Devolution=discrimination?

[jgs]

If you're under 25 and Welsh, prescriptions are free. If you're under 25 and English, they cost �6-50.

I've just paid �13-00 over the last 2 weeks for antibiotics because I live in England.

Is this racial discrimination?

Unlike Scotland and Wales, England doesn't have it's own Parliament/ Assembly. England is the only 'nation' in the UK and EU without a Parliament.

Is this lack of specific political representation a breach of my human rights?

[jgs]

Jan-Bug....go for your life, it's all good.

Romaz....Tony Blair, Gordon Brown et all are the UK govt. They sit in the UK Parliament. It's the UK Parliament which legislates for, amongst other things, English domestic issues. The Welsh Assembly for Welsh domestic issues. The Scottish Parliament for Scottish domestic issues. Do you see the anomaly?

I agree with Buenchico that the prescription question can't be considered racial discrimination. But surely it is discriminatory. Why one rule for one, and one rule for another? The Scots agree....they recently lobbied the Scottish Parliament to scrap the charges. Good for them. Sadly the English don't have anyone to specifically look after their interests, only the UK Parliament.

I'm still interested to know whether this lack of representation could be considered a breach of my human rights...(I'm not trying to be clever btw, it's just a question that has ocurred to me and I thought that one of you bright things would have an idea!)

Rogerthomas...I must admit I have no idea how the Assembly is regarded in Wales, doesn't sound like you're a fan. I know that politicians are generally cr*p and the less the better, but I would at least like to be given the opportunity to decide if I want a National Parliament or regional assemblies...

Thanks for all your comments....peace, love and England for 6 Nations victory....!! :-)

[Drisgirl]

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are also Scottish so is Sir MIng who is currently deputising for Lib Dems.

Not bad for a nation less than a tenth of the population of England.

I always put my nationality as Scottish and have never been challenged.

I know jgs that wasnt your original post but it did diversify.

At the end of the day most people in the UK pay NI contributions and as such should be treated the same.I wasnt aware of a postcode lottery for scripts - utter nonsense!

[rogerthomas]

JGS - In October 2004, I think, the voters of the North East of England were asked if they wanted a directly elected regional assembly. 78% voted NO, 22% voted YES.

Says it all really. The people do not want extra, expensive and mostly superfluous layers of government.

[january_bug]

jgs - I thinkn the problem lies in the fact that discrimination has to be on the grounds of something. This has to be something you are deemeds unable to change... e.g., race, sex, age. Where you live is something that you can chage. It would be weak logic, but one could say that by your argument, we are discriminating against US citizens by having a free health service that we do not allow them to use. (Obviously a weak argument because you were looking at places goverened by the same parliament!).

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that, if on reflection, life for you in England and life for you in Wales would be EXACTLY as fulfilling, EXCEPT for the prescription charges, then, you should move to Wales (if the savings you would make on prescriptions would, in the long run, counter the actual cost of moving). It is sometihng you CAN change, ergo, it is not discrimination.

However, I agree that it seems totally unfair! If I lived in Wales I'd have another 2 years of free prescriptions to go!

On a practical note, if you are collecting a lot of prescriptions, you can get money off for frequent purchases... I couldn't quickly find a link, but ask your pharmacist! :-)

[Whickerman]

Try living in Ireland - health care's only free if you're on the dole or over 70.

My doctor charges �50 a visit - about �32 - and filling prescriptions at the chemist costs anythin from about �20 to �100s and you've no choice.

Please stop whinging about �6.50 a go - you have it easy

[Drisgirl]

Whickerman - that is atrocious - I had no idea.Even although you are not part of the UK do you not have an equivalent National Insurance Contribution system?

I assume you are not charged for hospital treatment or are you?I am interested in particular as my husband works there and pays his taxes etc.Would he have to take a private plan out?

[Whickerman]

If you turn up at A&E without paying your �50 doctor's fee for a referral, it's a �60 charge.

There's a fee for xrays, medication,and staying in overnight. And every hospital treats Private and Public patients. About half the population has medical insurance- a necessity if you want to get real treatment

[Drisgirl]

Thanks for that whickerman - we dont know we're born really.

[january_bug]

Wickerman - I appreciate that paying to go to the Doctor must seem harsh, but we do pay for the NHS too - it's called tax. :-p And if you still pay higher taxes than us, I can only assume that you have better public services in other places (smaller class sizes perhaps?).

People generally - come on! :-) You KNOW we pay for our medical care, there's no such thing as a free lunch - especially in the UK!

Also - I have to say I thought the question wasn't about the price of a prescription, but about the differences in the rules around the UK, hence all the talk of prescriptions.

[Whickerman]

Unfortunately we pay tax, and prsi (national insurance) too. Our services are sorely lacking, but we're not exactly third world! It's simple as this. The population in Ireland is the same as Manchester's, but spread out over the whole country. It's impossible to have top class facilities for every region, unfortunately - the money just isn't there.

BUT - for Drisgirl - if you're a native of any other EU country, you get free healthcare in any other EU country as long as you have your E111 card - make sure your hubby has his!

[Drisgirl]

He's got that whickerman - checked with him last night.I appreciate a different insight Thanks.

jan-bug - what can I say, in with both feet.Can you imagine the furore here if we had to pay Tax,NI and Healthcare costs on top.I checked mu husbands payslips and he pays probably more than what we pay here so whickerman had a perfectly valid point and he is quite right to give his learned (spoken in the legal parliance) opinion in stating that if all we have to complain about are prescription charges we are lucky.At least we can get as far as the GP without putting our hands in our pocket.You also know that Q's often go off the beaten track so there was no need to pick him up.

Good to see you are on top form again though.Good to see you back - I can only speak for myself though - there are a few new names who havent had the pleasure:)

[january_bug]

All I was trying to say is that people always seem to think that they're worse off. We all like to think we're worse off! People seem intent on believe that the grass is not only greener on the other side, but that on their own side, there isn't even any grass left any more!

Whickerman actually added to my argument beautifully with the fact I certainly didn't know before (so thank you!) that Ireland and Manchester have the same population. Therein lies part of the answer. The COST of bringing services to people when they are spread out is VAST - it add SO MUCH to the fixed costs. Easy example, say the ideal was that no-one had to travel more than 10 miles to go to their GP Surgery. In Manchester that might mean only needing 50 GPs surgeries, but in Ireland that could mean 500+. Same number of GPs, but more buildings, so more fixed costs. THAT'S one of the reasons why Whickerman has to pay to see the GP, and citizens of Manchester don't.

It's all just maths really.

That still doesn't stop it seeming unfair, and I totally agree that if I were Irish I'd be bloomin miffed at paying as high/higher taxes than the English and STILL having to pay to see the GP.

Drisgirl - Not sure why the need for the legal dig, but I'm sorry I offended you. It's not that I have anything less that the greatest of respect of Whickerman's views, I just personally didn't agree with his line of argument, so I expressed that. If I thought that there was no logical reason why healthcare in Ireland was more expensive than over here, and if I GENUINELY agreed that jgs' ONLY worry in the world was prescription fees, then I would have wholeheartedly agreed with Whickerman. I wasn't disagreeing just to be awkward. Seriously.

[Drisgirl]

jan-bug - ever heard of the expression tonque in cheek?

Just chill - it was only light-hearted:)

[january_bug]

Ok hun! No worries :-) (Just so you know though, I do get quite sensitive about people making jibes about my law degree. There's a lot of people on this site, no - there are a FEW people actually - who seem to have a "it's not cool to be well-educated" mentality. I therefore have decided it's time to play it a bit more thick in the hope of avoiding the jibes. Just online mind... not gonna take such a weak attitude in real life!! lol)