Unfair rights to breath

action.asthma.org.uk/page/3...

It is unfair that people with asthma and COPD has to pay. Please sign this and change the rules for us and other people who might have it

[elanaoali]

Signed

[Riddickfan]

I do agree, but what concerns me is if it becomes free then the NHS will only offer the cheaper generic meds for asthma. That's a bad situation.

[Hidden in reply to Riddickfan]

Not necessarily. We just have to wait and see what happens.

[Riddickfan in reply to Hidden]

In a cash strapped NHS, that will almost certainly happen.

[Hidden in reply to Riddickfan]

As I said get to wait and see

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Camilla22, I agree it’s frustrating that Asthmatics and COPD sufferers are not eligible for free prescriptions (unless they have another condition that does warrant them), but the reality is the NHS cannot afford it. There are 5 million asthmatics in the U.K. and excemption certificates cover all medications, not just the medication for the life threatening condition.

The choice as to which conditions are eligible for excemption certificates is outdated and completely unfair. A better solution to my mind would be to scrap excemption certificates altogether (except for under eighteens, pensioners and those on benefits) and make pre-payment certificates far more widely known about. It still shocks me that some people diagnosed with asthma are not told about pre-payment certificates the moment they are diagnosed with the condition.

[elanaoali in reply to Hidden]

I agree people need to know about the prepayment card! I have two long term health condition. I had one health condition then my asthma got worse 3 years ago. Add two conditions going along with asthma. Lots and lots of medication but not broke!

[Newproblems in reply to Hidden]

I agree about the pre-payment certificate. A doctor's receptionist told me about it. I gather that only about 10% of medication is paid by the patient. Even then it is obviously subsidised. Maybe all should be free? However, the NHS will pack up altogether if too many demands are made on it. it is more likely that they will make more people pay, maybe for missed appointments as dentists do or something similar.

[Newproblems in reply to Newproblems]

What I meant was that only 10% of people pay for medicines.

[MELNEL]

Done 😁

[starveycat]

There have been many petitions on this subject in the past good luck

[hypercat54]

Signed. x

[hypercat54]

You don't pay if you take levythroxine, or diabetes medicines so it is very unfair you have to pay for asthma meds!

Oh and Maggie it's only us in England who have to pay for prescriptions. Scotland, Wales, and NI get theirs free so that would cut the number down quite a lot from 5 million. Maybe if they did pay the NHS would be able to make all asthma meds free no matter where you live. x

[Hidden in reply to hypercat54]

Yes I know it’s only us in England that have to pay for prescriptions, but the population figures for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are tiny compared to England where over 80% of the U.K. population live. Of the five million plus asthmatics in the U.K. around 4.5 million of them are in England (according to the AsthmaUK website page on statistics).

The big problem with excemption certificates (other than the fact they are outdated and unfair) is that they cover all the medicational needs for those who have them. The reasoning for that is where do you draw the line, given that so many medical problems suffered by people on them can be put down to being the result of having the condition even if not caused directly by it? That’s going to make them fairly costly as far as NHS finances are concerned and another 4.5 million people in England having them is going to make it impossible to afford.

There is also, of course, the issue of correct diagnosis; as far as I’m aware there still is not a one hundred percent reliable test for asthma.

[hypercat54 in reply to Hidden]

But even if there was more money it wouldn't be spent on asthmastics or anyone with lung problems. Compared to the cancers and heart attacks there is much less spent on lung disease which is totally wrong. The will isn't there unfortunately.

I don't wish to be political but if all the big companies ie Starbucks, Amazon, Google and private very rich individuals - Jimmy Carr, Gary Barlow, Wayne Rooney and countless others were made to pay their full taxes then around 120 billion pounds a year wouldn't be lost. Some of this money could be pumped into the NHS. x

[Hidden in reply to hypercat54]

I agree completely that asthma seems to be pushed to the back of the queue far too often, but trying to push for free prescriptions isn’t going to work - least of all when there is no reliable way of testing for the condition. How many people out there diagnosed with asthma need nothing more than a blue reliever inhaler? Yet they would also be eligible for free prescriptions if this went through.

Personally, I wish AsthmaUK would push as hard for more attainable goals - such as it being compulsory for all prescribed inhalers to have counting devices (ventolin evohalers not having them is asking for trouble). Or how about pushing for asthmatics being kept on the medication that suits them, rather than being forced onto a cheaper alternative (though admitted, doctors do seem to have wised up to the fact that doing so can sometimes end up more costly than leaving the patient on the medication that suited him/her). Asthma’s a very common condition these days, so how come so many doctors and nurses still seem to get it wrong? How about pushing for better training for all healthcare professionals.

Just a few thoughts.

[starveycat]

Just a thought a man thought it was unfair for women to retire at 60 but men had to work till 65 so he got it through parliament and instead if men retiring at 60 everyone retires at 65 .

Government us sneaky so they will agree it's unfair but then will everyone pay for their prescriptions including those who are now exempt

[Hidden in reply to starveycat]

I am exempt and I don't pay anything. If I was not fully covered then I would gladly pay extra bit

[Norfolkmummy]

Signed and shared on fb!

[Hidden]

Pay for what to whom?

[Spikedog66]

I have a pre payment card £10.40 a month and grateful for it as I would have to choose which medications I could afford to have even though I need them all, something would have to give at nearly £10 an item. I would probably not be here without my card. We can argue till we are blue what is right and wrong I personally think Scotland and Wales should contribute to prescriptions, dental and higher education which I'm under the impression are free, you can shoot me if not!!!! Thyroxine is also free aswell as diabetes meds but I have enough ailments thanks so will do without them added to list and keep paying for my card😊 ps it will probably go up in April. Also had to retire early due to ill health at 55 but don't get my state pension till 67😊

[Kevinking]

Signed . Thankyou for sharing