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About Prescription Drugs

In the UK, a patient visits a general practitioner (GP) who is able to prescribe medicines. If given an NHS prescription, this can be taken to a pharmacy to be dispensed.

District nurses and health visitors have had limited prescribing rights since the mid-nineties where prescription for dressings and simple medicines would have had to have been signed by a doctor.

Extended prescribing was introduced in late 1999, where appropriately trained nurses could prescribe from a limited list of POMs. From 2006, some nurses and pharmacists have been permitted to prescribe all medicines in the British National Formulary, except controlled drugs directly.

Each item on the prescription is liable to a prescription charge in England of at least £7.10 - a charge paid entirely to the NHS through the pharmacy, while the pharmacy claims the cost of the medicine dispensed.

Each "item" can cover any prescribed item in a very large or very small quantity according to the doctor's prescription. This means that the patients perceived "value" of the charge varies enormously - the actual cost of the medicine given out will routinely vary from a few pence to hundreds of pounds.

An HC2 certificate can be applied for — although not automatically granted — by those on a low income or in receipt of incapacity benefit. Claimants of "Jobseekers" and "Income support" automatically receive free prescriptions and dentistry.

Those requiring regular prescriptions may make a saving by purchasing a pre-payment certificate which covers the cost of all prescriptions required for three months or a year.

If you (or someone you care about) has a problem with Prescription Drugs, contact us now on 08000 380 480 for a fast, easy confidential consultation.

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