It is quite clear that there is a lot of confusion among
people with regard to prescriptions in the UK. Questions may range from “If I
am eligible for NHS prescriptions, then why do I have to pay?” to “I have
medical insurance, can I claim for prescription service?” Read on to understand
the difference between the prescriptions issued privately and through the NHS.
NHS Prescription
Online v/s Private Prescription Online Explained
Cost – An
NHS Online Prescription Is Much Cheaper
An NHS prescription costs £8.60 (correct as of 1st April
2017) and it includes two
components the cost of the GP issuing the prescription and the cost of the medicine – subsidised by the NHS. With a private prescription online, you have to pay the full cost of the medicine. Plus, you may or may not have to pay a fee to the GP to issue you a private prescription.
components the cost of the GP issuing the prescription and the cost of the medicine – subsidised by the NHS. With a private prescription online, you have to pay the full cost of the medicine. Plus, you may or may not have to pay a fee to the GP to issue you a private prescription.
Availability
– Not All Medications Are Available On The NHS Prescription
Medications that are not available on the NHS are Priligy
(for Premature Ejaculation), Intrisia (for loss of libido), and Propecia (for
hair fall). Erectile Dysfunction medicines such as Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra
are available on the NHS, but only if you meet the strict eligibility criteria
of the NHS. Even if you meet the eligibility criteria, you are prescribed on a
certain amount of pills per month.
Certain medications are available through the NHS, but it
comes down to where you reside in the UK – this is called post-code lottery.
For instance, an anti-malarial (Malarone) and expensive oral birth control
pills that are available privately can be available depending on the local GP’s
budget and your willingness. An anti-smoking product Champix is available on
the NHS for people who take the treatment for the first time; it is not
available for lapsed smokers.
Not all GP practices charge a fee for issuing a private
prescription online; however, most of them charge. PharmaDoctor is one of the
online GP services in the UK and it charges a fee that includes the cost of
medicine and the cost of issuing a private prescription online. It is one of
the cheapest online doctor services in the UK, which is affiliated with the PharmacyOutlet,
an online pharmacy. A qualified doctor registered with the General Medical
Council issues you a private prescription online.
