Not that I'd have to think about it on this side of the bridge! ;-P

ARNOLD115

24 Jan 15 #26

Thanks op never knew about this thumbs up

Besford

24 Jan 15 3 #27

Biggest saving would be not getting unnecessary items. 40% of dispensed meds are never taken - really!
This is costing us all £millions, especially when the patient is exempt. If you have elderly relatives with a list of meds on repeat (a typical situation) PLEASE make sure they don't reorder the ones they don't need.

warriorsq

24 Jan 15 3 #28

I must admit the system is nuts. I have an underactive Thyroid so I have a exemption card and pay for no prescription at all. If on the other hand I was overactive I would get no exemption card...crazy!

Sebules to warriorsq

24 Jan 15 35 #29

Typical that the lazy Thyroid entitles you to benefits but a hard working one wouldn't :wink:

daza27

24 Jan 15 3 #30

scotland got right idea

free

misterboumsong

24 Jan 15 1 #31

really cant believe (me being in Scotland) we dont pay for prescriptions !

i do have sympathy for those having to pay - the system does need a re think

Besford to misterboumsong

24 Jan 15 13 #35

Nothing's 'free' - us English are paying for yours!

gmon

24 Jan 15 1 #32

I've got 8 prescriptions each month and I'm on the yearly payment, saves a lot of miney

warriorsq

24 Jan 15 #33

Brilliant lol

gmon

24 Jan 15 #34

*money, damn you iphone

dianneNE

24 Jan 15 3 #36

I have been using the prescription prepayment certificate for several years as I get 13 items per month (more if I need antibiotics, steroids etc). If this scheme wasn't available, I would not be able to afford all my medications and would have to chose the most important ones.
I believe the PPC has stayed at £104 for the last few years - It is a God send for people like myself.

DarrylJohn

24 Jan 15 4 #37

Pleased i dont need deals on this stuff. Very fortunate to have needed maybe 2 private prescriptions in about 4 year! Its a joke anyway. Should be covered by national insurance.. Paying for dentist appointments aswell... A joke. Wonder what ny national insurance is funding... Because its not me

Dblue75

24 Jan 15 3 #38

I live in Scotland and don't pay for my prescriptions, I work full time and pay all my taxes etc..and I think its an absolute disgrace that people who live and work in England have to fork out yet certain(not all) benefits scroungers milk the system for all its worth ......Disgrace !!!

neilakabej

24 Jan 15 #39

I work full time cash in hand, I claim housing benefit, ESA for me and partner, child tax credit for both children and also child benefit for both children. I also go to the Doctors and sometimes pretend so I can get free medication for my family.
God I love ENGLAND.

ftrdesk to neilakabej

24 Jan 15 1 #48

Troll

webtrawler to neilakabej

24 Jan 15 1 #61

You have slipped up somewhere by not claiming council tax benefit.

steedo

24 Jan 15 4 #40

I think not. Scotland pays 9.1% of the tax in the UK yet has only 8.2% of the population

mrfinch

24 Jan 15 1 #42

Could be useful for longer term prescriptions, i have to use beta blockers for example.I have to pay full whack but i don't really understand our system because it's not my fault it's going to be long term? Surely people with genuine long term repeats should have some kind of discount built in anyway.Bizarre system, maybe if people stopped bugging GP's for antibiotics we'd have less cost to pay.

ftrdesk to mrfinch

24 Jan 15 #47

If you have a long term condition you may be entitled to a medical exemption certificate, not sure if your condition is covered but you may want to look into it.

jat2474 to mrfinch

24 Jan 15 #58

'it's not my fault it's going to be long term?' Who's fault is it then?

bhqmaster

24 Jan 15 #43

Comment

Very!!!

1on4

24 Jan 15 28 #44

That's the biggest load of crud I've read on HUKD for a while.

Baldieman64

24 Jan 15 23 #45

toomanychoices to Baldieman64

24 Jan 15 1 #49

Have you got x-ray vision? Special medical skills? How do you know there's nothing or very little wrong with them and they are only looking for free paracetamol?

Rich44 to Baldieman64

24 Jan 15 3 #77

So you're a qualified Dr to diagnose all these people are you? Seen their medical notes?

No thought not, moron!

If you saw me in the surgery you'd not think anything wrong with me but I have 2 untreatable, incurable neurological illnesses (at 39) I've just lost my job over it and my Dr now issues Sicknotes without needing to see me.

What if those people you're judging have illnesses you can't see like neurological, mental health etc.

Don't judge people because they don't have blood pouring out if their eyes

bipamon23 to Baldieman64

24 Jan 15 #115

No, what is doing our system in is paying for the outsiders! I fell ill with an infection and due to an allergy to pencilling I had to take a nasty antibiotic which could of stopped my heart! I was disgusted to find in the heart ward I was in, there was that less than 50% of English people! We had 3 American's and 3 other people from around the world that decided to take a trip to the UK and turn up in A&E. They were all having mayor surgery and this is why the NHS is running into horrendous debt!

Payforscripts to Baldieman64

25 Jan 15 #151

judgemental poppycock.
You are making assumptions based on your perception of other patients whom you know nothing about.

PS paracetamol are 16p in Tesco.

whatsnew007 to Baldieman64

25 Jan 15 #162

. I agree

toomanychoices

24 Jan 15 #46

Succinctly put! Thank you - sums it up perfectly.

That aside, don't forget you can also get a 3 month pre-paid prescription card, handy for short term problems.

BE AWARE - You can backdate your prescription card but you can't backdate your prescriptions onto it. By that, I mean that when you get your prescription, ask them to fill you in a form that allows you to claim the money back if/when you get a card. It MUST be done at the time, you can't go back even a day later and say, I've got a card, I've backdated it to yesterday, can I have my money back? It won't work.

Makes no sense whatsoever, but that, unfortunately, is how it works, so don't forget - if you go the chemist, with, say, 3 prescriptions get them to fill in a form then you can decide later as to whether it will be worth you getting a card.

hogheadtoo

24 Jan 15 #51

hogheadtoo

24 Jan 15 #52

Did your pharmacy ask for proof of entitlement to free prescriptions as required by NHS?

englishgaz

24 Jan 15 1 #53

Ahh. The joys of being English in this so called UNITED Kingdom. Prescription charges, university charges,hospital parking charges, health care for when you're older charges, government can take your home off you after you paid your mortgage for 25 years to pay for the health care if you cannot afford it. And so on and on and on and on. There things are free/don't happen in Scotland yet they are still not happy and want more from the UK government. The English who all this does effect just sit on their **** say that's terrible and do absolutely nothing. Yep I'm proud to be English are you? Complete joke. UNITED in this Kingdom? Bull..it.

ukhotdeals1 to englishgaz

24 Jan 15 1 #60

You could always have a referendum and vote to leave the UK :man:

madmax666 to englishgaz

24 Jan 15 #92

Scotland puts in more tax but its never mentioned just that we get more do you really think if Scotland was a burden that westminster would be interested in us.

warren321 to englishgaz

24 Jan 15 #124

You could try voting for a party that promises to give you these things free of charge....like what we do. If you are going to vote for parties that promise the status quo, well that's what you are going to get.

ukhotdeals1

24 Jan 15 #54

I’m going to be unashamedly political – if you don’t like that, don’t read my comment.
The ONLY place you pay for prescriptions in the UK is England.
The ONLY place where conservatives have a majority is England.
People go on about the rest of the UK being ‘subsidy junkies’, they’re not ; it’s about how you decide to spend what money you have.
If this makes you cross because you agree, or cross because you disagree, don’t bother flaming me, I won’t change my mind.
Instead, make sure you are on the electoral roll, and vote on May the 7th.

mjcunningham73

24 Jan 15 #55

Heat added

mdsreddy

24 Jan 15 #57

well said...

nikki260587

24 Jan 15 #59

I think its a disgrace we have to pay for prescriptions im lucky enough to not have to visit the doctors much but for people who do its a disgrace, my father had a stroke 3 years ago and along with other medication has to take about 9 tablets a day works full time and has to pay the ridiculous prices to stay alive as do 1000's of others.

dkl_uk

24 Jan 15 6 #62

I'm taking Warfarin for the rest of my life. You don't take it for fun, this stuff is serious business. The pre-payment card has saved me £Hundreds since October last year.

I've seen a few comments on here trolling those with long term medical conditions and I'll put it this way for you - I am a very healthy, child-free 6'3" male, cycle 12 miles a day Mon-Fri, go to the gym 4 days a week, work full time, pay NI/Tax just like I should, yet I still ended up with DVT and I will never, ever be able to stop taking Warfarin. The compression items I have to wear not only cost £8.05 but come with a charge on top as well as they're not fully subsidised by the NHS. Per year, I could have paid upwards of £200 on medication and other items but now I pay for the card instead and it covers me for everything I am prescribed for, even conditions outside of the DVT.

This card is a life saver for people who work a sufficient amount of hours to receive no state benefits. Luckily I am on a significant salary which allows me room to breathe for these little unknown events, but I've not always been paid well, and prescription fees can sometimes mean pot noodles for a week just to eat.

mrfinch

24 Jan 15 #63

No one chooses to be ill or have a condition that requires constant maintenance, it's not a lifestyle choice.That i should be made to pay for this after already paying my national insurance and taxes while i could get a boob job or churn out some kids for free doesn't really sit well with me.

winning118

24 Jan 15 1 #64

Wrong.
You obviously havn't done your homework and believe the uk news propaganda. The fact is Scotland is a net contributor to the uk and has been for over 30 years where as the rest of the rest of th uk has to borrow hence 1.5 trillion in debt.

cb-uk

24 Jan 15 #65

If Scotland really was that profitable and self-sustaining, you lot would have voted yes to independence :wink:

Delightful91

24 Jan 15 #66

For certain conditions, you can get a 'Medical exemption certificate' which is free and gets you free prescriptions. I mention this as it is not widely known and could save someone from wasting money like I did. I only discovered I was entitled to free prescriptions when I moved house and was told by my new phamacist about it. For over twenty years I had been paying for my prescriptions when I should have had them for free.

winning118 to Delightful91

24 Jan 15 1 #70

If the BBC and westminister (same thing) hadn't lied to all the o.a.p's who didn't get info from the internet we would have independence oh and the infamous vow lie also influenced the older generation.

Besford

24 Jan 15 #68

Unfortunately Scotland is spending that 0.9% difference many times over and that's before you take into account the higher cost per head of providing any service when the population is so spread out (low population density).
That said the free prescription policy was broken long ago (it is just a collection of individual decisions made by different people at different times so don't even try to find any logic in it) so it may be time to drop them in England too?

yrreb88

24 Jan 15 2 #69

I don't understand all these complaints about the NHS. You get hundreds, if not thousands of pounds worth of care, treatment and drugs for free yet people are begrudging some small charges?

My mum was prescribed the wrong drug once by mistake. The pharmacist was annoyed as it cost them £200 for one dose, not one packet or course, just a single dose. If you think the vet is expensive then that gives you a rough idea of what you'd be paying each time if it wasn't for the NHS.

I can't imagine that people want a condition or event to occur to them or their loved ones to make them feel that their contributions are worth it. Neither can I imagine people would want to deny treatment to others because they feel they don't deserve it or haven't contributed enough or as much as them.

I think we can all agree that dentists are obviously too greedy though. :stuck_out_tongue:

sepulchre

24 Jan 15 #71

Cheers for the reminder. :smile:

Nottaneil84

24 Jan 15 #72

Nice to see we're staying on topic.

Definitely worth taking out if you are expecting a few trips to the docs and you can also get refunds on prescriptions you've taken out but I think only if you sign up to the pre-payment at the same day. (I filled out the form at the counter with the assistant and they did the necessary bits). I then registered and claimed back the £24 odd back that I paid to the pharmacist and the cost was included in my 3 month pre-payment.

Easy to do so go for it.

buzzard

24 Jan 15 #73

there are SOME long term conditions where you get free prescriptions and MANY where you don't. Those who need adrenaline because they are allergic to something have to pay. Students get their loan (i.e debt) counted as income and if they work in the holidays don't qualify on income grounds.

The government should as a minimum bring free prescriptions into line with retirement age. It's also time the list of conditions where you get free prescriptions was reviewed.

The discrepancy between numbers exempt and the number of free prescriptions is mainly because most prescriptions go to the elderly.

Shard

24 Jan 15 #74

You could be right, thinking about it I'm looking at it from the point of view of someone who's fit, well and works with people who are mostly fit and well (but not young, typically 40+). But constantly on the news all you hear about are the heavy smokers, drinkers and overweight and the associated warnings, none of which means you can't work. Also of course there are others who through no fault of their own are ill. The question is the numbers and it's difficult to get a handle on thoses

Interestingly looking at the most common prescriptions I only recognize 3 of them and those 3 it's cheaper to buy off prescription anyway. The question is how debilitating are the cardiovascular diseases in general. I have no idea so I'll butt out here
http://www.gponline.com/top-10-prescribed-generic-drugs/article/1029048

Stu C

24 Jan 15 3 #75

I absolutely agree... even paying £8 for a prescription is excellent value, and is a deal that people in many other countries (I'm especially thinking of the US) would jump at.

Sure, some prescriptions are for medicines worth 50p, then you might argue that you are £7.60 out of pocket (ignoring covering the running costs of the pharmacy, prescription processing, etc...), which is not unbearable; but there are many instances when patients are getting medicine worth over £100 for only £8.10, which is an enormous saving!!! Maybe there should be a hotukdeal posted for £100+ medicine for a single £8.10 prescription charge!

Back to the point of the OP, the PPC is an excellent and valid offer for those that will benefit from it.

mdekq007

24 Jan 15 1 #76

How do people not know about this already?

AStonedRaichu to mdekq007

24 Jan 15 #82

Comment

I know right I buy one every year

yrreb88

24 Jan 15 2 #78

I think there'd be a lot of deals if we started doing that. :laughing:

This also annoys me slightly, some people go to the doctors for prescriptions for things which are a few pence or barely a few pounds and costs the NHS far more than if they just went and bought it. Thankfully I think GP's are more aware of this now and tell people to go buy paracetamol, antihistimines, asprin etc from a shop or pharmacy. I hope people aren't that stupid to pay £8.10 for a pack of paracetamol but then again some people still insist on paying £2.50 for Neurofen. :smile:

icecreamwoman

24 Jan 15 2 #79

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kXuw0lAXV9I/T9zPyrj3F5I/AAAAAAAABTQ/cgSTuo2X7JU/s1600/a.jpg

yrreb88 to icecreamwoman

24 Jan 15 #81

Not really applicable in this country but nice try. :smiley:

quincemeister

24 Jan 15 #80

If anyone works in the public transport industry, then you can join the Transport Benevolent Fund and if your doctor signs to say you need these prescriptions for a long time then for a pound a week = £52 per year they will pay the £104 charge for you saving £52 a year. Better than nothing?

margieh

24 Jan 15 #83

Prescriptions are free in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but cost £8.05 in England (from April 2015 prescription charges are intended to increase by a further 20 pence to £8.25). I think it is terrible only people living in England have to pay for prescriptions.
It is about time this practice was reviewed. I have been paying for my prescriptions by pre payment certificate for years but it is still expensive. Perhaps if we all left England in droves the Government would have no choice to suspend the charge in England or charge the parts of the country that are getting off scot free. {no pun intended}

madmax666 to margieh

24 Jan 15 #93

Do you also think its a disgrace that HS2 is only going as far as England
Or wall to wall English football on TV up here with hardly an hour of our own game
swings and roundabouts

bojangles to margieh

24 Jan 15 #111

While they are free in Wales, our NHS is in a shockingly bad state. Its like using a sieve for a bucket the way money is pouring out. Just before Christmas one of the biggest Hospitals in South Wales told people not to come to A&E

Personally think the NHS should be streamlined anyway.. no more gastrobands & boobjobs

icecreamwoman

24 Jan 15 #84

Oh really...

9811194

24 Jan 15 #85

"Time for a reminder on this one for anyone (only about 40% of people) in England unlucky enough to have to pay for their own prescriptions "

erm, anyone care to explain how its "unfortunate" to not be sufficiently poor to get free pills. there is something fortunate about being poor and sick????

herby247

24 Jan 15 4 #86

Scotland has had Free prescriptions for ages now, and that's without independence, just think what we could have done with a yes vote!

kestrel1960

24 Jan 15 #87

Worth every penny in my experience. No worries about paying for every prescription anymore. Heat.

ted5

24 Jan 15 #88

Good reminder, but it seems incredibly stupid that the 40% (or whatever) of the population that are likely working and paying taxes have to pay for prescriptions. Should the government not be supporting these people in their efforts and trying to keep them well so that they can continue working to foot the bills?

SeasiderClare

24 Jan 15 #89

Just done mine, although NHS site didn't recognise the town I live in! Will definitely save me a fortune!

warren321

24 Jan 15 1 #90

England gets HS2, Crossrail, Scotland gets free prescriptions. Different priorities.

pennijar

24 Jan 15 1 #91

Hang on, doesn't my national insurance contributions pay for my care on the NHS?
If so then i get no free treatment as i work full time and pay my taxes & NI every week, so i am already paying in advance for any future treatment i may require!

tightwadsulike650

24 Jan 15 2 #94

Everyone is playing the little Tory game of attacking the sick,careful you might end up with the government you wished for.
UKIP are funded by a right wing nut job who is using your votes to get access to your nhs, farage makes no apology for wanting to replace your tax funded,national insurance based nhs with a USA insurance based system,the Tories want you to pay up front for operations,with the rich skipping the queue,getting access to the best surgeons etc.
If someone has a thyroid hypo,or hyper diagnosis,then it's because it's shown up on a blood test,so who are you to say those who take thyroxine are lazy,I have worked all my life,go to gym and am not lazy,what lazy generalisation,stop picking on the sick,nor should you be picking on scottish people for having the guts and principles English people lack.
If you want free prescriptions then fight for those rights,attacking scots just shows you as the xenophobes you are.

Lola0908

24 Jan 15 #95

Comment

Well said :-)

Lola0908

24 Jan 15 #96

Comment

Martini

24 Jan 15 #97

I get 4 items at the same time every 3 months (actually it's every 12 weeks). I pay £58.20 every year (actually 48 weeks). That may give some with items dispensed every 3 months an idea! :sunglasses:

daalphamale

24 Jan 15 #98

i havent read the thread but simular to above im on a repeat and get a three monthy script which was 8.05..just got back from the chemist actually

pasheast

24 Jan 15 2 #99

Years ago I was involved in a research project predicting the future cost of health care in this country. One of the items that caught my eye was the amount spent on prescribed medicines. Now retired, I finally returned to the subject 18 months ago to work on a more sensible way of charging for prescription items.

I found that over £8.8bn was spent by the NHS in England on more than 900 million medicine items prescribed in the community in 2011/12, yet the amount received in prescription charges was just £450 million. The proportion of people who paid for their prescriptions at the point of collection from pharmacies was just 5 per cent.

So, my proposal to the DH was to charge £1 per item to everyone who was currently exempt from paying, together with a special prepayment rate. Charging this relatively small amount would, among other things, have had the affect of discouraging waste and fraud.

The eventual response from the Minister was, 'We have no plans to introduce such a scheme', i.e. it would be too controversial and would be used by Labour as an attack on the poor. And yet, according to my calculations, these proposals would have given the NHS a net £1bn a year extra, a small proportion of which could also have been used to reduced the standard prescription charge to around £5 per item.

Stu C

24 Jan 15 2 #100

I agree that something should be done about some people that go to the GP to obtain low cost items that can be bought in a pharmacy or other shop (of course some prescription-only items are low cost but require a prescription). Maybe a lower charge, for example £1, should be paid by some of the groups that are currently exempt from paying, simply to make them think twice about taking up time of resource of GPs, pharmacists, and the rest of the supporting system.

You are correct that it is wrong to judge people's health simply based on their appearance/presentation, however, as a pharmacist I can say that I have experienced instances of people bringing in a prescription for a single low cost item (less than £1) that does not require a prescription because they are exempt from paying a prescription charge and can get it for free (and they have happily admitted this). This is not the place to get into a deep discussion about economics, and whether some people are too poor to even buy something costing £1; however, I do fear that the NHS will crumble if there is too much take and too little social conscience.

As far as I can make out, no, your national insurance contributions do not pay for the NHS.
https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance/what-national-insurance-is-for

I am struggling to understand the second sentence in your post, however, if you are implying that your taxes contribute to sustaining the NHS but you don't benefit because you are currently healthy, but may benefit you in the future if you do get ill, then yes, this is the case. You are also correct in determining that the NHS is not truly free to those that pay taxes, because you pay taxes, however, this opens a much bigger discussion... would you rather not pay taxes and not have an NHS, police force, fire brigade, etc? You are being very short-sighted if you don't care about supporting these services now because you feel you don't currently need them.

aaarick

24 Jan 15 #101

I have been using this for years. Saves me a fortune over the year. Plus you only pay for 10 months of the year !!!!!!

Dodge62

24 Jan 15 #102

I'd just like to say that I work, pay my taxes and national insurance, and I'm quite happy to pay £8 for prescriptions when I need them. If I needed them more regularly I'd take advantage of this scheme. I also don't begrudge poorer people getting them free. I understand that if everyone got free prescriptions, then the government would need to tax people more or borrow more money (I'm not interested in fantasists who think the government could "cut waste" - don't you think this government would have done so in its increasingly desperate attempts to save money to make up for the tax shortfall caused by their - possibly necessary - austerity policies?)

Baldieman64 to Dodge62

24 Jan 15 1 #117

Are you happy knowing that you are a member of a tiny minority who actually pay for prescriptions and that most of the time, you are paying several times what the drugs actually cost?

yrreb88

24 Jan 15 #103

Yep it does, thats how it works and because statistically you will cost more to the nhs when you are older.

I don't think you fully took into account the points I made. No it's not "free" but in comparison to what you put in and what you'd be paying out for yourself if there was no nhs it might aswell be "free".

We are living longer and people tend to cost the nhs more than we put in which is one of the reason why it struggles. After all it is called insurance, you hope you never need it but you pay it incase you do. That £8.10 could be a tiny fraction of the cost of the drugs/treatment you get. Or should we refuse you treatment because as of yet you might not have paid enough N.I for example?

kimmiebay

24 Jan 15 #104

My mum in her early 50s also has to pay for prescriptions for her Parkinson's Disease. Its a strange loophole in the system. Still thanks for this info OP. Will tell her.

sarabolger2

24 Jan 15 #105

I do the 3 months pre payment, if I work the dates our right I can fit 4 lots in as mine are every 28 days. Works out even cheaper than the 12 months :-)

englishgaz

24 Jan 15 #106

And you think the government would offer the part of the UK that has about 80% of all the UK population a vote on independence? Oh I would love the opportunity for England to finally step up and break the shekels of the UK but the government would never allow it and the majority of the English are to lazy to step up and fight for what's rightfully theirs- a free country.

cb-uk to englishgaz

24 Jan 15 #107

More people want English Independence that you would think - which is probably why UKIP is so successful :smiley:

warren321 to englishgaz

24 Jan 15 #120

the SNP argued that Scottish Independence would not only benefit Scotland but the rest of the UK too. I'm all for English Independence as it is undoubtedly a different place from Scotland. Not sure about Wales and NI though.

Deek43

24 Jan 15 #108

I get the 3 months certificate, my prescriptions come to more than that so its a good saving for me. I order my prescriptions every two months, so only need to buy prepay 3 times a year.

deadly_b16

24 Jan 15 #109

Heat added!!

mocmocamoc

24 Jan 15 #110

My advice is if you have to pay get a receipt on a proper form, then if you need another script within 30 days you can backdate the card and get a refund, I recall having an ear infection and I ended up with about six prescriptions

finicky2

24 Jan 15 #112

My other half has had one of these for years - he's a coeliac and gets a large portion of his bread on it

antenna

24 Jan 15 2 #113

"While they are free in Wales"....................It's Wales whos NHS is in a SHOCKING state...run by Labour!

DudeyGeeza

24 Jan 15 #114

People really ill twice or more per month? I understand people with long term Illnesses but frick me, if ur I'll twice or more per month requiring a prescription drug to help you, then maybe you should look at your diet, exercise more and stop smoking so much weed...

Newbold to DudeyGeeza

24 Jan 15 #121

Most of the people needing 2 or more prescriptions a month aren't getting them because they're ill twice a month. They simply need more than one medication every month for ongoing conditions. It's not that uncommon for people to have upwards of 5 medications every month.

finicky2

24 Jan 15 #116

My other half has had one of these for years - he's a coeliac and gets a large portion of his bread on it

yrreb88

24 Jan 15 #118

You make it sound like the NHS makes a tidy profit on prescriptions and thus completely financially stable. :smirk:

I doubt most people that pay for their prescriptions pay £8.10 for paracetamol, antihistamines etc and 40% is not exactly a tiny minority.

Are you happy knowing you may well receive treatment at some point in your life that will be several times the cost of your contribution? :stuck_out_tongue:

pennijar

24 Jan 15 1 #119

Stu C I am more than happy to pay my taxes and support the NHS, fire brigade etc.
Thank you for the link about what NI pays for, we never stop learning. :smiley:

Qman

24 Jan 15 2 #122

Like some others have found out the 3 monthly certificates may work out cheaper than the annual.

Askrulous to Qman

24 Jan 15 #141

Yes, they are very handy, until your doc (like mine) forces you back onto 2 monthly

ziggy999

24 Jan 15 2 #123

I have a prepayment cert, I need nine prescriptions a month, so it saves me a fortune. Its just a bit annoying that some lifetime conditions qualify for free prescriptions while others don't.

becky0511

24 Jan 15 2 #125

I work in a busy doctors pharmacy we do 400 prescriptions on average a day and only 30/40 maximum of those prescriptions are paying patients!

szippancs to becky0511

24 Jan 15 #130

They are always surprised in the pharmacy when I say I have to pay for my metformin.:smiley:

HereIsNoWhy

24 Jan 15 #126

It's a good price but probably not worth posting on this site considering it's been around this price for years.

aldilidl

24 Jan 15 2 #127

Or move to Scotland. Free for all.

Stu C

24 Jan 15 2 #128

This may be the case in some instances, in which case you are never more than £8.05 out of pocket, if you want to look at it that way, however, this is well compensated by the instances that you save £10, 20, 30 or more on significantly more expensive medicines. However, I would like to point out that your £8.05 outlay typically includes the time and expertise of the GP and pharmacist, other staff, running costs of GP surgery and pharmacy, processing the script through the PPA, etc... You can't get a plumber or electrician for that price!

szippancs

24 Jan 15 #129

haha, do you really think?

doobyduck

24 Jan 15 1 #131

Cheers - I took out one of these a couple of months ago...wish Boots or Dr told me about it years ago as could have saved a fortune!

2324

24 Jan 15 1 #132

I'm not surprised to see people's negative comments after this post. Maybe all the ignorant people who constantly moan about the NHS should educate themselves in health services and systems across the world. In no other country in the entire world do you have a health service that is FREE at the point of use. It is not a God given right for others across the world to turn up at the door of a hospital and expect treatment at no cost but in England this is what we get. People constantly gripe about taxes, but how would the NHS be funded without taxes?? Treatments, care, medicines etc do not grow on trees and continuous moaning about the NHS and its downfalls are built on pure ignorance. I'm not disputing there are problems, but we should be grateful for having such a system. Also, if Scotland have it better then why not move, instead of just spending life complaining. Life is always greener, blah blah...

Before anyone mentions it, YES I am a taxpayer, YES I pay for my prescriptions (approx. £28.00 in the last few weeks), YES I have previous experience of working in the NHS and YES I still make it to work everyday...shocker!! Again, assuming people that work will not need prescriptions is also down to ignorance.

dianneNE

24 Jan 15 #133

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/ukips-official-health-spokesperson-honestly-i-have-no-experience-in-health-whatsoever-9999487.html

helenhugs

24 Jan 15 1 #134

I pay for a 3 month exemption certificate but get 4 months supply meaning I then get an extra month included. It's just down to picking up 1 prescription on the day you start the prepayment card 2 in the middle and another on the day before it expires :-)

Baldieman64

24 Jan 15 #135

And how often is the average person on minimum wage (not me I hasten to add) prescribed "significantly more expensive medicines"?

Fairyfeet1964

24 Jan 15 #136

I have been using this for a few years as kindly recommended by Boots - I have to take anti migraine tablets daily, anti sickness tablets, 2 types of asthma inhalers and eczema cream that's without taking into account anything else that crops up during the year! I don't have to worry about the cost, Boots know me on sight and send me a when my prescription is ready to collect - couldn't be easier :smiley:

dreamsofubuntu

24 Jan 15 #137

I've also got a PPC, I took it out while I was being diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis it's good because as I get at least two medications a month and then obviously occasionally a specific medication might not agree with me or I might require a change and so I don't have to worry potentially about finding £16 or £24 more when that happens...

Newbold

24 Jan 15 #138

Loving the positive comments anout the NHS. The best (and the most efficient, despite all the negativity from UKIP and the Conservatives) health service in the world.

Try getting ill in the US without medical insurance (even if you're a US citizen) and see where you end up. Quite possibly in the mortuary if you're unlucky enough to be ill and poor. I've witnessed it - believe me.

So, next May, vote carefully. Do you really trust the Conservatives with the NHS, considering the damage they've done to it over the last 4 years? Or UKIP - given that Farrage says he wants to privatise it? That doesn't leave a lot of choices, does it? :wink:

illbilly

24 Jan 15 #139

I pay... always wondered why people look at me funny. Being asthmatic though i don't get as much as i should so pit my life in danger. It's a life long disease why do i have to pay?

Fairyfeet1964 to illbilly

24 Jan 15 #142

You would need to work out how often you have your prescription to see if it is worth your while getting a prepayment - I am also asthmatic something I have no control over and have two inhalers for but also have other meds which make it worth my while doing this, with me it was recommended by Boots a fees years ago as I have migraine tablets daily as well and i had a chest infection at the time up until then I had just been paying the fee without knowing. It must have saved me a fortune over the years, as an asthmatic there is a good chance I will get a chest infection at some point in the year and I'm also prone to sinus infections, in fact I have one at the moment although not been to the doctors hoping it will clear up as they sometimes do.

I get what your saying about asthma - In an ideal world I wouldn't have asthma, in an ideal world I wouldn't have to pay for the prescription for a condition I was born with that I have no control over - sadly we don't lve in an ideal world.

99rb

25 Jan 15 2 #143

I'm not English but live in England and pay my UK national taxes the same as every UK citizen. Am I exempt from paying tax for stuff I happen to randomly disagree with? Or are you just peeved that somebody else is getting a good deal while you're being stiffed by your government?

holliej2512

25 Jan 15 #144

overactive is more complex than under.
i have graves but luckily live in scotland

Skymonkey

25 Jan 15 #145

Just signed up for it. Super.

cubed

25 Jan 15 #146

Doesn't anyone ask their Doctor to just add more units to a single prescription thus reducing the amount of prescriptions for the same thing?

stocportcounty

25 Jan 15 #147

if you can time your PPC's better you could make 3 X 3 monthlyPPC's last a year
if you get a prescription every 4 weeks then date the PPC to start when the 1st prescription is dated , you will then get 4 prescriptions from 1 3 month PPC

Spudnuts256

25 Jan 15 #148

Utter Pish.

horizon-in

25 Jan 15 #149

Thanks OP, applied for certificate

yrreb88

25 Jan 15 1 #150

You're missing the point, as mentioned the cost includes several professionals' time as well as potentially the treatment. It's not a case of was I prescribed a medicine that wasn't significantly expensive, it's a case of do I want to be in situation where I am prescribed a significantly more expensive medicine than my contribution? If people are paying £8.10 for paracetamol that's sort of their fault, any GP I've seen has always let me know if I should just go and buy something equivalent cheaper at the chemist.

Perhaps you are implying the NHS makes profit on prescriptions? They really could do with making more if that's the case.

mercslkman

25 Jan 15 #152

i always thought that the free prescription was for the thyroid meds you take and not for all the prescriptions, the reason why i am saying this is because a mate of mine is a epileptic and he gets free prescriptions but only for the epilespsy he has to pay for any others and he works

Baldieman64

25 Jan 15 #153

Strangely, it is you that is missing points by factoring in "the cost includes several professionals' time" to justify a prescription cost that is several times the price of the drugs when the very essence of the NHS is that the consultations with those professionals are free at point of delivery.
In an ideal world, I'd love to see everybody getting free prescriptions but sadly, due to several forms of abuse and fraud, the best solution is a universal nominal charge for prescription medication.

illbilly

25 Jan 15 #154

they had gone up to 23p yesterday when I checked, to counter all the other price cuts. they still haven't learnt.

16p in aldi though.

Besford

25 Jan 15 #155

I'm not peeved (all my prescriptions are 'free' anyway) - just pointing out that nothing is truly free, someone somewhere has to pay.

Andersonsmummy

25 Jan 15 #157

great post op, I didn't even know these exited! i'm a full time working mum and had a bout of illness last week which nearly floored me, after visiting the doctor he advised we needed to hit my sickness 'hard' with a right shopping list of antibiotics, painkillers, throat gargle, ear drops and throat spray. cost me £40 and had to continue working through my sickness as my company do not offer sick pay to support................................... may have to bear this in mind as although i'm not on constant medication, if I had purchased even a 3 monthly cert it would have saved me money.

Newbold to Andersonsmummy

25 Jan 15 #158

If you happen to have the receipts (forms FP57) for those prescriptions, and you buy a PPC (a 3 month one will cost you £29.10) you can claim back the costs.

bevers

25 Jan 15 #159

Don't think we should have to pay for prescriptions! the rest of the British Isles don't so why should England? I personally pay by prepayment monthly, I'm on lifelong drugs , but thyroxin users get all their prescriptions free, it'll be worth moving to Scotland soon, free university and God knows what else they'll be getting in the future.

yrreb88

25 Jan 15 #160

The prescription charge is a contribution to the NHS and is paid to the Department of Health. It is not a payment to the pharmacy nor does it bear any relationship to the cost of the medicine. Basically it's another contribution into the NHS which pays for everything, the service, staff etc so imo I don't think I have missed the point. I think it's a bit unfair to complain that your drugs might not be expensive enough. I can't imagine you would want to be in a situation where you're using hundreds of pounds worth of drugs for something.

Of course free prescriptions would be nice but with the sheer size and cost of the NHS, I don't think it's feasible at the moment. :disappointed: I don't see why people who are exempt for a reason, children, certain medical conditions, elderly etc, should have to start paying.

dhamblin

25 Jan 15 #161

What a load of rubbish! Not everybody cries off working just because they're on prescribed medication. I've been working hard for 20 years and need anything between 5-7 prescriptions a month for asthma & arthritis yet it doesn't stop me from working for a living.

terryking

25 Jan 15 #163

biggest load of BS i ever heard in my life, i have no exemptions and get not a penny from this stupid government and have to pay every time i go to get my gout medicine and any antibiotics that are the usual requirement to kill those nasty flu viruses every seems to have these days. i am on my third course without any real effect, if i was buying electronics i could take it back under warranty so tell me if there is an incentive to get us well or feed us more useless ineffective pills on this prescription charge?

saim11

25 Jan 15 #164

hi
my hubby gets 1 prescription a month so is it best to get this thanks

teeboy1 to saim11

27 Jan 15 #183

1 prescription = £8.05 x 12 months = £96.60
PPC = 10.40 x 10 months for 12 months cover = 104.00

So you are not better off for only one prescription, but if you are likely to get one other prescription in that 12 months then you are better off. Also it is more convenient to just pick up you drugs - show a little card and sign the form than find the money / write a cheque - is the convenience worth £7.40. If you husbands condition occasionally required other drugs to keep in check then it may be worth considering.

terryking

25 Jan 15 #165

ME TOO. The system is being abused and the workers of this country are paying a very high price and working themselves to the grave and dreaming of being elsewhere! If we all left the system would fall apart. as my wife says if we got rid of unemployment benefit and child support the country would be empty in a week!!

yrreb88

25 Jan 15 #166

teeboy1

25 Jan 15 2 #167

However consider this - I have just had open heart surgery, and after a few weeks you just need paracetamol to control the pain - but you take 8 a day. Is it worth getting 100 in a pack from the pharmacy, or trawling round loads of shops to buy 2 packets at each shop because they are controlled?

Before the trolls start - the heart surgery was for a congenital condition, I have a job, I pay higher rate tax - thanks to the NHS I got surgery which would cost $100k+ in the US for "free" and I for one think that paying £10 per month for a PPC is a bloody bargain.

yrreb88

25 Jan 15 #168

In cases like that of course it's worthwhile, I just meant the usual health concerns where you need cheap, readily available things like paracetamol short term.

It's cases like yours too that highlight how much people save when they get treated. It seems to me that some people won't fully appreciate the small costs they pay until they experience expensive treatments like yours to get their money's worth. :confused:

teeboy1

25 Jan 15 #169

But with the facts we have learned from this thread we know that only 10% of people pay for their prescriptions (although I suspect that PPC's are included in those stats a not paid for, as the pharmacy doesn't get any money at the point of transaction).

So even if the drugs only costs pence for the 90% who don't pay then why not get them from the pharmacy - especially if you are picking up other stuff.

Dodge62

25 Jan 15 #170

No, we learned that 10% of prescriptions are paid for, and that 40% of people pay for their prescriptions. Not surprisingly, seriously ill people who get free prescriptions use more of them. It would be interesting to know if people who get free prescriptions for other reasons (such as being on benefits) use more of them than people who pay, but I don't think you'd ever be able to control for all the other factors involved (such as, maybe, poor people having a worse diet).

99rb

25 Jan 15 #171

No what you wrote! You are suggesting that "your group" the English are paying for free Scottish prescriptions.
If the Scottish parliament makes decision on how to spend their scarce resources that's up to them and the formulae decided in the UK parliaments.

You wouldn't be moaning if "us English" had free prescriptions, would you. Maybe redirect your ire towards your useless English MP's.

Ironic you moan about Scotland when their attempt for independence is the closest thing to creating an English parliament in modern times allowing "us English" some ability to vote an American Citizen as their premier :smile:

ray15

25 Jan 15 #172

Actually, the three-month PPC can often be the best value, because if you time it correctly you can get FOUR sets of 28-day prescriptions during the three-month period. Then you leave a gap of about three and a half weeks before applying for another three-month PPC, to make sure that it is valid when you present your next prescription to the pharmacist.

teeboy1 to ray15

27 Jan 15 #184

I am sure that is true, but it is a lot of admin. My annual PPC took nearly 4 weeks to arrive. In those 4 weeks you are covered so you have 2 options:

1 - Tell the pharmacist you are covered and hope they believe you
2 - Pay for your prescription - collect a receipt and claim you prescription fee back from the PPC people

Luckily option 1 worked for me.

Clearly my HotUKDeals credentials are poor as I would find the regular 3 month PPCs too much hassle

frag

25 Jan 15 #173

I'm glad I live in Scotland we don't have to pay for any.
It's great to have a government that cares for its people instead of filling its pockets.
In England, why don't you vote for one also instead of those Labour and Tory millionaires?

declannn

25 Jan 15 #174

move to scotland . free for all

dhamblin

25 Jan 15 #175

dhamblin

25 Jan 15 #176

Hear, hear, that man! For a long time I was on a painkiller for my arthritis that I had to take alongside paracetamol to enable it to work to its best effect - I didn't get the paracetamol on prescription; instead, as you can only legally buy 32 tablets at a time, I was trawling around town going from shop to shop buying paracetamol. It was a right pain in the ****.

Besford to dhamblin

25 Jan 15 #177

You can buy larger quantities at a pharmacy. The rules are there to reduce the number of people killing themselves.

pig69er

26 Jan 15 #178

cold, i get them for free. thanks HMRC :sunglasses:.

terryking

26 Jan 15 #179

You get healthcare for practically free. If you don't get any benefits then you are lucky enough to have a decent wage. Gout can keep reoccurring so you will be given medicine to help prevent it and been advised to make some lifestyle changes if necessary. Antibiotics will have no affect on flu viruses so I'm not sure why you've been given them unless it isn't flu of course.
The NHS isn't incentivised or making profit from prescription charges, I'm sure it'd be in a lot better state if it did, and to state that they're giving you useless treatments to essentially make money off you is absurd. What a ridiculous claim. Not really sure how people who are unemployed can move to another country with no money and I can only assume you've been fortunate enough to never have been unemployed. Everybody is entitled to child benefit, you can't begrudge workers who have a family.[
YOU REALLY BELIEVE THE PILL MAKERS ARE MAKING THE PILLS STRONGER TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE HA HA THE PILL MAKERS ARE IN IT FOR MONEY NOT TO MAKE US WELL. IN THE MEANTIME WE ARE PAYING FOR PRESCRIPTIONS AT A RATE THAT PAYS FOR THE MANY THAT DO NOT PAY AT ALL IN A LONG QUEUE,. THAT'S JUST HOW IT IS. YEARS AGO PILLS WORKED NOW THEY ARE TESTED TO LEVEL OF SAFETY THAT THEY ARE SAFE TO USE ON A NEW BORN AND ARE SO WEAK THE COULDN'T PULL THE SKIN OFF A RICE PUDDING!!!
I HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING TRAVELED TO MANY COUNTRIES AND THE PILLS THERE WORK AS THEY ARE JUST STRONGER. IF YOU THINK OTHER WAY YOU ARE JUST BEING NAIVE.

dhamblin

26 Jan 15 #180

Most pointless & ridiculous law in existence - in just 5 minutes in the smallest of towns I can buy 'my 2 packets' in at least 8 shops. Reducing the numbers of people killing themselves, my ****. If anyone is serious about doing it that law is circumvented in 5 minutes & requires minimal brainpower.

yrreb88

26 Jan 15 #181

I think you are the most naive person if you think that the pill makers only make pills in this country. The same pill makers are global companies that will probably make pills you have had in other countries. Why on earth you think some countries have pill makers that aren't out to make profit and thus subject to this wild accusation is beyond me.

If they don't work, don't go to your GP. I'm sure we'd all be dying of common easily treatable diseases if they didn't work. If they didn't work we wouldn't use them, where's the profit in that? Where is the evidence that they don't work and/or diluted?

All businesses exist to make money and whilst I'm not defending these companies as I know they have questionable practices sometimes, how can you just accuse the NHS and their pill makers of this? Are the oil companies are watering down the oil to make billions? The energy companies are giving us dilute fuel and weaker electric so our devices just about switch on?

If you think the prescription charge covers people who don't pay then that's ridiculous. The majority of which are the elderly, children and low income earners. The charge is a small price to pay if you are in a position to do so, e.g. you could pay £8.05 for a drug costing £200 per dose. Do you think we paying for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland too?

I've read many of the Big Pharma theories but I have never heard one where it applies to this country only and specifically the NHS. Caps lock for truth doesn't work either. :wink:

Besford

26 Jan 15 #182

Inclined to agree but, apparently, it has reduced the number of deaths by overdose. Maybe because large quantities are less likely to be available for an accidental overdose?

simes

27 Jan 15 #185

Just bought a PPC over the counter at Boots pharmacy.
You don't get it straight away - you basically just fill in the form, pay and then they send the form off with your payment receipt. They give copies of the form and receipt so you can prove you have a PPC and not have to pay for any prescriptions until your actual PPC card arrives in the post.
Saves messing with refunds if you need prescriptions now.

Its annoying that i have to pay for my 17 yr old daughters prescriptions though when she has no income . If you are under 18 and not in full time education you cannot claim benefits - so no free prescriptions. Strangely you get free dental treatment until you are 18 but not prescriptions.

dhamblin

27 Jan 15 #186

Call me cynical but has it reduced the numbers of deaths by overdose or have figures been manipulated to justify such a pointless law? Of course even if it has reduced deaths by overdose, there's nothing to say it hasn't increased deaths by other means. I'm not belittling suicide at all, I've sadly been touched by a few now & if there's one thing I've learned by now it's that if someone really wants to kill themselves, they will do it regardless.

Besford

27 Jan 15 #187

I claim no special knowledge though I am married to a pharmacist.
I think the theory is that if there are not so many paracetamol around as they haven't been bought in bulk then there is a lower chance of someone taking a fatal overdose 'on the spur of the moment' or, indeed, by accident. Of course it wouldn't stop a pre-planned suicide though death by paracetamol is particularly protracted and horrible (destroys liver function) so anyone who understands this may choose an altogether different method.

Bargainhuntersupreme

27 Jan 15 #188

I live in Wales. In the 16 years I've lived here I have NEVER been given a prescription from the doctor so have NEVER used the free services available in Wales. When I lived in Mid Wales I went to the doctor 4 times in 14 years, NEVER had to wait longer than 24 hours for an appointment. In past 2 years of living in South Wales the horror stories I hear would make you cringe - patients having to wait 2 weeks for an appointment. Those needing same-day appointments queuing from 6am in all weathers to be seen when the surgery opens at 9am, those arriving at 9am not being seen until after lunch. I see people EVERY day collecting prescriptions that require a carrier bag as they have so many drugs on repeat and the majority of these ARE on benefits/elderly/chronically ill.
Now my sister-in-law lives in England and gets her prescriptions free as she is registered disabled. She recently asked me to take some unused medicines back to the pharmacy for her - these 'unused' medications filled 4 black bin bags!!! and must have cost the NHS/taxpayer £1000's. I'm not sure who's to blame, or where the fairness is but something somewhere has to be done to get the NHS back on track.

Saver12

19 Feb 15 #189

Since PPC costs were frozen for 2 years in 2014, there is not going to be any increase in 2015. So theoretically you can buy PPC for three months at 29.10 and yearly one at 104 till 10 Mar 2016 (going by the announcement date for last hike). But there is no cap on single prescriptions so they may rise again as mentioned in the original post.

frizzyhead

6 Aug 15 #190

really worth it, I have been using this for a few years now and makes it much cheaper, without it I would be paying nearly 50 quid a month

Newbold

7 Aug 15 #191

Still valid, and still a big potential saver - I've updated the figures in the original post. :smiley:

anthea

13 Dec 15 #192

This country is broken no longer great but still better then some .

Murdoch69

18 Dec 16 #193

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