Riluzole prescription from Chemist

[Arcadian]

People who get their Riluzole prescription from a local Chemist and pay.

Do you get 1x pack of 56 tablets for £9.35, or 3x packs of 56 tablets for £9.35 ?

[Derbyram21]

Hi There
If you pay it's usually per item however with this being one drug ie Riluzole there should be one charge. I have a pre- paid prescription certificate which you can apply for it's £10.20 a month but believe me if you start getting a lot of meds it saves a fortune ! For instance I personally would be paying £40.00-£50.00 a month without it.
Some benefits also qualify for free prescriptions however PIP doesn't. Hope this helps. Take Care.

[JoM]

As far as I’m aware, it’s a charge per drug/item, so 3 packs of same drug should still be £9.35. Like Derbyram, we have a prepaid prescription as it works cheaper.

[shelly21]

Derbyram21 if you rely on someone going to the chemist for then prescription should be free. Your gp issues the medical exemption form 20230304_095510.jpg

[GillB]

I believe you shouldn't have to pay anything for prescriptions when you have MND.

Ask for a medical exemption form from the GP. Once filled in and sent off you receive a medical exemption card. I don't pay for anything.

[TinyLady]

I too used to have a pre paid certificate. But once diagnosed my GP did the medical exemption certificate as mentioned above. You fill in a form the GP provides, they sign it to say you meet the criteria and then you send it off.

Takes about a week to get a small exemption card from NHS which then removes the need to pay.

I have to rely on others to collect my prescriptions, so this is so helpful. Also the chemist logs it on the system, so once they've seen it, different people can collect the prescription without needing to show the card each time.

[Zante]

I pay for an annual prepaid prescription certificate which I think was around £108 for 12 months. I read online on the nhs website to get the medical exemption card you need to be accompanied at all times to go outside and because I am not at that point yet so havent applied. Its hard to read that Myasthenia Gravis and other conditions do apply for the exemption and yet mnd doesnt automatically qualify.

[Arcadian]

For non-MND and Riluzole prescription stuff I'm just under the pre-paid threshold being worthwhile.

Medicines Manager from GP is phoning me Monday and I'll pilush for 3x packs at a time as per my interpretation of '3' prescription items (they were instructed by letter to prescribe last November and 3 months of Liver tests, but didn’t).

Hospital sent the last lot by courier and left it in a bag marked 'medical supplies' on my porch step.

[TinyLady]

Zante - yes, you need to be either housebound or needing support to leave the house I think. So I met those criteria at diagnosis, but I expect many don't. Like you say, it's frustrating that other conditions automatically qualify. I wonder if MNDA could help with changing this?

[Zante]

TinyLady I did find an old article on the mnda website to do with a petition to our local MPs about changing the criteria to include mnd. Think it's finished now.

Due to other medication it really does pay me to do the prepayment card. I have 6 or 7 items each month so already make a saving by month 2! It's just finding £108 in one go once a year! X

[Artie]

My initial prescription from the hospital was 4 packs of 56 tablets but when I started getting it from the GP, they said they could only prescribe 2 packs of 56 tablets at a time.

[GillB]

Seems like this is another postcode lottery.

The pharmist gave me the form when I had my first prescription. The GP signed it off. I can still walk and am not housebound.

I only get 56 Rilozole at a time.

[Arcadian]

Thanks for all the replies.
Medicines Manager rang and said the prescription was a months worth at a time therefore per item.
He was unaware persons with a terminal illness or lifelong condition didn't get free prescriptions, so changed it to 2x packs of 56 tablets.

He did suggest that I could get the pre-paid certificate for £108 per year and then my prescriptions would be free. I politely pointed out that my prescriptions would be £108 (about what I pay anyway).

There was an apology for not acting on previous letters instructing the Doctors Practice to prescribe and do blood tests (as well as an unrelated prescription related instruction 2 months later).

Was nearly ranty, but avoided an escalation impasse around hospital letters not being acted upon.
Seemed pleased / relieved I was using the Patient Access / EMIS / NHS App for prescription renewal.