NHS prescription charges (Medicine - Is the price we pay too high?)

Member Name: Rach18

Product:	Medicine - Is the price we pay too high?
Date:	13/07/01 (91 review reads)
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Currently at the moment, it costs £6.10 for a prescription on the NHS. This is £6.10 for each item on that prescription.

When the NHS was set up back in 1946 I think (although I could be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time!)is was described as a free service to all. Sir William Beverage who set up the NHS wanted it to be free for all and provide care from the cradle to the grave. Of course people still paid National Insurance contributions, but this was supposed to cover any tratment that you needed.

I think that prescription charges should be worked out as to what you are being prescribed. For example, you might be prescribed some form of asprin or paracetamol, and obviously this would be cheaper than something such as viagra. £6.10 for asprin, surely this is pure greed as you can buy it over the counter for under £1 and GP's and Chemists buy it in bulk for much less. I understand that they have to make a profit, but there are reasonable profits to be made not extortionate ones. They earn enough, they don't need to make these huge kind of profit.

You can actually get prescriptions free of charge if you are on benefits, but you must show your exemtion otherwise you have to pay. Even a child now has to prove that they are under 16 or 18 and in full time education otherwise they have to pay as well. This also goes for dental treatment which you have to pay 80% towards, the government pays the other 20% - aren't they nice!?!

The £6.10 maybe quite reasonable as a deterrant and I believe that it will stop some people wasting GP's time for nothing if they have to pay that each time. However some hypochondriacs will actually believe that they can't live without this stuff and be more than willing to pay for it.

On the other hand I think that £6.10 is a lot to pay for people with long term illnesses as they aren't ill by choice and many of them can't lie if they don't have the drugs
which they need. This is a real shame for these people and I really do think that they shouldn't have to pay for them or pay quite so much.

I had to go to the doctors a while ago and on my treatment card there are a number of things which I should have, but as it was towards the end of the month and I don't earn a lot of money any way I had to ask the doctor to prescribe me things seperately as I couldn't afford all of them at once. I felt a bit stupid doing this but it helped me a little bit. My GP is actually quite good, as he does recommend cheaper over the counter alternatives which do exactly the same job which can probably save you half of the prescription charge.

Overall I think that £6.10 is a lot of money for some things you get on prescription a good example being a mouthwash which some Dentists prescribe, as you can buy the exact same stuff for £4.50 over the counter, the exact same packaging and everything. Basically, everyone is out to make a profit and if they can then they will. Unfortuantely that is the society in which we live, and nothing is going to change that, but if possiblebuy things over the counter to save money and if it's a minor illness you have go to the chemists before the doctor as they will in most cases be just as helpful and you aren't using the time for a doctor which is more needed by someone else. But £6.10 for people with long term illnesses can work out very expensive as they are probably on 3 or 4 different types of medication and this can cost £20 a week or sometimes more.

I think that prescription charges need to be reviewed for everyone and charged according to what the drug is and how much it actually costs.

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