At last

[vetran]

NHS costs cut will see prescription painkillers scrapped | Daily Mail Online

Blueprint to save the NHS: Dramatic drive to cut costs unveiled that will see dolling out of painkillers scrapped and GPs ordered to crack down on health tourists
A dramatic drive to cut NHS costs has been unveiled in a Daily Mail exclusive
The doling out of painkillers is one of the things to be scrapped in the new deal
GPs will be ordered to crack down on health tourists using the health service
Patients will also pay for their own indigestion pills and hayfever remedies

[sasguru]

The NHS is fundamentally flawed because it is a centrally funded Soviet-style system and demand will always exceed supply.
Tinkering around the edges will not work.
We need a comprehensive insurance-based system along the lines of France or Germany.
But sadly with 52% of the population being cretins, this realisation will never dawn.

That's why I want a hard Brexit, the resulting lack of funds will force the fundamental re-think that is necessary.

[squarepeg]

NHS costs cut will see prescription painkillers scrapped | Daily Mail Online

"GPs ordered to crack down on health tourists"

Does it mean I will no longer be able to travel to Eastern Europe to get my teeth done? That is the kind of health tourism I've been doing for the last five years... Didn't realise I was such a burden for the NHS.

[northernladyuk]

NHS costs cut will see prescription painkillers scrapped | Daily Mail Online

Scrapping of prescribed gluten free food for coeliacs will be tough on coeliacs on low incomes. It is intellectually dishonest to say that because:

'... the list of prescribable items [...] extends to digestive biscuits, pizzas and other products – there are legitimate questions to be answered.

..and to then draw the conclusion that all gluten free product prescribing should end.

Oxfordshire CCG took the decision in 2012 to restrict prescriptions to bread and flour only: http://consult.oxfordshireccg.nhs.uk...nsultationHome

[LondonManc]

The overhaul needs to look at the way Blair and Brown hamstrung the NHS in a variety of ways and fix it. For all the Labourites' moanings about the Tories screwing the NHS over, they're simply not playing well the bad hand that they were dealt by successive Labour governments and their failings.

[vetran]

Scrapping of prescribed gluten free food for coeliacs will be tough on coeliacs on low incomes. It is intellectually dishonest to say that because:



..and to then draw the conclusion that all gluten free product prescribing should end.

Oxfordshire CCG took the decision in 2012 to restrict prescriptions to bread and flour only: http://consult.oxfordshireccg.nhs.uk...nsultationHome

I agree, I'm slightly uncomfortable with banning all Gluten free prescriptions. There may be situations where they may be valid. But ban asprin etc.

sounds like a sensible compromise.

[d000hg]

Love how they put health tourists and prescription aspirin side-by-side. Ironically while the former gets all the political attention, I bet the latter costs far more. Paracetamol costs the NHS something like £8 IIRC as opposed to 30p in Tesco.

[northernladyuk]

I agree, I'm slightly uncomfortable with banning all Gluten free prescriptions. There may be situations where they may be valid. But ban asprin etc.

sounds like a sensible compromise.

It's just a £22 million line item to someone.

[LondonManc]

Love how they put health tourists and prescription aspirin side-by-side. Ironically while the former gets all the political attention, I bet the latter costs far more. Paracetamol costs the NHS something like £8 IIRC as opposed to 30p in Tesco.

16p for 16*

Totally agree. There should be a number of things that people aren't too poor for; basically any item that's available from Tesco, etc for 50p or less.

*The fact that I've been married for over 15 years is pure coincidence, honest.

[d000hg]

I agree, I'm slightly uncomfortable with banning all Gluten free prescriptions. There may be situations where they may be valid. But ban asprin etc.

sounds like a sensible compromise.

Some way of subsidising the patient's regular shop might work better but I'm not sure how that could work. Calculate the differential in shopping bills on average and issue vouchers? Issue the same prescriptions but only to people receiving other benefits, as an indicator who needs the help?