Do you get your shampoo from the Dr.?

There are two main things wrong with the NHS.
a) very poor management of resources
b) it was never set up to deal with the huge numbers of people who use it now.
Both of those aspects need to be resolved for it to continue.

Many years ago I was prescribed Aveeno cream before it was generally available, but as soon as I started to see it on the shelves I bought my own. I would be embarrassed to ask the NHS to pay for it. My husband was recently prescribed a huge box of paracetamol for his back pain and can ask for a repeat! There is no way we will request that as it is so cheap to buy, although I do understand as a previous poster has said, that you can't buy very many over the counter if you need to take a lot. I also have antihistamines prescribed, but that may not happen in future from what I read. They are quite expensive when you take one every day, as you only get a small amount in a pack and I do consider I need them for a medical condition.

If you are happy to pay for it then pay for it.
If others need it and cant or don't wish to ay for it then that is their decision.
For those that need regular subscriptions, a season ticket may be better value.

I am now having to purchase my own Canestan cream (I get fungal skin infections which are very painful) but I do have Paracetamol prescribed as I cannot take any other painkillers & I take 6/8 tablets per day, the amount available over the counter is why my GP prescribes. I also have a shampoo for Dermatitis, I am only 63 & on benefits so I have a low income & could not afford to buy the medications I am prescribed, I am a Type 2 Diabetic, the cost of 2 lots of tablets + testing strips & needles would be out of my reach. I have also fought a long battle with my GP to have my Anti-Histamine prescribed, the over the counter ones don't work for me, the one I've used for years is prescription only, I also get eye drops & nasal spray. I believe GPs should look at their Patients circumstances where possible, I struggle through each month unlike more wealthy pensioners who could pay.

if a painkiller is advised my GP asks if I want a painkiller on prescription or not. If it is easily available I choose to buy it.

Annex, I too have had psoriasis since a young age. Also on my face as well as other parts of my body. I have discovered a moisturiser called " my trusty sunflower cream ". I have no affiliations with it. It was developed by dermatologists working for the National Health Service in England.. all profits go back to the health service. After over 50 years of living with psoriasis i can safely say it is the best moisturiser i have ever used. I live in Scotland and i buy it myself. I do not know if it is available on prescription in England but it is not expensive and lasts for ages. Cant reccomend highly enough. I am not sure if this is allowed, so apologies if not.

Two questions:

Why would someone need aftersun on prescription?

Does anyone know how much the cost of a prescription is on top of the medication? Presumably somewhere there is a figure of the cost of administering the prescription system.

I was under the impression that from 1st May this year many items that had previously been available ( free to certain groups of people) on prescription, but were available to actually buy over the counter at the chemist were no longer going to be prescribed so readily, saving the NHS a lot of money. It was on the main news and in main newspapers, the list was quite extensive. Not sure if this is easier said than done, as there are families in real hardship who would struggle to pay for certain items anyway. It remains to be seen how effective these new rules will be.

If we stopped spending 2 billion pounds (ie two thousand million) on Trident we hopefully wouldn't be having a conversation about how to save money by not issuing some prescriptions. We might all feel a little safer as well as healthier..

GrandmaMoira, you have described yourself as being atopic. What does that mean please?

Dh is on soluble aspirin for life folllowing his heart attack and was buying his own as they were so cheap. He was pulled up by both GP and pharmacist who said it needed to be on his repeat prescription so that locums/emergency services etc knew that he was taking it. We tried!

Presumably if you are entitled to a free prescription you should be entitled to have specialist shampoos etc. The only exception might be wealthier pensioners, who may well have paid their dues all their working life but don't necesaarily need to collect them!

I buy simple painkillers but admit I am prescribed other things I could buy. I'm atopic and have excema and asthma. Antihistamines are cheap so I probably should buy them. The creams I use would cost around £25 per month which is a lot out of a pension and save me needing steroid cream so I think they are reasonable to be prescribed.
My prescriptions have all been recommended by hospital specialists.

Its not always the patient that has asked for a prescription for these things. There are some GPs whose prescribing bills are way over what their colleagues have prescribed. Some GPs are repeatedly taken to task by their governing body for this but they also have views about what should be allowed and what isn't.

I totally agree Pamela there are those who will take all they can get. Many painkillers cost at least three times the retail price for doctors to prescribe. I know people who get large quantities of painkillers etc on prescription and share out among other family members! Its not perfecg but we should value and take care of our wonderful NHS. There are people in the US who can't afford to go to the doctor. Ive seen them on forums asking advice..so sad- and scary. We are indeed fortunate.

Annep in my previous post I wrote that I accept that some people can’t afford the specialist creams but most of us can
I just feel that there needs to be an attitude change towards our beleaguered NHS.
I know that there is a lot of waste, I can’t do much about that but , like you, I’m trying to do my bit to help. If more people (who can afford it) had the same attitude maybe we wouldn’t be needing a tax rise.

Someone I know gets food supplements as she is very very thin. They are the same sort of thing we were buying for my sisters MinL when she had cancer. Available in chemists. This woman has an estate - huge farm, about 15 cottages, very rich.
My point being , we need to be changing the way we feel about our entitlement to a totally free service. That way those who really need it might get it.
You have obviously taken this on board as many others have but I think there’s a long way to go.

Pamela I wasn't speaking specifically to you. It was to any person reading the post. I buy my own t gel, eye drops £10, diabetic test needles £26, painkillers, creams for psoriasis - small fortune (I keep trying new ones. Everyone can afford painkillers - so cheap in supermarkets. But many people cant afford £6 for shampoo even though you think its cheap and can't use cheap shampoos without affecting their skin. Yes they most definitely should have it prescribed. I am well off and I consider myself lucky. But I know people who live on a very tight budget buying poor quality food and household essentials. Where do they make the economies that are necessary to purchase a £6 shampoo? btw when I was prescribed sunblock I was poor otherwise I would have paid for it myself. Psoriasis on face not pleasant to have!

Yes, I was shocked to discover that a well-off friend was prescribed paracetamol and topical pain medication, and was quite happy to get this on the NHS. I buy my own.

I don’t need to look on the psoriasis page annep, I’ve lived with it since I was young so although I’ve never been hospitalised, as my grandfather was, there have been times when it’s been pretty bad.
I control it now with diet and the sun. It’s brilliant at the moment because I’ve been able to get outside. However I still can’t get my head round the fact that you want to pay for my shampoo! It’s about £12-14 a bottle and it lasts for ages.
Tgel is about£6-7.

I can pay for Tgel but its quite expensive. not everyone could. My doctor used to prescribe my sun block for my face as it was £20 for a small tube. I think it depends on whether you can afford it or not. Some people if you look on psoriasis page live with terrible rashes pain itch and it costs a fortune to try to control it. If they cant afford it it should be prescribed.

I take your point about affordability paddyanne and no doubt some people do need to have a prescription. I do need, like you, to have a specialised product. However I can afford it so I should pay I think.

I don't think they should be prescribed for every sufferer from dermatological issues but should depend upon whether the situation is so serious that not using the specific product might cause greater problems which would cost the NHS even more. I think GPs might well take a view on whether the patient can afford to pay or not as well.

Most of the products mentioned were things we all buy over the counter and were costing the NHS more than we would pay if we went out and bought them ourselves. Colgate toothpaste was one of them and I can often buy that for £1 but it was £2.73, the average price the NHS paid. Presumably there is an additional cost on top of that for the admin of the NHS for each prescription. I have no idea why Ambre Solaire Aftersun would be prescribed but it was. Even if all these products were considered necessary, surely a cheaper alternative could be provided?

Many years ago I got prescriptions for shampoo ,simply becuase it wasn't available to buy over the counter.I had very severe psoriasis that bled and caused me misery .The shampoo isn't available now and I am eternally grateful to the GP who prescribed it for me as it made a massive difference.
Some of these shampoos etc are very expensive and not getting a prescription for them might mean people have to do without with the effects on their health and self esteem that brings.