Advice re. free prescriptions

[scruffybabe]

Hi,

Would really appreciate some advice. I want to apply for free prescriptions, was diagnosed with fibro August 2012 and i also have a bowel condition. The form has to be filled in by either your GP or a hospital consultant. I do not want my GP to have the form as he has been a complete nightmare and has already told me that i cannot get free prescriptions even though i cannot go out anywhere without my husband (i use a wheelchair and he has to push it) or i do not go out at all. Would I be able to send the form to my consultant at the hospital who treats me for the bowel condition. He knows i have fibro and has seen how much pain i am in with it.

Some advice about this would be very helpful as i have the form, i would like to know what to do.

My best wishes to you all.

XXXXXXX

[LindseyMid]

I would call your consultant's secretary and ask them.

[scruffybabe in reply to LindseyMid]

thank you for your advice, i will phone the consultants secretery tomorrow.

take care.

xxxxxx

[Devonlady]

Free prescriptions are based on what condition you have or your benefit status. Firstly I would ask citizens advise then call the consultants secretary x

[fairycazzie]

hi

as above comments.

it does depend on your condition to be exempt from px charges, so best the more you have on your medical history and the back up you have then try the consultants secretary,

Unless there is another Gp you can see and also if your Dr is a nightmare you can request another or go to another surgery.

take care caroline xxxx

[scruffybabe in reply to fairycazzie]

thank you for all of your advice, i have spoken to the GP practice manager as i wanted to change to a different doctor at the same practice, was told that he was full and taking no more patients, its been hard to find another GP surgery, we live in a very rural and remote location and not much chioce of GP's. Have contacted some that seem nice, told that we are living out of their catchment area and so they cannot take me. I will phone the consultants secretery tomorrow. Thank you all so much for your help.

best wishes.

XXXXXXXX

[honey25]

hi

you have to fill in a form and if you have one of about 10 conditions listed then you will qualify unless you are on certain benefits, these coditions include things like epilepsy,insulin dependant diabetes and thyroid problems among others cant remember off top of my head but you can get all the info needed by googling it. hope that helps

take care xxx

[honey25]

i have a med Ex card for thyroid problems xxx

[scruffybabe]

I have just filled in the form and my husband is posting it to my consultant at the hospital, addressed it to my consultants secretery as consultant only at this hospital on tuesdays afternoons.

xxxx

[fibro]

i was chatting to my orthopaedic consultant's secretary the other day, unrelated to prescriptions, but it was about forms though and she told me their normal practice is to return the form to the sender suggesting they contact the GP as the GP holds the overall medical condition of the patient whereas a consultant will only have records of the condition they are treating them for, and wouldnt want to sign any medical forms…only if it related solely to that condition…..sorry my reply isnt a great one, but only passing on what I was told this week xxx

[scruffybabe]

Hi,

My consultant knows about my fibro and he has it all written in my notes - he was the first doctor i told about my pains, when i went for my bowel problem last year he could see that i could'nt walk and was in pain, i had loads of blood tests and he told me to contact my GP straight away.

My consultant is very nice - supose its like GPs, some are more understanding than others.

XXXXX

[Purple-haze]

Hello scruffybabe I would certainly get in contact with your consultant and ask if they don't mind giving you confirmation of your conditions and if they say yes you should send them a copy of the form just so you have a spare. Let me know how you get on.