Prescription fraud clampdown plan heavily criticised

[Northerner]

Pharmacists have heavily criticised plans to strengthen checks at the counter for entitlement to free prescriptions in England.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society says asking pharmacists to police prescriptions could harm patient trust.

By 2018, a new database will be up-and-running for pharmacists to check before handing over a free prescription.

Ministers say these extra checks could save the NHS £150m a year, which will be ploughed back into the NHS.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30622544

I'm still waiting for my exemption certificate to come back, after submitting it to my GP a month ago.

Around 90% of prescriptions in England are currently dispensed free of charge.

Wow! That surprises me.

 

[Redkite]

It's surprising that 90% of prescriptions are free, but there again I suppose all under 16's and over 60's (or 65's?) are free, which accounts for a large section of the population, and perhaps the sectors most likely to need medication?

What I think could be tightened is this: I get free prescriptions due to having an underactive thyroid, and my son will get free prescriptions as an adult due to being type 1, but why should ALL our medication be free? Perhaps it should ONLY be the items connected to the chronic medical condition? ie. I should get free thyroid meds but should pay if I need a course of antibiotics etc. I don't know how much money this would save the NHS, probably not that much, but it does seem a bit of an anomaly!

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I do wonder if as 90% are free would it not be cheaper to give everyone free prescriptions? A lot less paper work time and wage paying to the bean counters.

 

[Northerner]

I do wonder if as 90% are free would it not be cheaper to give everyone free prescriptions? A lot less paper work time and wage paying to the bean counters.

It seems to work everywhere else in the UK, why not in England?