Chemists Giving Treatment

[kenny1234]

At present I tick a box on a prescription to state that I am over 65. and therefore don't need to pay.---how will this work if I want treatment for one of the SEVEN conditions that chemists can give relief for(not having a prescription).

[wolf63]

The chemist won't charge you for the item that you are being given.  It works quite smoothly.

 

[Buenchico]

You'll still have a prescription anyway.  Pharmacists aren't simply being allowed to dispense the relevant drugs; they're now permitted to prescribe (and then dispense) them.  So the pharmacist will create a presciption, instead of a GP, which you can then tick the same box on.

[wolf63]

I should have added, I live in Scotland and we get free prescriptions.  

I went to the chemist with an infected wound, she gave me something for it and I paid nothing.

[Hymie]

Since turning 60 (the age at which prescriptions are free in England), I’ve never been asked to tick any box as to why I should not pay – the prescription has my D.O.B. printed on it, so the pharmacist knows.

 

If they were stupid enough to ask, I would point this out – also they don’t ask me to sign the prescription form, I presume this is because no payment is required and no one would ever be chased for incorrectly claiming a free prescription.

[Old_Geezer]

I doubt the pharmacist training includes the training given to doctors, so this is simply a cost saving exercise with scant regard for what the public needs, or has contributed taxes for. Another sign of UK society not getting the right services and the system standards falling through the floor.

[nicebloke1]

Agree with OG here is the pethetic BS.

Sinusitis

Sore throat

Earache

Shingles

"Infected insect bites

Inpetigo

"Uncomplicated" urinary infections in women. (under 65yrs)  Another government smoke screen.

[nicebloke1]

The pharmacist will sell you a bag of sweets for the sore throat. And some cream for the bite. :0)

[Buenchico]

Pharmacists are a much under-used resource.  Many of them spend 5 years training but then end up doing little more than counting out tablets and handing them out to people.

Anything that gets more people using the excellent consulting services that pharmacists can provide is to be warmly welcomed.

[Canary42]

///I doubt the pharmacist training includes the training given to doctors, ///

My last prescription came from the Practice Nurse (signed off by the "on-duty doctor" (not mine) entirely on her say-so.) - I doubt if her diagnostic training was any better  than a pharmacist's.

[nicebloke1]

Pharmacist have always offered their advice for many years if you asked them, at least the ones I've been too anyhow. So whats new? apart from the legal permission to do so. The above list is an insult to them more than anything.

[Old_Geezer]

What is new is the right to prescribe. Which is different from giving advice.

 

If nurses prescribe then it's another indication of the problem. The nursing job is to nurse, not doctor.

[brainiac]

I don't think they should be allowed to prescribe antibiotics.   There is already over-prescribing of them, leading to a very worrying increase in antibiotic resistant infections:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4240113/

[Canary42]

My dentist prescribes antibiotics

[brainiac]

So does mine.  So what - we're discussing pharmacists.

[Toorak]

They can only prescribe a 3 day course of antibiotics and if symptoms persist further antibiotics have to be prescribed by GP

[Canary42]

Useful to know Toorak, thanks.

[roopower]

I usually go to my pharmacist first anyway, always have, especially for things like earache and a sore throat, unless I think it could be something more serious. 

[davebro3]

I think (?) I once got something from the chemist without prescription and asked for it free (over 65). There was some bureaucracy involved - filling in a form or summat.

Not sure if I bothered.

[nicebloke1]

Not sure if I bothered? Maybe you didnt really need it in the first place then.

[bednobs]

"no one would ever be chased for incorrectly claiming a free prescription.¬"

errr ... yes they are, very regularly.  I once had notification of a fine because my PPC had my middle and first names round the wrong way, so they thought i had ticked box F when i wasnt entitled to.

once you are a presciber, you can actually prescribe anything in the BNF (if you have access to a prescriptiion pad)

Lastly, my pharmacy has bigger queues than my GP surgery already!