England prescription charges to rise

[Hom3r]

Well just as Scotland make prescription charges free, England is rising to £7.40 up by 20p.

So no guesses why the Scots are getting them free.

So now people cannot afford to be ill.

Link to follow "Breaking News"

That would cost my mum over £59 pm a £2 rise, if she had to pay. But she's retired.

But there will be people out there in a similar situation.

[Ignitionnet]

Your mum pays individually for 8 prescriptions a month?

Your mum is under 60?

Sorry but prescription charges are still minimal and we remain, dentistry aside, a nation with very, very few co-pay elements to our healthcare system.

[Gary L]

Prices are going up all over the shop.
at this rate we'll all be having to pack our jobs in as we can't afford the cost of living.

it might not seem so bad, but if you add everthing up at the end of the week it probably comes to about a few quid. then you times it by 4 and you get a month.

[Hom3r]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Your mum pays individually for 8 prescriptions a month?

Your mum is under 60?

Sorry but prescription charges are still minimal and we remain, dentistry aside, a nation with very, very few co-pay elements to our healthcare system.

I've edited my post to make it clearer.

Before she retired she had one of those upfront payment card for prescriptions, which saved her loads.

Anybody needing a lot of prescriptions can still buy a pre payment certificate which could save them a lot of money over 12 mnths

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1127.aspx

[Ignitionnet]

Costs are still minimal, and as a reminder:

You are also entitled to free prescriptions if you or your partner (including civil partners) are named on, or are entitled to, an NHS tax credit exemption certificate or a valid HC2 certificate (full help with health costs), or you receive either:
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit

Also

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1125.aspx

It's the complete disconnect between healthcare costs and the delivery of that healthcare that are a major problem with the NHS - if we were paying a social insurance premium alongside co-pay the NHS would be more broadly and better funded and its funding wouldn't be a political football. I would very much like to see more co-pay elements so have absolutely no objection or issue with increasing prescription charges.

Originally Posted by Gary L

Prices are going up all over the shop.
at this rate we'll all be having to pack our jobs in as we can't afford the cost of living.

it might not seem so bad, but if you add everthing up at the end of the week it probably comes to about a few quid. then you times it by 4 and you get a month.

Then how would you afford the cost of living?

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Then how would you afford the cost of living?

I was thinking of the dole. they'll cover most of the expense.

Originally Posted by Gary L

I was thinking of the dole. they'll cover most of the expense.

I think you may be disappointed.....

But if you do, let us know how you get on....

[Osem]

Fore those who require lots of items and don't get free prescriptions these are a good idea:

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1127.aspx

If you will have to pay for four or more prescription items in three months, or more than 14 items in 12 months, you may find it cheaper to buy a PPC. The charge for a single prescription item is £7.20, whereas a three month PPC will cost you £28.25 and a 12 month PPC £104.00.

[Hom3r]

I think the major issue here is why are the rest of the UK getting free prescriptions while the English are having to pay more?

Yet another fail for the "CON-DEMs"

Originally Posted by Hom3r

I think the major issue here is why are the rest of the UK getting free prescriptions while the English are having to pay more?

Yet another fail for the "CON-DEMs"

Its all own to the devolution of the regions ie wales/scotland having their own decision making assemblies which have voted for the prescription charges in their areas,whereby our own rulers have decided on something very diffierent.

[MovedGoalPosts]

The point is that Wales and Scotland somehow have their own assemblies. They are being allocated money from somewhere, that they choose to spend on free prescriptions. But where is that equivalent pot of money for England, and who has control of it. Surely Central Government shouldn't have control over that and England should have it's own regional assembly, to keep things even.

Or maybe its the case that the sick of England are expected to subsidise the sick of Scotland and Wales?

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Rob

Or maybe its the case that the sick of England are expected to subsidise the sick of Scotland and Wales?

Trust me, since I moved to England I see the pitfalls of free prescriptions in Wales. Yes it was great to not have to pay for my repeat painkillers each month but since I've been up here I can see how awful the Welsh NHS has become in terms of service and personalised care.

It may not be as simple as this but it would seem that we were paying for free prescriptions with sub-standard service. I am now happy to pay for my prescriptions where necessary.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

I think the major issue here is why are the rest of the UK getting free prescriptions while the English are having to pay more?

Yet another fail for the "CON-DEMs"

Presumably because the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly have decided to spend bigger proportionately larger portions of their overall budgets on those things. The money they spend on free prescriptions will not be available for other things and if England were to emulate them the cost for so doing would have to be clawed back from something else.