Yesterday I was midly apalled that I am now not allowed to get free prescriptions on the NHS, because apparently I earn too much? I do 6 hours a week at work...which is too much according to the NHS and I can therefore more than afford my prescriptions.I have to get new inhalers around every month to two months. For both inhalers it costs about £15+ and when my Rhinitis starts to play up I have to have some nasal spray and tablets to get it under control..but I have yet to find out how much they are.
£15 every month/two months for the rest of my life..well that is a LOT of money. Prescriptions are free for everyone in Wales, will be free in Northern Ireland by 2010 and in Scotland by 2011.
The BMA has accused the government of supporting an "outdated" system in England which can harm health, saying that charging can put people off paying for the medication they need.
This is definitely true, if my inhalers weren't necessary for keeping me alive, I probably wouldn't bother with them. The list of people exempt from paying for prescriptions can be found here and as you'll see, those are some pretty serious conditions, which makes me wonder why they don't include Asthma in the list of serious conditions. If I don't take my inhalers for just one day I start to feel the effects of it and it's inevitable that I will have an asthma attack, so what would happen if I couldn't afford the prescription?
Asthma is a life threatening condition therefore prescriptions should most definitely be free. I don't mind having to pay for my other medication but a lifetime's supply of inhalers is going to cost an absolute bomb when you work out the exact amount. The prescription system in England is very outdated if you ask me they need to rethink who pays and who doesn't pay for their prescription.
