What can you get on Prescription?

[Sweet]

I was told along with Michael about the bad news with Moorfields. Ken said i didn't seem surprised but i said i wasn't! It is bad that we will now only get one month but a lot of hospitals don't even do that, or you get tiny bottles that last a few weeks. Moorfields is a hospital i am attending after a long list.

I was never fighting for getting solutions on prescription as i didn't think we stood a chance and there are many eye conditions that need lenses. Why would KC beat all those??!!

I would rather fight for shorter waiting lists in general with more trained optometrists to cope with KC and a shorter wait to see a consultant and be diagnosed in the first place! The whole issue i think in training optoms and moving more patients back into being seen in the community would ease the hospitals greatly and enable us to be seen faster and when needed. Lens problems don't really need to be seen in a hospital unless you need a doctors opinion.

But hey these are just my thoughts!

Sweet X x X

[jayuk]

I would rather fight for shorter waiting lists in general with more trained optometrists to cope with KC and a shorter wait to see a consultant and be diagnosed in the first place! The whole issue i think in training optoms and moving more patients back into being seen in the community would ease the hospitals greatly and enable us to be seen faster and when needed. Lens problems don't really need to be seen in a hospital unless you need a doctors opinion.

Well said Claire!....Totally agree!!

[Anne Klepacz]

I was only told about the Moorfields change yesterday and it was only today that I had a chance to talk to Dan Ehrlich, Head of Optometry about it. I'll do a separate thread as it's just about Moorfields and not other hospitals, but just to say here that no, Michael, it's not the result of 'rocking the boat' - all trusts are currently looking to see where they can make savings and the people making the decision didn't know about our efforts to get solutions on prescription. And while I agree with Sweet and Jay that delays on getting contact lenses are a priority, I think it is still worth trying to get things changed on the solutions front - above all for the people who would get solutions free if they were on prescription ie anyone on benefit or in education.
Anne

[Michael P]

Michael, it's not the result of 'rocking the boat' - all trusts are currently looking to see where they can make savings and the people making the decision didn't know about our efforts to get solutions on prescription.

Understood Anne.

[Ali Akay]

You are right Anne, but this is not unique to MEH, I know one other hospital recently started the one month rule.From what I can gather the Chief Executive has ordered the pharmacy to look into ways of saving money, they were unaware of what MEH are doing. The idea of having some CL solutions on the medicines list is now more important than ever and should be pursued as the cost would be borne out by NHS rather than coming out of MEH or other hospitals' budget. Hospitals would be very happy to issue outside pharmacy prescriptions, or indeed they could be prescribed by GPs.

[Janet Manning]

Interesting about postcode lottery. I get saline on prescription but not Miraflow from the GP, but both on prescription from Moorfields.

When I was at Kingston hospital I made the one off payment and then all lenses were free thereafter, the same as a previous post. Now I pay about £47 per lens.

The argument about having to pay for glasses if we didn't have lenses doesn't wash, because we have glasses too. I have 3 pairs, which all have to be kept up to date: reading ones to go over the lenses, long distance for without the lenses, and reading without the lenses. The latter 2 pairs only correct vision marginally in one eye, but make inserting plugs into sockets and pouring hot water slightly less hazardous, so are worth having.

Total cost per annum - I don't even go there! I want to see and be able to work.

[Sweet]

Hhmm i am confused about the outside pharmacy rules. In the hospital i work (which isn't an eye hospital) all outside pharmacy meds come out of our hospitals budget, which is why we have now stopped giving them out unless it is urgent. It is cheaper for us to provide them ourselves than give a prescripton.

Am also confused about the prices for those on benefit and and in education etc. Am not sure that we should be fighting for this? Do they not just get things cheaper because of this anyway?? I got reduced prices throughout university as i claimed as a student. I do hear what Anne is saying about this and i find it hard myself paying for many solutions etc but maybe this is something the whole goverment should be looking at in general and not us placing the emphasis on it being a KC issue.

Things such as Saline are now much cheaper to buy in supermarkets than on prescription.

Sweet X x X