England's NHS App Gains Digital Prescription Services

[MOP44R]

Context: I’m a US citizen who has never traveled outside the States.

The example given in the article is “hip replacement” but in the same sentence it’s referred to as an “elective procedure”. And, while I’m not trying to be negative towards any healthcare system, I don’t understand how a hip replacement is elective? Is it not something you either need or don’t need? I would like to understand…

'Elective' surgery in Australia, and I assume in the UK, is many types of 'covered' or 'free' surgery you can have in a public hospital through the national healthcare system. There are usually wait times of weeks to sometimes months depending on the surgery but everything is free.
Basically covers most 'needed' surgery apart from cosmetic.
Australia has had an IOS and Android app similar to this since before COVID.

 

[Kingsfleet]

Sorry but GPs don’t make money from repeat prescribing. Most regular drugs are put on repeat prescription - there is a pressure to make this 1 month at a time as this means you pay 12 prescription charges a year.. its a government tax..

+1 also if you get prepayment certificate to max you pay is for the same as around one a month using direct debit. Useful if you have more than one monthly prescription.

NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) | NHSBSA

The cost of a PPC will rise on 1 May 2024 The 3-month PPC will cost £32.05 (current charge £31.25) and the 12-month PPC will cost £114.50 (current charge £111.60). A PPC could save you money if you pay for your NHS prescriptions.

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk

 

[SurferPup]

Naff Health Service?

 

[harrisondavies]

Great. All we need now is access to elusive GPs.

And dentists.

 

[tennisproha]

idk about the rest of the world, but the US healthcare system really needs to move on from using fax machines to send data

 

[jimthing]

Naff Health Service?

Not-expensive Health Service

 

[Huwpne]

Sorry but GPs don’t make money from repeat prescribing. Most regular drugs are put on repeat prescription - there is a pressure to make this 1 month at a time as this means you pay 12 prescription charges a year.. its a government tax..

Repeat prescriptions can be up to 2 months; it depends on the drugs - it's also up to the patient to ask for 2 months.

The vast majority of prescriptions are either free because of Age and exemptions. 89% of the items dispensed in the community are dispensed free of charge

 

[Huwpne]

Prescription just means something was prescribed by a professional. So for example, a doctor can prescribe therapy, a dentist can prescribe antibiotics, and an optician can prescribe spectacle lenses.

As you say, some medicines are regulated, but not all prescriptions are regulated.

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Whilst I'm posting, I might as well say that when I went through the procedure to get the NHS app (supply NHS number, photo and passport scan) they said I was approved for full access. However, when I went to see my record, it was blank. So it's pretty useless.

(I've been trying to work out if I missed some vaccinations, but still have no idea since my parents lost my paper records.)

The system takes time to populate; My wife has full access to almost everything - mine is very selective but more info is starting to appear - almost as if the surgery is having to add the info