 |
 |
Prescription charges - it's just not fair
Well there have been quite a few comments on the forum about these - it’s a really important subject. You may have seen our invitation to take part in our survey about prescription charges. Do fill it in – it’ll really help get an idea of peoples opinions.
We all need prescription medicines at some point, but if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer you may need a lot of them, and you may have to take them for some time too. The cost of all this adds up at a time when things are often difficult anyway. To have extra costs is the last thing you need.
In
You probably know about these already but you may be better off with a Prescription Prepayment Certificate. You can buy them to last for either three months or a year. They’ll save you money if you need more than four prescriptions in three months or 14 in a year. Again the costs vary depending on the country in the
Macmillan have lots of information about financial help available to people with cancer. You can read more about general help and about prescription charges
Macmillan also have a Benefits Helpline where you can talk to an experienced benefits advisor about financial help. The number is 0808 801 0304 and the line is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10am–5pm and on Wednesday 12pm–5pm.
If you can read pdf documents on your computer you can have a look at a Department of Health leaflet on Help with Health Costs. It covers all sorts of areas like who can get free prescriptions and other things like travel costs and wigs. You can read more about getting help with health costs in
We also have general information about financial issues which covers things like tax credits and mortgages as well as a bit about benefits.
Meanwhile, keep writing…
When I was first diagnosed, I asked the hospital team if I should get an Advance Prescription certificate to help me with the cost of the prescriptions. I was told that there would be no need, as "everything will be provided". HOWEVER the everything turned out to be a standard minimum. I had bad nausea, and ended up paying for quite a few extra anti-sickness tablets. I also started to suffer from Anxiety, and was prescribed drugs for those. Then when the chemo really kicked in, I had digestion and stoumach problems - again more tablets. Finally the doctor told me I would need to take HRT tablets so I bought one course of those (luckily for my weakened finances, I have been able to manage without them). I spent far more than a prepayment certificate would have cost me - and of course everything that is prescribed in the Oncology Department has to be collected (and paid for) at the Hospital's in-house pharmacy, so I wondered later if they'd been a bit disingenuous with the intial advice.
I would suggest that new patients really question the extent of coverage for prescriptions they will need during treatment.
I also presumed I would be well enough to get to the hospital by public transport, and bought a month's ticket in advance to save a couple of pounds - in fact from Day 2 I had to use taxis, so had the cost of those plus I'd lost the bus fares.
xxx Penny
- Login or register to post comments
Submitted by Penny on Fri, 30/05/2008 - 21:37.I so agree. I remember when the first charges were made and thought they were unfair then. I am actually shocked at the increase in costs and the meanness of the Government in not including Cancer patients for free prescriptions.
I have always qualified for free prescriptions, on the strength of myxoedema, and now I am over 60, I get them anyway. OK I can see why I had free prescriptions for the thyroxine, because otherwise I might not take the medication, but I shouldn't have had them for everything. Diabetics have a lot of illness due to the insulin they are taking, so are entitled to blanket free prescriptions.
The previous chancellor thought you had to means test everybody. If he had costed the means testing, it would have raised the threshhold for benefits.
There is a better case for charging inpatients (except chronic patients) for meals in hospital. At least the food would be better. I would cheerfully pay say £2 a day for a decent meal in hospital.
It makes nonsense of the NHS being "Free at the point of delivery".
- Login or register to post comments
Submitted by Ruthless on Mon, 14/07/2008 - 12:11.