BBC Watchdog: What do you think about the rise in NHS charges?

Tony

What Consumer Founder
Apr 7, 2008
18,307
3
38
Bolton
In the news this week
Prescriptions in England will go up in April from £7.10 to £7.20. This is despite the fact that they are currently free in Wales, and will be free in Northern Ireland by 2010, and in Scotland by 2011.

The British Medical Association has appealed to the Government to put an end to these charges in England. Many doctors say the current situation is unfair and prescriptions should be free. They warn that prescription charges can be a barrier to receiving medication. What do you think?

Wherever you live, do you believe it should be one rule for all? And do price rises put you off paying for prescriptions? Share your comments below.

Interest rates cuts
But it's good news for everyone on tracker mortgages wherever they live as the Bank of England cuts interest rates to an all-time low of 0.5 per cent. And it's pumping billions of extra pounds into the economy in a new move known as 'quantitative easing' to dig itself out of the recession. This new consumer phrase basically means creating money from free air in a move hoped to support people and businesses.

Watch how to create money out of nothing.

Your comments
The most commented on report this week has been Two Left Feet. Many of you feel let down and frustrated after ordering baby products such as prams from the company, but you still haven't received the items months later, even though they've been paid for.

Comment 71 - AFDGLASGOW says: "I cannot express deeply enough my utter disgust at the way this company have and still are treating their customers, especially considering the nature of the purchases which are needed for new babies and very young children."

And there have been some sad tales on the Watchdog sofa report about pets. A year ago hundreds of you complained to Watchdog about agonising skin reactions. We were able to identify the cause - sachets containing a dangerous chemical, DMF, put in the sofas to stop mould growing. As a result of this, the European Commission is banning any products containing DMF from entering Europe.

Comment 2 - torreti says: "Our dog is always scratching. We've taken him to the vet and he has had skin scrapes and other tests. They say he has an allergy to something but doesn't know what. After watching about the sofas on Watchdog we're now wondering whether it could be the sofa."

Comment 6 - renster24 says: "My dog has developed a terrible rash. Vets say he has an allergy, but we can't find the cause."

Coming up on the programme - Monday 9 March
Have you got cash in the attic? We meet a family who've discovered £75 worth of dormant accounts that have been forgotten since 1959. And the family weren't the only ones to forget about the accounts. The bank can't remember them either and doesn't seem keen to pay up. Can Watchdog reunite them with their money? And will it be worth more now? We put pressure on the Minister for Consumer Affairs to find out why debt collection agencies repeatedly disregard their own guidelines. And with the help of indie rock band Starsailor, we could save you hundreds of pounds by revealing the online ticket agencies out to rip people off this summer.



What do you think about the rise in NHS charges?
 

Jorumian

Facilitator
Sep 1, 2008
347
3
0
Birkenhead
Prescription Charges

In May last year I was diagnosed with a blood disorder called ITP, which basically I have a low platelet count with no reason for it. The first part of treatment for this was to go on steroids.

I was already on BP tablets which cost me around £14 a month as my Doctors would only prescribe them in 1 month doses much to my annoyance. However when I started on the course of steroids, I also had to get a further two or three other prescriptions to ward off the dangers caused by the steroids. I was regularly paying £50-£60 a month in prescription charges, but because I never knew from one month to the next what my next prescription would be (if any) I didn't bother with a pre-paid certificate. Indeed this was only explained to me by the pharmacist after my third or fourth visit as I just believed I had to do what the Doctor told me and pay for the medication.

It was only when I mentioned the huge cost to my Haematologist and GP that they upped the amounts I received for each prescription to around two months worth. Which halved my costs, but as I came off steroids I required different increments of the drug which of course, I had to pay for again.

It irks me somewhat to know that the hundreds of pounds I spend over this period, and the hundreds I have spent over the past few years, would have been free, had I been born approximately ten miles away over the River Dee.

If treatment is free on the NHS and prescriptions are part of it, they should be free. There is no reason for the people in England to be discriminated against in such a way.

I've put my soapbox away now!
 

kris1anne

New Member
Jan 29, 2009
138
0
0
I think it is appalling. Scotland also get free prescriptions and for people like my mum, who has high blood pressure it seems ridiculous that because she works she has to pay an additional £30.00 per month in charges, when she has never been a smoker, or hospitalised and has always worked and paid taxes. This makes me so mad!!!!!!