NHS prescriptions as Private

[lamzee]

Originally Posted by Zoggite

But isn't that the main principle of Social Solidarity- the Rich pay for the Poor? My income tax is paying for the primary & secondary education of kids, yet I don't have any, so why should I have to subsidise the education system? (I'm playing Devil's Advocate, here!)

And another question: what would happen to the NHS budget if everyone who isn't entitled to free Rxs, bought a PPC? would that raise more, or less revenue than the current "per item" fee system?

I agree with you--I was just pointing out to Solomon where the subsidy would come from.

[Pharmanaut]

Originally Posted by lamzee

I agree with you--I was just pointing out to Solomon where the subsidy would come from.

Glad you are paying devils advocate, otherwise I would have to point out that the kids of today will hopefully be the tax payers of tomorrow who will pay for our state pensions.
If there is any state, country or planet left by then that is.

[SolomonQ]

if they goverment wanna put extra tax on u they fill find a reason, they dont need to justify to you or me.

But lukin at wales and scotland theyre not havin a new way to charge everyone increased tax.

end of the day it will be you the pharmacist who will get all the hassel when the patient thinks youre ripping them off wen prices start to be printed on the medicine packs, or wen its common knowledge becomes that they wudnt have to pay if they were scottish or welsh, at the mo they find it easier blaming it on the immigrants.

alot of patients (>99%) still think the £6.85 goes to the pharmacy, and they basicly think theyre payin the pharmacy that money for the medicne jus like they wud if they had to buy an otc.

Thats why alot of these people(~60%) treat em like normal shops and the pharmacist as a shopkeeper. especialy since they are less likely to recieve any counselling about their medication, coz its the basic antibiotic, painkiller, inhalers or omeprazole.

[johnep]

Spelling is certainly your strong point!
johnep

[mr_colt]

Originally Posted by SolomonQ

if they goverment wanna put extra tax on u they fill find a reason, they dont need to justify to you or me.

But lukin at wales and scotland theyre not havin a new way to charge everyone increased tax.

end of the day it will be you the pharmacist who will get all the hassel when the patient thinks youre ripping them off wen prices start to be printed on the medicine packs, or wen its common knowledge becomes that they wudnt have to pay if they were scottish or welsh, at the mo they find it easier blaming it on the immigrants.

alot of patients (>99%) still think the £6.85 goes to the pharmacy, and they basicly think theyre payin the pharmacy that money for the medicne jus like they wud if they had to buy an otc.

Thats why alot of these people(~60%) treat em like normal shops and the pharmacist as a shopkeeper. especialy since they are less likely to recieve any counselling about their medication, coz its the basic antibiotic, painkiller, inhalers or omeprazole.

You could always stick up a nice poster with a pie chart entitled "What your prescription fee pays for/to." It would give patients something to muse over while they wait. ;-)

Wales and Scotland are not having to find new ways to pay reduced/free script charges because the English prescription fees/national insurance/income tax contributions are funding it. This isn't the only instance where England gets the rough deal out of the Act of "Union" either.

mr_colt.

[Zoggite]

Originally Posted by mr_colt

Wales and Scotland are not having to find new ways to pay reduced/free script charges because the English prescription fees/national insurance/income tax contributions are funding it. This isn't the only instance where England gets the rough deal out of the Act of "Union" either.

How far down the line can you take such an argument? Do people in Berkshire complain that they're having to foot the bill for all those sick people in Gloucestershire? Or do taxpayers from Kensington complain that they're expected to subsidise Healthcare for the population of Hackney?

[Defblade]

Originally Posted by Zoggite

How far down the line can you take such an argument? Do people in Berkshire complain that they're having to foot the bill for all those sick people in Gloucestershire? Or do taxpayers from Kensington complain that they're expected to subsidise Healthcare for the population of Hackney?

But there is a chance is your cases of equality, or at least some sort of circular return flow of funding ...... eg, the surfit of sickies in Glos die (or move) and then Glos starts funding Berks, or include other counties.... sooner or later, the books will balance (except for Brighton, where far too many poeple go to die).

There is no balance for the money going to Wales for free scripts.

[lamzee]

as far as I know (might be wrong) there is no IVF in North Wales, but there is in Liverpool . In this case Welsh are subsidising the English.

[Pharmanaut]

Originally Posted by mr_colt

You could always stick up a nice poster with a pie chart entitled "What your prescription fee pays for/to." It would give patients something to muse over while they wait. ;-)

Wales and Scotland are not having to find new ways to pay reduced/free script charges because the English prescription fees/national insurance/income tax contributions are funding it. This isn't the only instance where England gets the rough deal out of the Act of "Union" either.

mr_colt.

It would have to be a "meat and potato pie" chart around here!

[mr_colt]

Originally Posted by Zoggite

How far down the line can you take such an argument? Do people in Berkshire complain that they're having to foot the bill for all those sick people in Gloucestershire? Or do taxpayers from Kensington complain that they're expected to subsidise Healthcare for the population of Hackney?

Simple; either the whole Country gets free prescriptions or not. The same for any other health/social care provision. Either that or we abandon the Union because what is the point if we don't do things in a united fashion?

It's just like this current situation of English MP's being barred from voting on Scottish-only matters but; Scottish MP's allowed to vote on matters concerning only England. I'm just saying what is the point of a Union if the benefits are selective to certain parties only?

You have people on the English/Welsh border who are barred automatic-free scripts because their home postcode is in England, yet people they know who have postcodes in wales do not need to pay at all. There is at least one Village where the border goes straight through the middle. Hence the smoking ban only affected one of the two pubs which are about 60ft from each other when it initially came in.

Can you blame the English for feeling a little sour when Wales has entirely free prescriptions and Scotland has free care home places?

mr_colt.