Nhs To Ration Drugs Available Over The Counter

[lindapalmara]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5133403/Patients-not-able-painkillers-NHS.html

At last some common sense! I know some on this site will scream "free everything, cradle to grave" but let's do something about the wasteful prescribing. My 97 year ld Mother was prescribed Paracetamol and was very upset that she had been buying these for sometime from Tesco for 19p a pack. The NHS also provided equipment for her to keep her in her home but she was a proud woman and kept telling me she can pay for it, and her own care. After she died it was very difficult to arrange collection for this equipment, which included a hospital vibration bed worth £1,000. I wrot a letter to the local newspaper and they suddenly collected the equipment. I have NHS hearing aids and can obtain batteries free but I buy my own. Every little helps! There is huge waste in the NHS. I went to see Margaret Hodge at a Literature Festival a couple of years ago and she was Chair of the Finance Select Committee (Labour MP) and she railed at the NHS incompetence and waste.

[dannyk13]

I also agree with this decision,having looked at a list of the drugs in the newspaper, most of them, if not all, are much cheaper than the cost of a prescription.

[woofgang]

Provided that they really are available for purchase in the quantities needed without pharmacists getting awkward about it.

[lindapalmara]

Definitely Danny.

[emmie]

i couldn't do without the medication that's prescribed. I don't think any of it can be bought over the counter in Boots.

[dannyk13]

Emmie, it only applies to drugs that can be bought over the counter,

[emmie]

ok

[Mamyalynne]

I agree with Woofgang's point, if your GP agrees you need the medication at a reasonable dose for what ails you, then you should be able to purchase more than 2 days supply without an inquisition.

Other than that it's a sensible move.

[emmie]

agree there is a lot of waste in the NHS.

[ummmm]

It works both ways. I've been prescribed a vitamin tablet at £8.60 per month under it's medical name. After googling I found I could buy it OTC for less than £1.50. I wonder how many people are paying for prescriptions without being informed they can get them cheaper elsewhere.

[Oiverbotel]

I too buy my own batteries...and I buy my own paracetamol. You have made an excellent observation. Sadly, what you've shared is far worse than what you've shared.

I do volunteer work and I cannot tell you how many of the old dears are guilty of repeatedly ticking virtually every single prescription on their list for repeat, regardless of whether they need them or not.

About 8 months ago, one old dear who passed away, leaving me with the sadness, disgust, and amazement of emptying her sad little flat had a cupboard containing over 122 boxes of a anti-hypertensive medication. Many of the boxes had already expired, making it impossible for the chemist to accept them back for donation. (I did find a group outside of the UK who were grateful for them, but that's not the point.)
Yes, we have a serious problem and it's getting worse. Personally, I've always endorsed the idea of imposing a fee for any doctor appointments missed, due to failure to cancel in advance. I'd endorse allowing one or two 'boo boo's ' each year, but this chronic failure to appear nonsense is beyond the pale.
Well done you for bring up the issue. And just as an aside, whilst I can't deliver a bed back into the system, this year I think I've surreptitiously dropped off eight zimmer frames at our local hospital.
I find it's much easier to live by the adage "it is much easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission!"
Perhaps if enough of us spoke to our MP's, someone would table some of these simple ideas to help effect change.
But for now....well done you!

Ollie+

[Islay]

I get my vitamins and minerals on prescription and will continue to do so as it’s necessary for me.

[dannyk13]

Islay- How will you do that if your drugs are on the list?

[Islay]

Because I don’t live in England or Wales

[woofgang]

ollie I wasn't aware that chemists would accept items back for donation? The last time I tried, I was told that drugs that had left the pharmacy could only be disposed of even if still in date and sealed.

[Islay]

Also it’s going on about routine medication, prescription strength vitamins are not routine

[woofgang]

mamya maybe the answer is some kind of quasi "private prescription" where the doctor says how much med the person needs per month and this entitles the patient to buy that amount without getting the 3rd degree in the pharmacy? Otherwise I foresee problems.....

[Mamyalynne]

That makes sense, yes.

[horselady]

My prescriptions are free as I am older, my doctor added paracetamol tablets to my blood pressure meds when I mentioned my arthritis was playing up. He looked astonished when I said that was silly as I can get them for less than £1 in the shop.

[ummmm]

The paracetamol I have 500mg 16 capsules were 25p

[mikey4444]

I have never seen the sense in things like paracetamol being available on prescription, when it can be bought for less than a pound in any supermarket....same with aspirin and Ibuprofen.