NHS prescriptions as Private

[SolomonQ]

to be or not to be... that is the question!!!

[Pharmanaut]

Originally Posted by SolomonQ

to be or not to be... that is the question!!!

Is a prescription aware of itself?

...while we are getting philosophical.

[SolomonQ]

and if the answer to the above question is yes, then at what stage in the writing of it, it is considered so???

[Pharmanaut]

Originally Posted by SolomonQ

and if the answer to the above question is yes, then at what stage in the writing of it, it is considered so???

It is obviously at the conjunction of the ink and the paper.

[paul2008]

Originally Posted by Pharmanaut

It is obviously at the conjunction of the ink and the paper.

Now we are discriminating against electronic prescriptions. If an electronic prescription is created and there is no paper copy:

1. can you treat it as a private prescription?

2. Is it aware that it is ink deficient?

[Pharmanaut]

Originally Posted by paul2008

Now we are discriminating against electronic prescriptions. If an electronic prescription is created and there is no paper copy:

1. can you treat it as a private prescription?

2. Is it aware that it is ink deficient?

As I understand it, we can print a dispensing token. Does anyone ask the token if it wants to be printed. How would you feel if you just popped into existence in the middle of busy pharmacy?

This reminds me of "Dark Star" and the classic discussion with the planet busting bomb.

[SolomonQ]

i dont think theres a way to treat electronic Rx as private and for me the rx exists in the mind of the prescriber before it exists on paper or electronically.

[lamzee]

Originally Posted by SolomonQ

and for me the rx exists in the mind of the prescriber before it exists on paper or electronically.

That is commonly known as "a thought" rather than a prescription.

[Robatcymraeg]

It's all Gordon Brown's fault. When he was Chancellor of the Exchequer the Treasury made a ruling (for England) that any new prescription charge system must:_
a). Raise the same amount of revenue as the present flat rate charge
b). Keep exempt from charges any patient group currently exempt from charges

There was thus no point in even attempting to produce a new and realistic scheme.

Really, a charge should tailor the scripts to what the DoH (or the professions) want. Thus, as an exmple, you might scrap all the current exemptions and just say that 28 day scripts for generics would be exempt and all others charged at 10% of cost. This would tend to produce 28 day generic scripts -- without the need for Prescribing Advisers and yet let those who demand particular makes of medicines pay for their choice.

[Pharmanaut]

Originally Posted by Robatcymraeg

It's all Gordon Brown's fault. When he was Chancellor of the Exchequer the Treasury made a ruling (for England) that any new prescription charge system must:_
a). Raise the same amount of revenue as the present flat rate charge
b). Keep exempt from charges any patient group currently exempt from charges

A lot of the time under the current system it takes more time to sort out a patient exemption than it does to do the prescription. I understand we are paid 2p for this investigation.