"Free" Prescriptions in England: People who rely... - Thyroid UK

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"Free" Prescriptions in England

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK
12 Replies

People who rely on thyroid hormones to treat their hypothyroidism will usually be eligible for exemption from prescription charges in England. In order to be exempted, you need to be issued with a Medex - a credit-card size "certificate" which you may need to present when getting your prescription dispensed.

Cartoon explanation:

nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/D...

Eligibility:

nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/1...

Frequently Asked Questions:

nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1638.aspx

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helvella profile image
helvella
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12 Replies
Jefner profile image
Jefner

just to add it isn't just your thyroid medication you get free, it's ALL prescriptions :)

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to Jefner

It's all NHS prescriptions - for clarity. We have been asked about private prescriptions in the past.

Jefner profile image
Jefner in reply to helvella

sorry hon that's what I meant xx

TupennyRush profile image
TupennyRush

A lot of pharmacists are switched on anyway - first time I went in with a prescription for levo to the local Coop pharmacy she refused to charge me and told me to get a card

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to TupennyRush

TupennyRush,

They certainly should know!

There is an issue, though, when someone is given levothyroxine when they are hyperthyroid. It is not absolutely clear whether they are covered or not. They only need levothyroxine because their anti-thyroid medicine (e.g. carbimazole) has made them hypothyroid - whether by intent, as with block and replace, or accidentally.

We have had several discussions about this over the years.

TupennyRush profile image
TupennyRush

Aha - I'm strictly hypo so not aware of hyper issues (as it were). Cos I was so bleagh for months while ramping up dosages I think I got prescriptions free (with no card) 3 or 4 times before my brain coped with the idea of actually sorting out the card....

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to TupennyRush

Your GP should have issued the form at diagnosis, in my view. Of course individuals at the bottom of their brain-foggedness find it difficult.

I think some pharmacists might be unaware of block and replace. Might depend on whether any of the local endos follow that course, or not.

TupennyRush profile image
TupennyRush

Ah - Dr (who is a miracle in my opinion) diagnosed me based on symptoms while I'm very subclinical (tsh never gone over 2) . As such he did a 'let's see if this works and if not we'll go back to drawing board' as he said my symptoms screamed hypo but bloods did not match (for current diagnosis tools - low t4 and t3 but the alleged gold std tsh not high). As such he didn't confirm diagnosis until after I'd gone from 25 to 75 mcgs levo without showing much alterations on bloods (tsh went up, t4 and t3 initially dropped then hit previous level and didn't rise until 100 mcgs at which point my Tsh finally showed a dip).

All immaterial now as I get ndt on private prescription.

Glynisrose profile image
Glynisrose

Why should anyone pay anything? In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales ALL prescriptions are free, why is it tnat the stupid English have to pay when no-one else does?

budd_james profile image
budd_james

My Dr said nothing to me when I was diagnosed - pharmacist was switched on thankfully & gave me the forms. Dr looked quite put out when I presented them for signature at next appt.

Rapunzel profile image
Rapunzel

Love the parentheses, Rod. You are quite right in typing them. Glynisrose, I think that prescriptions should be free for all chronic conditions but we do not live in a society where everything is free and I fail to see why a banker, as a random example, should not pay for a course of antibiotics, for random example...but only if he really needs them :-)

Spareribs profile image
Spareribs

Of course our 12% National Insurance mandatory contributions actually pay for the NHS - so it's not exactly "free".

but lots of Hypo (English) folk don't realise their entitlement, thanks Rod. :D

(it's Myxoedema on the form)

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