Prescriptions.

Why do we have to pay for our prescriptions when we have a chronic disease which means we have to take Urso for the rest of our lives, yet if we had diabetes we would not have to pay?

[Neata]

I was told last year by a research sister at the QE that even after transplant you would have to pay for prescriptions, my consultant checks thyroid and diabetes every 6months" just in case "as he says . I do have a pre payment prescription and pay £10 or so a month for it . Was a tad annoyed that I have to pay twice in march as they missed it

I do remember not so long ago the health minister saying he had no intention of adding anything else to the list

Neata

[tinapro]

I agree I think if we need to take something for the rest of our lives it should be at no cost. Where are those able to get diabetic prescriptions at no cost? I wish my Mom could get her diabetic prescriptions free that would free up some money so she could afford to purchase healthy food and eat properly.

[nannan in reply to tinapro]

Have you double checked that your mum can't have free prescritions I am type 1 so don't pay but it was my understanding that all diabetics who were on drugs that control blood sugars should be free - I might be wrong

[Hidden]

Hi there, as far as I'm aware you have to pay for diabetic prescriptions. When I had cancer a few years ago, I had to pay for prescriptions! I think all prescriptions should be free for everyone, the government gets enough money via taxes off us, why should areas like Scotland and Wales not have to pay, whilst in England we do, just not fair we all live on the same island! Sorry for ranting but this is a sore point with me. ??

[sjr1]

I have had problems with repreat prescriptions with my GP , he would only give me 1 month at a time , for vit D & urso . So had to pay £15 amonth for them , i spoke to my specialist about this as we have to take this for life !!!! And he gives me a perscription now for 3 months supply , which helps us out a great deal !!!! Yes we should get them for free as its a condition which cannot be cured , maybe have a word with your specialist about 3 month scripts !!!!

[Hidden]

Hello.

Well if you are fortunate enough to live in Wales,Scotland or part of Ireland (think Northern) then prescriptions are now free unlike England!

I've always had to pay for my prescriptions but hardly had any until I was diagnosed with PBC Dec 2010. It does annoy me somewhat as my first late husband struggled at times to keep on going to work daily (he died 2 days after going off sick in 1993), we weren't on much more than at the time something called FIS (family income supplement) as we kept applying for it at intervals to see if we could qualify as that would have meant my husband would have qualified for free scripts. We were always a pound or two over the cut-off so had to keep on paying for the scripts for inhalers for asthma which started to get worse.

The difference between someone getting free items for diabetes (my son-in-law is insulin-dependent) and also thyroxine is free too, is that I think it is because they are deemed drugs that one cannot do without to get by.

This is where that grey area comes into it. With urso my reckoning is that we can go a day and more without it as with PBC there is just no way of knowing how we are eventually going to be. If one was to withdraw insulin to a diabetic odds on that person would probably end up comatose as it is needed frequently.

I was only thinking of this yesterday myself when my daughter said prescriptions are going up here next month (hence I picked up my script this week to avoid this April hike on mine). It is about time here for the Dept of Health to draw up a list of prescription meds that are deemed to be needed for anyone and of which are given out without that person paying for them. But I can't somehow see that happening as with a lot of things, sense rarely prevails does it. Irritating thing is that people who aren't claiming any benefits (like me) have to pay, same for dentists, etc. I could go on but I won't!

[Hidden]

I get about 8 prescriptions a month, but i get them free however as i am on thyroxine. Before i was diagnosed with this however, i got a NHS prepayment card, which meant that i only paid £10.40 a month for all my prescriptions by direct debit - you just pick up a form from your pharmacy. I never minded paying before however, i know that many of our meds cost £100's of pounds per month, and we only actually pay nominal cost. I would swop my free meds anyday for £10.40 and not having hypothyroidism, on top of all my other problems its horrible.

[Hidden]

Hi Inkedup, my question was not meant to be disrespectful to anyone with diabetes etc who get their scripts free, it was posed to highlight the anomaly of the NHS prescription system in that some people are free and in other areas of the UK scripts are free. Sorry if I caused offence to anyone, this would never be my intention.

[Hidden]

Sorry, just read this back, it should read, some people pay and in other areas of the UK scripts are free, I think that all people with chronic disease should be accommodated.

[Hidden]

No offence taken at all Donkey! I agree, its a confusing system!

[nannan]

It's not just confusing it's ridiculous too I am fortunate in that I am a type 1 diabetic and have never had to pay for my prescription because it's a "chronic condition" but now I have PBC which feels to me at present much more "chronic" and much less manageable,

[June9961]

I'm lucky. I get my subscriptions free (scotland). If not I would need to take out a mortgage to pay for all the medicines I need lol :-))