Whats the point of the NHS?

bulb66 · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:29

[RANT]What is the point of the NHS? I had to see a nurse this week because of an infection in my TT (after having to pay privately to have it, that's another rant for another time)

So first visit had to get some antibiotics (£8) don't have a problem paying for medication, then i get a phone call from the doctor "You need different antibiotics" so that's another £8.

So today i have another visit to the nurse to check everything and change the dressing, after a 30min wait i see the nurse and SHE starts moaning about the first nurse not having done a prescription for me to get more dressing, so she makes do with the dressing she has and gives me a prescription to get my own dressing.

WHAT so another £8 for me to bring my own dressing, what's the point of the NHS if we have to pay for everything???[/RANT]

Not looking for an argument here but really £24 for "free" healthcare?

Maccapacca · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:29

It's not free and never has been free

bulb66 · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:30

maccapacca said:
It's not free and never has been free

The services provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use for people legally resident in the United Kingdom

I don't have a problem paying for medication, but dressings, really?

Skeeter · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:37

Free at the point of use != Free

Also, meh. "Blah blah, prescription charge rant, blah blah blah"...

dirtychinchilla · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:39

I used to get free dressings all the time, and always have done. Maybe if you come in with a big enough hole in you they're a bit more sympathetic

I know what you mean though; I have a chronic illness and don't get any support for my prescriptions. As far as I know, as well, nor does my mother, who has lymphoma.

Mynight · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:41

I didnt realize dressings were paid for as well. I guess they all have to be brought from companies( probably find a pharmaceutical company has a patent on them).

I guess its free to the extent where we dont pay to see the doctors/nurses. Emergency treatment is free though when I shattered my shin I was given some codeine based tablets for free on leaving. I think its down to discretion.

With how much drugs cost I doubt they could afford to supply them. I wonder if they have a markup on the drugs or they're sold at cost + pharmacy extra.

PudWud · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:42

It depends on the situation. My grandad is currently on medication that costs in the region of 10,000 per year per patient. He doesn't pay a thing for it. In America some people can't afford to be ill, or can't afford the treatment to get better.
Whilst in a way I agree with you, 8 pounds for dressing doesn't seem quite as bad as having to pay thousands upon thousands for medical bills and operations.

Dr House · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:42

I normally have to pay £70 to see the doctor when I am not in the uk and then the real cost of the medication. So the last time I took Augmentin it cost me another £50 on top.

Unfortunately I had a bit of a bad reaction to it so I had to spend 10 days in hospital which cost my insurance company quite a bit.

Kutter · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:44

God help you if you ever got the bill for visiting the docs over here, or how much it would cost you for the medication.

You don't realise how good the NHS is until you don't have access to it anymore.

PudWud · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:48

Mynight said:
I wonder if they have a markup on the drugs or they're sold at cost + pharmacy extra.

Don't quote me on this but I think they're actually subsidised rather than having mark up.

Col_M · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:48

The point of the NHS is that you don't have to pay massive amounts of money for healthcare, you only pay for incidental consumables and prescribed drugs.

At least it's better than the US, wasn't the price to treat a cut finger recently found to be an average of $1000 over there.

Heliospherez · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:52

Just out of interest....what is "an infection in your TT" - and why did you have that done privately ?

Mynight · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:53

Thankfully my only experience with overseas health care has been third party but it was incredibly costly. I think it was in the region of $19,000 for a broken collar bone with a bit of keyhole surgery to remove a splinter. At that point its putting a price on a human life. Could introduce categories of write offs on humans

We really are lucky to have the nhs in this country. Despite its faults the benefits greatly outweigh them. (Hence why I donate majority of the tax I save as discussed in another thread).

Damn if theyre subsidizing the drugs I wonder what the true cost is.

TT- is a tummy tuck isnt it? :confused:

bulb66 · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:53

Heliospherez said:
Just out of interest....what is "an infection in your TT" - and why did you have that done privately ?

Tummy Tuck

randomshenans · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:54

doofski said:
God help you if you ever got the bill for visiting the docs over here, or how much it would cost you for the medication.

You don't realise how good the NHS is until you don't have access to it anymore.

Very much this. Family health insurance is 750CHF or 500quid a month for us. That's not everything paid, we pay nothing option either.

You really have no clue at all until you don't have it. It's a fantastic service!

Werewolf · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:54

Aye, the prescriptions are often quite heavily subsidised by the NHS - it's scary how much meds cost in the real world, and one of the reasons people seem shocked at vet's costs is that we tend not to see most of the costs involved in human health care (our mutt is on meds that cost £80+ a month, and that's a dose for a 10kg dog, the same med for a human would be something like £600 :eek:

but even if you had to pay for the prescription* it would be a single item).

IIRC with prescriptions if the item on it isn't controlled (can be bought over the counter) and is cheaper if bought over the counter, you can do that a lot of the time, but even things like dressings can cost a lot (iirc menolin dressings can cost over a fiver each, but if your doc prescribed a course of 21 to allow it to be changed daily for three weeks you'd be charged one fee).

*I suspect for the same condition in a human the prescription would be free as it's for a life threatening condition.

TrixiBuG · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:56

TBH unless your having super special dressings, I wouldn't bother getting the prescription and go and buy my own dressings from the chemist or supermarket.

If you went to cash in that prescription at my local pharmacy they would probably say to me not to bother and buy my own off the shelf...

nick.lidgett · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:56

You can buy a prescription pre payment card that lasts 3 months, it costs about £30 and lasts 3 months, well worth it if you have on going problems.

Mynight · 20 Dec 2013 at 13:59

Makes me wonder how much pharmaceutical companies mark up the drugs. I know they cost billions to develop.

To be honest you had cosmetic surgery and youre whinging about spending £24? It wasnt a necessary surgery so why should the nhs pay for it? (or am I wrong
?)

Raikiri · 20 Dec 2013 at 14:00

bulb66 said:
TT (after having to pay privately to have it, that's another rant for another time)

You had to get elective plastic surgery privately? Why is that rant worthy?

Whats the point of the NHS?

Tea Drinker