Help Get FREE pescritions for Ashtma Sufferes

[ChristopherPearson]

petition.parliament.uk/peti...

[vrchad]

Done!

[WHOA]

We have a mechanism here in the UK for free prescriptions. If you are in full time education, low income or pensioner you don't have to pay. If you are in full time employment and have to have a lot of prescriptions you can buy a season ticket. The's are the rules.

[Holly89 in reply to WHOA]

Unfortunalty it only covers students aged 18 and under. University students have to pay because most don't have a low enough 'income' to qualify. :/

[WHOA in reply to Holly89]

Sorry buy a 12 month prescription for 104 pounds and this means that all your prescriptions are 2 pounds per week. 2 pound on your health is cheap. Think USA and then you should respect the NHS.

[Holly89 in reply to WHOA]

i didnt say i dont respect the NHS, we are very fortunate to have such a service. I was purely pointing out the fact that prescriptions are only free if you are 18 or under and in full time education.

[WHOA in reply to Holly89]

It was like this since I was at univerity in 1990 and I needed prescription's. Sorry the fact of life is that you are now independent in the eyes of government. You have to stand on your own feet as your now an adult. 2 pounds is nothing per week It's your health. And cheaper than a pint at the student bar.

[Steven9818]

There is more chance of me finding a cure for asthma than this ever happening. The NHS spends approximately £1 billion per year on inhalers dispensing approximately 16 million inhalers per month. Nice sentiment but it will never happen.

[Asthma-girl]

Done

[Minushabens]

Never say never when it comes to Government. Remember a high proportion of that £1bn will be for kids, some for pensioners & others that get free prescriptions. Also, any lobby strong enough can press for change.

Prescription charges, including season tickets, are a tax on illness; exacerbated when that illness is chronic. Change only happens though when people demand it, so don't ever just think "them's the rules".

[Steven9818 in reply to Minushabens]

People with chronic disease take far more out of the NHS than they ever pay in taxes. If you think you can get a better deal elsewhere then in our democratic society you are welcome to try the alternatives

[Minushabens in reply to Steven9818]

The alternatives being?

You seem to be saying that rather than exercising a right to free speech, a right which is of course part of our democratic system, that I should leave it. I look forward to you running through what the alternatives are.

Oh and by the way; the NI system is not a billing system. That's what private health is. It is an insurance system in which many people with chronic illnesses get free prescriptions. The argument is that asthma should be included on that list. I agree with said argument.

[Steven9818 in reply to Minushabens]

In a perfect system all chronic diseases would receive free medication but we do not have a perfect system and healthcare needs paying for. I suspect that the vast majority of those who cannot afford their prescriptions have some form of exemption anyway (Students, U18's, over 65's). What would you suggest the NHS stops funding to pay for free inhalers? An alternative is to go private and see if you can get it any cheaper.

[Minushabens in reply to Steven9818]

Students don't get free prescriptions automatically. I know, because I recently was made redundant & have returned to education. The season ticket payment is a genuine burden I could do without.

Your alternative suggestion is a false dichotomy. You have presented your alternative for me based on a false binary analysis of the options. "If you don't like paying, go somewhere where you will pay more for everything...except for prescriptions which will be exactly the same".

[Treecutter in reply to Minushabens]

I am fortunate enough to live in Scotland where prescriptions are free. If I lived south of the border it would cost me over £50 per month for the medicines I have been prescribed. It simply requires the political will and a change of priorities to make them free of charge, and that is what the Scottish Government have done.

[Steven9818]

Prescription cost is a fixed price. Your choices are pay the £8.40 per item, get a 12 months pre payment certificate (very good value) or source them privately (which will definitely be more expensive). As I have said, it is not a perfect system and if respiratory patients (of which there are over 8 million in the UK) get free inhalers what health budget should the NHS cut to fund this?

[Hidden]

I'm afraid the reality is that if Asthmatics were given free prescriptions an already cash strapped NHS would probably go bankrupt. Bear in mind we are not just talking about asthma medication, but all other medications an asthmatic might need for other, sometimes completely unconnected, illnesses.

Minushabens, of course anyone can lobby for change, but even a very strong lobby will fail if what they are demanding is just not feasible or will cause more problems than it solves.