Nhs contractors and prescriptions..

[BettyBooHoo!]

Is that 10% of people not eligible for free prescriptions who actually went to the doctor rather than ask the pharmacist.

 

As far as I know only 10% pay due to 90% of people qualifying for exemptions.

[BettyBooHoo!]

Here you go, I don't know how to do links so a copy and paste for you. There are loads of silmilar articles on the internet but here's a bit from Channel 4 News.

 

However, the DoH state that 90% of all prescriptions in England are issued free as claimants fit into exemption groups such as under-16 year-olds, low income families or pension-age patients. However they put the number of those exempt as equal to just 60% of the population indicating that people who are able to claim for free are more likely to claim multiple prescriptions. This can obviously be attributed to the fact the groups exempt include children and the elderly, but from research in Wales, there is an indication that access to free prescriptions results in more people receiving medication.

[madasfish]

I thought it was well known......Maybe not!!!

Just do a quick search on google (maybe something along the lines of 'percentage of people who pay for prescriptions in England' and it should come up with something for you)

 

Did do ... and got a figure of 80% (between ages of 18 and 65) have to pay....thought you may be able to point to proper (whatever that may be LOL) evidence!

[madasfish]

Here you go, I don't know how to do links so a copy and paste for you. There are loads of silmilar articles on the internet but here's a bit from Channel 4 News.

 

However, the DoH state that 90% of all prescriptions in England are issued free as claimants fit into exemption groups such as under-16 year-olds, low income families or pension-age patients. However they put the number of those exempt as equal to just 60% of the population indicating that people who are able to claim for free are more likely to claim multiple prescriptions. This can obviously be attributed to the fact the groups exempt include children and the elderly, but from research in Wales, there is an indication that access to free prescriptions results in more people receiving medication.

 

I can't do links either - thanks for this......

[BettyBooHoo!]

Did do ... and got a figure of 80% (between ages of 18 and 65) have to pay....thought you may be able to point to proper (whatever that may be LOL) evidence!

 

...and this one from the BBC (although the figure is 88% who don't pay).

 

I am sure there are some people who are put off going to their GP for beneficial medicines because they are worried about the cost. But not many. Eighty-eight percent of prescriptions in England are free already. And that's before Gordon Brown's recent announcement that all cancer patients won't have to pay for their prescription drugs.

[BettyBooHoo!]

.....and this one from the BMA too:

 

The current exemption categories are often illogical and unfair; extending these categories to include those with LTCs would simply add to the inequities in the system and invariably create a new set of arbitrary ‘winners’ and ‘losers’. Only 11% of prescriptions attract a charge at present, a number which will be further reduced following the abolition of prescription charges for patients with cancer. Given this already low percentage, the fact that this review covers such a large number of chronic medical conditions and the complexities involved in extending the exemption list, we question the value in proceeding with the proposed exercise. Furthermore, although the approach of widening prescription charge exemptions for people with long-term conditions seems laudable, if such a review is not combined with a fundamental reconsideration of the purpose and value of prescription charges in the wider context of health care within the NHS, then it may ultimately be a futile process.

[madasfish]

So in essence 80% of the population are eligable to pay - they just don't need presciptions - as they receive only 10% of all of those issued.

 

Which means that 90% of prescriptions are issued to the elderly, the young, those on benefits and those with chronic or exempted illnesses - which to me "feels" right. Got it!

[BettyBooHoo!]

So in essence 80% of the population are eligable to pay - they just don't need presciptions - as they receive only 10% of all of those issued.

 

Which means that 90% of prescriptions are issued to the elderly, the young, those on benefits and those with chronic or exempted illnesses - which to me "feels" right. Got it!

 

I guess so yes because they're essensially saying that those who get them for free are getting more prescriptions per person than those who have to pay (if that makes sense!).

[madasfish]

I guess so yes because they're essensially saying that those who get them for free are getting more prescriptions per person than those who have to pay (if that makes sense!).

 

It sure does !!!!! (and I guess is one thing that is influencing the ageing population debate)

[HeadingNorth]

About 90% of prescriptions are exempt. This DOES NOT MEAN that 90% of

people don't have to pay.

 

Many illnesses that require you to have multiple prescriptions, also entitle you to free ones;

People who have to pay but have bought a prepayment certificate, have their prescriptions listed in the "exempt" percentage because they didn't pay £7.20 on collection;

Residents in nursing homes, mostly over 60, tend to have their prescriptions written out a week at a time, thus collecting four times as many prescriptions as a patient at home who is paying for the same drugs;

People whose prescriptions are free will collect a prescription for paracetamol, where those who must pay will buy the tablets for £1 instead and their prescription won't appear in the statistics at all.

 

There are other reasons, as well, all of which mean that the 90% of prescriptions "not paid" probably only equates to somewhere between 50% and 70% of people who do not have to pay. When you further bear in mind that almost half the population of the country are either children or pensioners, the figure becomes completely non-outrageous.