Prescription medicine

[jeddy]

The government website tells me I should be able to purchase my prescription medicine in Spain. What are your experiences of doing this?
How did you go about it?
Wales only allows me two months supply and I will be away a lot longer!
It also says that, as a pensioner, I only need to pay 10% of the cost.

 

[InvictaMoto]

Love to know how the Spanish pharmacy will know I entitled to prescription meds? I only get two months in England.

 

[Howard B]

The government website tells me I should be able to purchase my prescription medicine in Spain. What are your experiences of doing this?
How did you go about it?
Wales only allows me two months supply and I will be away a lot longer!
It also says that, as a pensioner, I only need to pay 10% of the cost.

I told my GPs I would be away for more than two months and they gave me another two months worth.

 

[pappajohn]

Love to know how the Spanish pharmacy will know I entitled to prescription meds? I only get two months in England.

Produce proof of script.
If you use an app.... NHS, AIRMID, SYSTM ONLINE etc your prescriptions will be on the app..... When can be ordered, quantity etc

 

[Spriddler]

Love to know how the Spanish pharmacy will know I entitled to prescription meds? I only get two months in England.

I order my repeats on the surgery website and whenever I collect meds there's always a paper copy of the prescription with it which I take abroad with me. Never had any problems.

I told my GPs I would be away for more than two months and they gave me another two months worth.

Yes, I did the same this year and got extras to cover the long trip away.

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[InvictaMoto]

Produce proof of script.
If you use an app.... NHS, AIRMID, SYSTM ONLINE etc your prescriptions will be on the app..... When can be ordered, quantity etc

I use patient access to re-order my prescription every two months or so. This year I should be lucky as the re-order date is a week and a bit before I go away. But in case of emergency it would be nice that I can get some.

 

[bigtwin]

I told my GPs I would be away for more than two months and they gave me another two months worth.

Same here.

Ian

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I told my GPs I would be away for more than two months and they gave me another two months worth.

Same here but we only get 3 months worth plus we order on line and have some one collect if we are away. We try to order a couple of weeks up front . Don't forget tabs are packaged in 28's. So not a full month. If you order 2 weeks early every time you can build up a little stock as a back up or in case the pharmacy runs short.

The government website tells me I should be able to purchase my prescription medicine in Spain. What are your experiences of doing this?
How did you go about it?
Wales only allows me two months supply and I will be away a lot longer!
It also says that, as a pensioner, I only need to pay 10% of the cost.

If you get your prescriptions filled in Spain still order your meds on line so you have a back up for when you return. Just get someone to collect them

 

[Emmit]

We were in Spain in January and Mrs Emmit discovered she was short of one of her medicines that she obtained by prescription.
We matched up the Rambla in Barcelona on a Sunday morning and found a pharmacia open and thronged with people.
The lady behind the counter took her prescription and disappeared behind a computer terminal.
She then came back with a months worth of prescription and demanded.....10 cents!
She said would have been cheaper but we didn't have a Spanish social security card.

 

[jeddy]

Wales NHS are adamant two months only. Have tried.
Have managed to build up enough of one tablet to last three months but just been prescribed a new tablet. Heading south in early December.
My prescription is for 56 days but won’t give me twice that.
Anybody else, besides Emmit (thanks) actually got their prescription from a Spanish pharmacy with no problems?

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[Mousy]

We live in wales and write a letter to our gp surgery Manager giving our dates. Currently for over 3 months and she organised all our scripts to be collected from the chemist.

I have also bought my meds (for MS) in Turkey, Spain, India and Mexico.

Take either a packet with your name on or the paperwork that comes with your meds from the chemist and they will sell them to you.

If it’s statins, blood pressure, thyroid or nothing too medically extreme they will be in stock if not they can usually get them that day.
Prices are very reasonable. My HRT patches are strangely expensive in Spain but 3 months of one drug was only €9!

Edit we are in Carmarthenshire.

 

[Richard n Ann]

In Benidorm I just asked for Ramipril at the pharmacy and they gave it me, I was told by the folks on the camp site though you can take one of your tablet boxes as proof, or the prescription ticket of course.

 

[KevinTuplin]

Most of the UK prescription medication is available over the counter in Spain. Take the empty box to the pharmacy and they will supply the medication as long as it isnt a controlled drug.

 

[Mullet Man]

I was in Ayamonte (ES) in early March this year. Took my scrip and empty tablet box to a pharmacy, they just shook their head. Next pharmacy, said as it was a UK scrip and not a Spanish one,no sorry. Third pharmacy no problem.Luckily they have a lot of pharmacies there.Had exactly the same experience in Le-Treport,N.France last year,first pharmacy no go,second no problem.No refusals in Portugal yet. Maybe my experience was different as it was an antibiotic I needed.

 

[Mikeco]

Just take your prescription into a Pharmacia and they should supply it okay, have done this many times over the last 18 years. They are usually quite cheap as well, the most expensive item is Paracetamol so we have learned to take plenty with us .

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[royandsharont]

I’m pretty sure the national rules for England are you are entitled for up to 3 months supply if going away on holiday, cannot recall the name if the Gov department who manage the prescription rules but I spoke to them and was told that personally some years ago.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I’m pretty sure the national rules for England are you are entitled for up to 3 months supply if going away on holiday, cannot recall the name if the Gov department who manage the prescription rules but I spoke to them and was told that personally some years ago.

Yes I get 3 lots when going away

 

[gus-lopez]

actually got their prescription from a Spanish pharmacy with no problems?

They have tightened up lately but should usually be ok with a prescription or even the box.what is it you are needing?

Paracetamol so we have learned to take plenty with us .

You can buy Xumadol which is paracetemol 1000mg in either tablet or powder form , 40 tabs or sachets,& is around 2,80€ BUT they have now cracked down on supplying paracetemol in amounts of 'over 10' so many farmacias will not supply them without a prescription My one I have no problem but I have been refused in others.

 

[Emmit]

Wales NHS are adamant two months only. Have tried.
Have managed to build up enough of one tablet to last three months but just been prescribed a new tablet. Heading south in early December.
My prescription is for 56 days but won’t give me twice that.
Anybody else, besides Emmit (thanks) actually got their prescription from a Spanish pharmacy with no problem

Hi, I didn't want you thinking that Mrs Emmit got the medication with her actual NHS prescription.
Just to clarify, she gave the assistant the counterfoil from her written script along with the packet to help in identifying the medication which was amatriptyline.

 

[carolyn]

There is loads of guidance on this and officially in England GPs are only supposed to prescribe a maximum of 3 months worth of medication for people travelling abroad and that’s only if their condition is stable.

There are some GPs who may be more generous but some will be stricter.

I’ve added a photo of an example from the BMA, this is from the last update in 2018 before Brexit was finalised but it still stands now(I checked), it would apply to motorhomers with a spouse who has the Irish/EU passport so stays more than 90 days in the same way as someone living in a 2nd home.

See last paragraph in photo.

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[jeddy]

Welsh NHS only allow two months supply.
Happy to pay for prescription in Spain. Friends who spend up to 10 months in Spain tell me they can use their NHS prescription locally without any problems.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that blood pressure tablets are not expensive.

 

[cyberyacht]

My repeat is two months at a time. Over the winter months, I reorder about a week/ten days early each time so by the Spring i've built up a bit of a buffer so that I have enough for my perambulations.

 

[dash300]

We pop over to Vietnam regularly (family) and they have first class pharmacies on virtually every street corner with excellent helpful pharmacists. You can order what you want in pretty much whatever quantity you want and it's cheap. Strange how they manage to do it!

 

[The Wino]

We pop over to Vietnam regularly (family) and they have first class pharmacies on virtually every street corner with excellent helpful pharmacists. You can order what you want in pretty much whatever quantity you want and it's cheap. Strange how they manage to do it!

Maybe cheaper labour less overheads less regulation less risk of medical litigation trying to think of any others. What is the average wage in Vietnam?

Just looked 300 usd a month.

 

[dash300]

Maybe cheaper labour less overheads less regulation less risk of medical litigation trying to think of any others. What is the average wage in Vietnam?

Just looked 300 usd a month.

Cost of living very much cheaper. Surprisingly a more benevolent Western leaning regime who regulate excessive profiteering on essentials such as medication. They have a National inoculation regime that would put any Western nation to shame.
May sound strange to us as they are essentially a Communist Republic!
Plenty of low level corruption but not where health and welfare and food is concerned. I would also add respect for the elderly is very noticable! Another reason why we love it out there!
My 2 monthly repeat prescription if I had to pay for it in the Uk would pay for a 12 month supply in Vietnam!

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[dash300]

Cost of living very much cheaper. Surprisingly a more benevolent Western leaning regime who regulate excessive profiteering on essentials such as medication. They have a National inoculation regime that would put any Western nation to shame.
May sound strange to us as they are essentially a Communist Republic!
Plenty of low level corruption but not where health and welfare and food is concerned. I would also add respect for the elderly is very noticable! Another reason why we love it out there! If I had to pay for my repeat prescription at current rates the 2 monthly cost in the UK would pay for a 12 month supply in Vietnam!

 

[The Wino]

Cost of living very much cheaper. Surprisingly a more benevolent Western leaning regime who regulate excessive profiteering on essentials such as medication. They have a National inoculation regime that would put any Western nation to shame.
May sound strange to us as they are essentially a Communist Republic!
Plenty of low level corruption but not where health and welfare and food is concerned. I would also add respect for the elderly is very noticable! Another reason why we love it out there!
My 2 monthly repeat prescription if I had to pay for it in the Uk would pay for a 12 month supply in Vietnam!

I'm not surprised it would pay for a 12 month supply as it would in local wages terms represent way more than you pay in the UK!
One of the few good things about some communist regemes is healthcare eg Cuba .

 

[Barti Ddu]

We're in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and when we go away for 3 months, we request an extra month for our prescriptions. No problem. You should go back to complain.

Regarding prescription drugs in Spain, twice I've obtained them from a pharmacy (Málaga and Roses). No prescription asked for. I had taken an empty box with my dispensing sticker on it showing my name, and my passport to confirm my identity, but they weren't required. Was charged €2.50 on both occasions.

 

[jeddy]

Not sure what Vietnam or Vietnamese wages have to do with my question?
Seems I should be OK.

 

[VXman]

I’m pretty sure the national rules for England are you are entitled for up to 3 months supply if going away on holiday, cannot recall the name if the Gov department who manage the prescription rules but I spoke to them and was told that personally some years ago.

Yes they are. However, when I requested 3 months my health centre told me 'you are only allowed 2 months' . I wasn't aware of the 3 months rule at the time. Next time I shall question them.

I wonder why some doctors are more strict? Do prescriptions cost the practice? Surely not?

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