Alternative solution to cost cutting

[Jackiez]

I was talking to my sister the other day who is just starting her hypothyroid journey, due to GP finally caving in and trialing Levo. Ww were discussing changing ranges and test values, which seem to be an NHS cost cutting exercise, when she said, "Why on earth do thyroid patients getting an exemption certificate for ALL medication?" I have to say, it has occurred to me over the years just how much money I've cost the NHS in unrelated medication. What do you all think? I know it's a godsend for many people on a lower income, but it must cost millions!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Jackiez

Only in England does this apply. In the rest of the UK ALL prescription charges for everyone were abolished over the last few years - Wales in 2007, Northern Ireland in 2010 and Scotland in 2011.

You could write to the Health Minister with your suggestion, it would be interesting to hear what he says.

[Judithdalston]

The original reason is because hypothyroidism is for life; interesting that is was therefore in the same category as for eg insulin for diabetics, which is obviously a life- threatening condition. But the idea that every other drug a hypothyroid is free seems to be changing- I have had hay fever/ dust mite allergies for 50 years, that would give me prolonged coughs/ sleep disturbance, and say 30 years ago prescribed mometasone nasal spray...this week my request for it was refused - my CCG recommends over the counter Beconase instead!

[greygoose]

Hypo patients probably wouldn't need all those other prescriptions if their thyroid was correctly treated. That would be the most effective cost-cutting exercise!

[Greybeard]

I understand that free prescriptions for scotland and wales didn't cost any extra really. You can imagine the cost of collecting the money and then accounting for it is huge. So many people are exempt anyway, the young, the old, unemployed long-term illnesses like us are a drop in the ocean.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Greybeard]

Wales doesn't charge for car parking at hospitals either.

The trouble is with free prescriptions and free parking, obviously some revenue is lost and I believe that is reflected in where the available money is spent within each nation's NHS.

Just one example is that my brother lives in Birmingham (where I'm from originally) so obviously it's NHS England. He recently mentioned that a problem had been picked up during one of his regular health "MOTs". I asked him to explain these health MOTs. He told me that at his surgery, when you reach the age of 40 you are called every 5 years for a thorough examination, blood tests, other tests including ECG. They picked up that he has Atrial Fibrillation even though he'd never had any symptoms. Straight off to Cardiology and sorted.

I am 70 years of age, been here in Wales since I was 46, never, ever had a health MOT or anything like a thorough examination. I've been having sporadic tachycardia since last December. Heart monitor arranged, one month wait, results showed 2 episodes of tachycardia and multiple ectopic heartbeats in the 24 hours I wore the monitor but I was told that wasn't enough to be referred to Cardiology. Another episode resulted in a 2 week heart monitor with a 2 month wait for it, still waiting for results, still getting episodes of tachycardia and no Cardiology appointment in the offing.

My 50 year friend in Derby got a hip replacement after waiting 4 months. My 80 year old cousin here in Wales waited 2 years.

I think I would rather have paid for my prescriptions and have a better all round service than the apology for the service NHS Wales seems to be providing.

[trelemorele]

£1.30 per packet, that's what it costs NHS for levothyroxine.

This is nothing in the sea of wasted money by NHS on thousands of redundant directors and managers with salaries starting from 900k a year or procurement failures like toilet paper, gloves or even t3... etc. Not to mention useless GPs contracts running around 100k PA