Sneaky cut-backs in the Health Service...

mobertol · 27-09-2011, 09:43

My parents live in Tenerife. Yesterday evening I was talking to my Mother - they'd been to the Docs to get my Dad's prescription for his Asthma medication as per every 2 months. When they got to the Chemists they found that the computerised system no longer accepted his medication as "free" which it has always been with it being a chronic condition. They went back to the Docs and then the Chemists and no-one seemed to know why . In the end it turns out that because of Spanish government cut-backs they now have to pay -also his blood presuure pills had to be paid for. The Asthma inhalers he uses cost over 50 euros each per month...
Same thing happened to me here in Italy - 2 weeks ago i went to the Asthma clinic for my 3 monthly check-up and found I had to pay for all treatment and check-ups from now on - the Specialist didn't know and it was only the computerised system which refused my exemption. Italian cutbacks are to blame. (Mr Berlusconi obviously needs a bit more cash for entertaining "Escorts" at the tax-payers expense.)
Then this morning i saw on SKY news that there was a recommendation to stop giving medication to terminal cancer patients if its only effect is to prolong life! (?) What else could it do if they are "Terminal"?

The powers that be seem to be losing the plot - is the same happening to your prescription medicine?

MargaretR · 27-09-2011, 11:05

I have had free NHS chiropody for 8 years until 2 months ago.
At my last appointment the chiropodist questioned me about my health and decided that, because I do not have any prescription meds (I use herbal medicine) then I was 'healthy', and due to cut backs I no longer qualified for the service.

I have deformed feet and have had bone surgery in the past, and so qualified for NHS made to measure shoes.

I suspect that only diabetics and persons with poor blood circulation will continue to qualify. I deduced this from her line of questioning.

shillelagh · 27-09-2011, 13:31

trying to swap from a named medicine to the generic version in some cases ..

Neil · 27-09-2011, 13:53

Sorry if I am being a bit slow here but are you complaining about cutbacks in Spanish and Italian health service or ours in the UK?

shillelagh · 27-09-2011, 13:57

she's telling us about the cutbacks in the spanish and italian health service ... and is asking if the same is happening here ....

accyman · 27-09-2011, 13:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

I have had free NHS chiropody for 8 years until 2 months ago.
At my last appointment the chiropodist questioned me about my health and decided that, because I do not have any prescription meds (I use herbal medicine) then I was 'healthy', and due to cut backs I no longer qualified for the service.

I have deformed feet and have had bone surgery in the past, and so qualified for NHS made to measure shoes.

I suspect that only diabetics and persons with poor blood circulation will continue to qualify. I deduced this from her line of questioning.

cant you just accept the medicine and bin it therefore qualifying you for the tratment you need

if you have found alternative treatment that works for you it should not disqualify you .I assume you have paid into the system unlike the hundreds of thousands that come here to abuse our NHS system ?

Margaret Pilkington · 27-09-2011, 14:02

I think both....there has been news from Karol Sikora...a cancer specialist who considers that it is a waste of money to try and prolong life in patients who are considered to be suffering from Terminal Cancer.
And ex pats are reporting that they are having to pay for prescriptions which were previously free.

To be honest I think all health providers are struggling with finances at present....they are expected to make savings on their budgets to satisfy some of the government cutbacks in public service finance....many of the PCTs are crippled by payback to PFI schemes too.
There was one transgender patient in the paper last night who has been refused breast augmentation........I don't think PCTs can afford such things....if they can refuse a little girl life saving treatment for cancer, Ok, I know they did a U turn, but to me, the life saving treatment has to come first.

katex · 27-09-2011, 14:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by accyman

cant you just accept the medicine and bin it therefore qualifying you for the tratment you need

if you have found alternative treatment that works for you it should not disqualify you .I assume you have paid into the system unlike the hundreds of thousands that come here to abuse our NHS system ?

LOL, Accyman, trust you.

Don't think Margaret's beliefs in medical drugs and her inability to lie would allow her to do this.

Sorry if being presumptuous, Margaret.

When I was in Spain last week, one of my friends was talking about the huge dept that the Spanish Government owed the Pharmaceutical companies and how they were going to withdraw their supply to Spain.

This is very vague I know, and have no further details.

accyman · 27-09-2011, 14:12

i suppose we could boost funds if we stopped giving the entire population of wales free prescriptions regardless if working or not at the expense of the NHS.

Pretty keen on independence from England but arnt yet throwing the free meds back in our faces

not sure how it works in scotland so cant comment

MargaretR · 27-09-2011, 14:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by accyman

cant you just accept the medicine and bin it therefore qualifying you for the tratment you need

if you have found alternative treatment that works for you it should not disqualify you .I assume you have paid into the system unlike the hundreds of thousands that come here to abuse our NHS system ?

Mrs P was correct with her anticipation of my reply.

When I last saw the doc about three years ago he prescribed an inhaler which I was destined to use daily forever.

I used it for 5 weeks until I found that a clinical trial in India had concluded that the drug increased the risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%. I binned it and haven't been to the doc since.

So in a way our NHS lets you choose what to die of

I have learn to cope with 'breathless on exertion' by not exerting myself

...and use Lomatium root tincture to control respiratory infections.

accyman · 27-09-2011, 14:37

iv just been taken off diclofenic by my GP as it has come to light that long term users are put at high risk of a stroke.

MargaretR · 27-09-2011, 14:44

Our docs just aren't kept up to date.
Here is a report on Spiriva which was prescribed for me
MedWire News - Respiratory - Common COPD treatment linked to increased cardiovascular deaths
...and the herb which helps me
Lomatium dissectum as an anti-viral and anti-bacterial herbal medicine."

shillelagh · 27-09-2011, 15:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by accyman

iv just been taken off diclofenic by my GP as it has come to light that long term users are put at high risk of a stroke.

im just going to the docs now to pick up a prescription for that and cocodomol ..

accyman · 27-09-2011, 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by shillelagh

im just going to the docs now to pick up a prescription for that and cocodomol ..

lol note the phrase long term users

i was on it for years

Margaret Pilkington · 27-09-2011, 15:40

the pharma industries are vast and generate huge profits by making Doctors think that there is a prescription for every ill.

And don't jump on me and tell me that you would not be alive but for modern meds, as I am quite well aware that some people do need medications to keep them going...diabetics for instance....they would die without insulin...however, I do feel that some people do not feel that they have had a good consultation with their GP unless they come away with a prescription for something.

I avoid the doctor like the plague........I do not want my elderly(!) status to be medicalised....and I am definitely against the 'one size fit all' type of medicating that is forever being advocated for the over 55's.

In fact, there are many medicines out there, being used daily, that have only ever been tested on men.....current thoughts are, that these may not be as suitable for women as was once thought.