Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

See if you can get a prescription for aspirin.

Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

It's a mystery to me too.
I thought they'd stopped selling Paracetamol in large packs years ago to deter suicide attempts... so can't imagine a doctor prescribing them in 100's.

Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

The most we are allowed in supermarkets is 2 packs of 16's Mort. Having said that, my Mum used to get a prescription for a box of 100 at a time - each month!
It used to worry the life out of me because she could never remember whether she'd taken them or not. In the end I got her one of those boxes with all the doses for the day in clearly marked sections so she could see what she had taken and what she hadn't.

I often wondered how other elderly, forgetful people managed who didn't have families to help them with so many drugs, especially when they can have an assortment of different pills prescribed.

If ever I get like that Mort, you'll have to come and shoot me, because no one in the family will care for me in me doteage. I'll leave a note so you don't get arrested.

Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

I get antihistamines 300 at a time from my GP, I pay for a prepayment card so don't pay for each individual prescription but when I enquired about the same brand off prescription I could only have 30 at a time and they are £7.99 a pack. Yes I could afford them but I am not really willing to go to the chemist twice a month to buy the amount I need.

Same with pain killers I take 8 a day I'd be in the chemist every other day to get my dosage whereas I get 200 at a time on prescription.

Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

I know it's not a humorous subject at all but it rather defeats the object when Supermarkets restrict one to a maximum of 2 boxes of tablets.
I should imagine the total of 32 tablets would be quite sufficient to finish us elderly off with all our ailments to assist! LOL.

Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

Also I've seen people buy from sainsburys, waitrose, tesco, three local pharmacies all in one day no one blinked an eye.

Yes that was me when desperate but no one challenged me at all I came home with enough to fell an elephant.

Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

Cor .. I like the sound of your GP.
My chappy gives me one months supply (30 tablets) at a time.
Brings back fond memories of when if you had 2 or 3 items he'd put them all on one prescription, for one fee.

Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

My sister did the same ... came home and crushed up and mixed 100 into a fruit juice .
The daft doctor at A&E asked how on earth she'd managed to buy more than a small pack .. and that if she'd drank them with pop they'd have worked better as carbonated fizz gets them into the system quicker.
I'm stood there thinking that's some medical advice she could have done without.

Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

which report? There was a daily mail article about this last year : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...3-83-each.html

If you read through it there is in the middle a relevant point - the data didn't say how many paracetamol tablets were issued per prescription. Now based on experience they don't give out a pack of 16 tablets, but will give you 224 or 28 days supply. The cost of £3.83 mentioned would equate to 27p for a box of 16. So I'd be interested in seeing the source.

The pharmacy tend to tell people if they would find it cheaper to buy otc, however I am not sure if they are allowed to sell more than 32 paracetamol otc. So if the prescription price of £8 something is higher the NHS keep the difference. Maybe there is another recent report where the figures add up to the facts.

Re: NHS overspends on basic painkillers

They definitely do after some operations if you need painkillers. They will give a months' supply not 16.