Prescription charge rises to £9.35 from 1st April

[helvella]

For anyone in England who is not entitled to "free" prescriptions, I suggest considering a prepayment certificate, if you are able to afford one. Not only are prescription charges rising, so too are PPC charges. So get one before the 1st of April!

Prescription charge rises to £9.35 from 1st April

February 24, 2021

In England, the NHS prescription charge will increase to £9.35 per prescription item from 1st April 2021.

Amendments to the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations have been laid before Parliament which will introduce changes for both the NHS prescription charge and prescription pre-payment certificates (PPCs).

The price of a three-month PPC will become £30.25 (an increase of 60 pence) and a 12-month PPC will be £108.10 (an increase of £2.20). PPCs offer savings for those needing four or more items in three months, or 12 or more items in a year.

Prescription charge type Current charge (up to 31st March 2021) New charge (1st April 2021 onwards)

Single charge (per prescription item) £9.15 £9.35

3-month PPC £29.65 £30.25

12-month PPC £105.90 £108.10

psnc.org.uk/our-news/prescr...

Apologies for poor formatting - follow the link for a more readable version.

[Zephyrbear]

I remember when the prescription charge was 20p and everybody was up in arms when it had to go up by 5p!I’m so glad I live in Wales!

[helvella Administrator in reply to Zephyrbear]

I guess most members who live in England are covered by exemption certificates or another basis (e.g. age). But not all (e.g. Graves patients) - and they might consider a prepayment certificate. Or for other people they know.

But it does seem to stick in the throat to pay sometimes several times the cost of the medicine simply because it is prescription-only.

[Cavapoochonowner in reply to helvella]

I have graves disease and currently buy a ppc.I'm on block and replace with amitriptyline for migraine prevention so it would be a great cost for me to get individual prescriptions.My son who has ulcerative colitis is on sickness benefit at the moment so luckily doesn't have to pay but we were paying for his medication before as he was only a student.He has nightly enemas and takes 9 tablets a day as well as vit D and folic acid.My husband has type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high chloestrol and gout and would have to pay for his if he wasn't exempt.I dread to think how much we would be paying for prescriptions if we had to pay for them all individually.

[helvella Administrator]

I've wondered if there could be a not-quite-a-prescription option?

First, GP gives you one which allows you to go over the usual limited number of paracetamol tablets in one purchase. Present at till in supermarket or pharmacy. They scan it and allow you whatever it says.

Second, for those who would usually be entitled to "free" prescriptions, it could cover the cost like a magazine or other promotional coupon. Would need a limit, of course. If 20p for 16 is common, then 64 for a notional 80p which the shop can claim.

And, when I say "GP gives", let it be possible to download one to your mobile phone or print it out. So you can just go back and get a repeat easily.

There are bound to be issues! I can't possibly have dreamt up a workable, sensible scheme in a few minutes.

[BeePurple in reply to helvella]

It would be good if people had some kind of clearance from the Dr that they could show a certificate and buy the large quantity of paracetamol rather than wasting NHS money getting it on prescription. It is hard when you take it daily.

[helvella Administrator]

The other aspect is that it could be used for things like vitamin D.

The main impetus there being to define the type/dose required and the shop then makes sure that the product you pick up matches what the GP has stated. E.g. 2000 International Units a day of vitamin D3. Rather than 200 units of D2.

We all know, don't we?, how difficult it can be to properly read the fine print on many such products while in the shop, especially if being dealt with by an assistant.

[Zephyrbear]

I was allowed(???) to buy two packs of these from Lloyds Pharmacy online, which amounted to 64 tablets in one purchase... Not expensive either. Maybe that might be an option...

[helvella Administrator in reply to Zephyrbear]

I suspect the easiest for many is usually to go with a friend and each buy your "allowance". But not so easy at present.

[Partner20 in reply to helvella]

There is a justifiable limit on the quantity and strength of pain-relieving medications that can be bought in normal retail outlets. However, larger packs/quantities, and higher strengths, are, and always have been, available in pharmacies, where the approval of the pharmacist can be sought if necessary.