Prescription Medication

[Doug53]

Hi, as most of the people on here seem to be of a certain age, I can’t be the only one on regular medication, how do you manage on extended trips away. Thanks

 

[chaser]

depends how extended, 2 or maybe 3 months just ask your doctor for next months prescription early.

 

[scotjimland]

speak to your GP..

you can get three months max prescriptions,

after that you need to go to a pharmacy with the medication you are using and buy it over the counter..

 

[canopus]

Stockpile before you go. If you're away for more than 3 months your GP has the right to remove you from their register, so be careful what you tell them.

 

[TerryL]

If you take a copy of your prescription you should be okay by just going to a pharmacy. But if they won't play ball a local health centre will sort you out; take your EHIC with you.

Our GP practice is quite good about it, often giving us three months even if we haven't asked! But there again none of our medications are particularly exotic and they have their own dispensary.

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[Just smiffy]

As above get your 3mths from your own doctors and depends on where you are, but fairly easy to get in France Spain and Portugal...

 

[138go]

You can buy prescription items over the counter but they can be very expensive.

 

[Puddleduck]

You can buy prescription items over the counter but they can be very expensive.

It depends on what it is. I can't get mine without a Doctor's prescription.

I tend to get a refill a couple of weeks early and then ask for two weeks extra just before we go away. I like to have a month in hand as at one time one of my essential meds was unavailable anywhere in Europe as the factory had burnt down. I don't want to get into that situation again.

 

[PhilandMena]

speak to your GP..

you can get three months max prescriptions,

after that you need to go to a pharmacy with the medication you are using and buy it over the counter..

I believe this is what is laid down in the NHS rules. I have, for quite a few years now overwintered outside the UK for a minimum of 4 months but never more than 6. My G.P. surgery has been brilliant as it's the surgery manager who enforces (or breeches ) these rules and not my G.P. in fact I never see him before going away. I just walk into the surgery in November and have a chat with the practice manager and she arranges for me to get multiple lots of medication over 2 months so when I go away I usually have 4 months (or more if required) of medication. I would advise doing the same and ask your practice manager if he/she can help you in this matter. They may be a jobs worth and stick rigidly to the rules or help you out. You have nothing to loose.

 

[Southdowners]

You can buy prescription items over the counter but they can be very expensive.

Do you have to take a prescription with you to show that it has been prescribed to you by a UK doctor?

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[Emmit]

We received two months medication before we set off for Germany.
SWMBO had just had her annual MOT and had one of her Meds reduced by half.
So far so good.

Then, after we had to return to the UK as an emergency and find ourselves at some distance from home, I tried to order, on line the Meds. to be collected next week.
Couldn't order the wifes revised half size Med. because it said online that she had to see a 'Clinician' before the amended Med could be reordered.

I rang the Dr. to be told that they had no appointments for next week??? so my 'only course of action' was to register as a temporary resident where we are now.
What?

What's the chances of registering in Stafford when I can't get an appointment in my home town.

 

[canopus]

Try speaking over the phone to a surgery with an east European accent, you're bound to get in.

 

[joka250]

It's a legal requirement that if away in excess of 3 months the GP practice is not allowed to claim payment for the missing patient and the patient is removed from the list and must register on return. As @PhilandMena says some practices are more tolerant than others but that is more luck than anything. Am aware of some patients not being able to reregister. I can't get insurance for more than 66 days at a time so all a bit academic. Don't rely on buying meds over the counter, some no problem but some not at all.
Don't know what GP @canopus uses but we can never get through on phone whatever accent we use.

 

[mike mcglynn]

My Doctor was quite clear he said if you are out of the country for 2 months or more you should register in whatever country you are in ,so I had to apply early for my prescriptions as who does that ? the practice manager soon picked up that I was ordering early from the computer system and stopped it ,the only solution was to ask my daughter to get my script when it was due and post it to the camp site it took 5 days in all.

 

[gus-lopez]

It's a legal requirement that if away in excess of 3 months the GP practice is not allowed to claim payment for the missing patient and the patient is removed from the list and must register on return.

& if this happens you also have no entitlement to the EHIC as you are not registered for healthcare in the UK

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[joka250]

My Doctor was quite clear he said if you are out of the country for 2 months or more you should register in whatever country you are in ,so I had to apply early for my prescriptions as who does that ? the practice manager soon picked up that I was ordering early from the computer system and stopped it ,the only solution was to ask my daughter to get my script when it was due and post it to the camp site it took 5 days in all.

I am no expert but according to information given while working for an NHS commisionig group it is 3 months not 2. There is supposed to be no leeway above 3 and I don't believe anybelow. I would suggest speaking to St Helens CCG or e mail them, not sure of website address..

 

[Flamenca]

My Doctor was quite clear he said if you are out of the country for 2 months or more you should register in whatever country you are in ,so I had to apply early for my prescriptions as who does that ? the practice manager soon picked up that I was ordering early from the computer system and stopped it ,the only solution was to ask my daughter to get my script when it was due and post it to the camp site it took 5 days in all.

As someone else has mentioned the period is definitely 3 months and not 2. I had no problem with my doctor getting a prescription for 3 months (well, actually 12 weeks) supply of my meds in August.

 

[Southdowners]

My Doctor was quite clear he said if you are out of the country for 2 months or more you should register in whatever country you are in

I'm sure that isn't correct.

First, you can get 3 months prescriptions for travel.

.... As for registering in another country when out of the country for 2 months... you can't just register at another surgery in a different country unless you become a resident. You then need to sign-up to the social security system of your host country. Your UK EHIC card becomes invalid. I believe that you then have to apply for (from memory) an S1 form.

 

[canopus]

It's a legal requirement that if away in excess of 3 months the GP practice is not allowed to claim payment for the missing patient and the patient is removed from the list and must register on return. As @PhilandMena says some practices are more tolerant than others but that is more luck than anything. Am aware of some patients not being able to reregister. I can't get insurance for more than 66 days at a time so all a bit academic. Don't rely on buying meds over the counter, some no problem but some not at all.
Don't know what GP @canopus uses but we can never get through on phone whatever accent we use.

I was merely being facetious.

 

[Emmit]

It's a legal requirement that if away in excess of 3 months the GP practice is not allowed to claim payment for the missing patient and the patient is removed from the list and must register on return. As @PhilandMena says some practices are more tolerant than others but that is more luck than anything. Am aware of some patients not being able to reregister. I can't get insurance for more than 66 days at a time so all a bit academic. Don't rely on buying meds over the counter, some no problem but some not at all.
Don't know what GP @canopus uses but we can never get through on phone whatever accent we use.

That would be appropriate EXCEPT that in this case, the two month prescription was made on the first week in September.
We have not been away for two months yet.

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[Spriddler]

It's a legal requirement that if away in excess of 3 months the GP practice is not allowed to claim payment for the missing patient and the patient is removed from the list and must register on return.

How do they know you're away? I'm 73 and been away for numerous spells of more than 3 months. I have been registered with the same doc at the same health centre since I moved here 37 years ago and during that time I doubt I've been to the surgery more than once every two or three years.
In any case, surely they don't remove patients from their lists if there hasn't been any contact for 3 months, (whether they've been away or whether they've stayed at home ?).

 

[joka250]

To @canopus , I Had assumed a slight facetious undertone.

 

[joka250]

How do they know you're away? I'm 73 and been away for numerous spells of more than 3 months. I have been registered with the same doc at the same health centre since I moved here 37 years ago and during that time I doubt I've been to the surgery more than once every two or three years.
In any case, surely they don't remove patients from their lists if there hasn't been any contact for 3 months, (whether they've been away or whether they've stayed at home ?).

They know because you try to get more than 3 months medication.

 

[joka250]

That would be appropriate EXCEPT that in this case, the two month prescription was made on the first week in September.
We have not been away for two months yet.

The only suggestion I can make is to request 3 months as there is an overlap in dates. For example, if you were away 2 months 12th December to 12th February but get your medication on 30th November it's not enough to last 2 months so you need to have 3 months. I realise it's probably too late this time but a thought for the future.
Whatever have a good trip and many more without this kind of hastle.

 

[Spriddler]

It's a legal requirement that if away in excess of 3 months the GP practice is not allowed to claim payment for the missing patient and the patient is removed from the list and must register on return.

They know because you try to get more than 3 months medication.

Yes I understand that. My point was that if you don't need medication and go away for three, four, six months how do they know to remove you from their list? Or is the 3 month rule only applicable to people under medication?

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[canopus]

I order my scrips on line from anywhere in the world and they are delivered monthly to our local PO. The postmistress hangs on to them until we return.

 

[joka250]

Yes I understand that. My point was that if you don't need medication and go away for three, four, six months how do they know to remove you from their list? Or is the 3 month rule only applicable to people under medication?

I guess they don't know unless you request meds. The rule applies though to everybody but how they enforce it, goodness knows, I suppose the problem arises if someone falls ill abroad.

 

[gus-lopez]

How do they know you're away? .
In any case, surely they don't remove patients from their lists if there hasn't been any contact for 3 months, (whether they've been away or whether they've stayed at home ?).

Yes I understand that. My point was that if you don't need medication and go away for three, four, six months how do they know to remove you from their list? Or is the 3 month rule only applicable to people under medication?

whether attending the doctors or in receipt of prescription or not .The requirement is that you tell them. The same as if you are in hospital for a period over 4 weeks (?) you are supposed to inform the pension people so they can reduce your pension as you are being fed by the NHS. the same as if in receipt of sickness benefit you are not supposed to be out of the house after 9pm.

For non - doctor attendance over 2 years they are supposed to contact & remove if no reply ,I believe.

 

[carolyn]

Legally your GP can prescribe 3 months worth of your medication on an NHS prescription. They can also at their discretion give you a private prescription for a further 3 months worth. It depends on the medication, condition being treated and sometimes local regulations. There are also different regulations for controlled drugs eg morphine.

 

[Spriddler]

....whether attending the doctors or in receipt of prescription or not.The requirement is that you tell them.

Hmm. I didn't know that. In fact I didn't know of the 'obligation' at all until I read a thread on here 6 months ago that mentioned the loss of NHS entitlement after 3 months.

The same as if you are in hospital for a period over 4 weeks (?) you are supposed to inform the pension people so they can reduce your pension as you are being fed by the NHS.

Ruddy cheek! The pension (and the NHS facility!!) is an entitlement after making contributions for donkey's years therefore one's pension and access to NHS services are not charity.
Of course there are people who get a pension/benefits/NHS treatment who've contributed very little or nothing at all in which case it might be called charity.