Being charged for post operative treatment

[johnny10hands]

Hi All

 

My OH had to have breast surgery at the weekend to remove a rather large abcess. This was a repeat of a problem she had 7 years ago so she is familiar with the extremely painful experience. However, like the last time, she has just visited her local GP to have the packing replaced and re-dressed (something that she will have to do for the next 5 days at least), only this time, they have given her a 'shopping list' of all the items required each day and she has to go to a despensing chemist herself and pay for them, which will be just under £30 per day. She has been told that at the end of her 'packing' treatments that she can ask for a form to try and claim back for the cost of all the dressings/packings etc.

She (and I am) quite literally spitting bullets as the company she works for do not have a sick pay system, so for starters she will loose a weeks pay, but then have to fork out £150 for the required dressings for the week. (all within 8 weeks of Christmas)

 

First of all, is this now standard practice? Is the claim back form means tested (if not now, they could be in the future?). She does pay for her prescriptions and as we both work although we are just within the bracket to get child tax allowance, there isnt alot left over.

 

Surely post operative NHS care (such as changing of dressings etc) should form part of the overall package that we, the tax payer already pay for anyway?

 

Your thoughts would be appreciated

[Sali]

I do not work in healthcare but I would be amazed if this were standard practice- a sign of things to come perhaps.

 

I'm assuming that your partner buys the dressings and then she goes to the nurse to get applied.

 

I think in the first instance you should ring your PCT and seek advice. If it is how they say (as in your wife pays and it could be a post code lottery decision) then ask them to put this in writing and ask for details of when this rule came in and how to challenge their decision. Also - although it may not do any good - write to your MP. This is something that will effect so many women. The last thing you need when you're poorly is to worry about finances.

[Nystagmite]

I have never heard of this. I've had dressings from NHS and they were given to me free of charge.

[Feebee_71]

I would get your partner to take the list of dressing requirements to the GPs and ask them to either order them or write a prescription for them (though that could incur charges)

 

Hospitals don't like to supply dressings anymore as they don't get paid for them now!

 

Feebee_71

[zippygbr]

duplicated post

Edited October 25, 2011 by zippygbr
duplicated post

[zippygbr]

I would get your partner to take the list of dressing requirements to the GPs and ask them to either order them or write a prescription for them (though that could incur charges)

 

Hospitals don't like to supply dressings anymore as they don't get paid for them now!

 

Feebee_71

 

dressings in the community are the responsibility of primary care and therefore are either purchased or prescribed on an FP10 just as Medication from primary care is purchased on advice or prescribed on an FP10

 

each item ( or unit of issue perhaps 5 or 10 of the item - depending on pack size) would attract a prescription charge if prescribed on an FP10 (by the GP or a Community Nurse prescriber)

 

this is the sort of scenario where the 'season ticket' for prescriptions comes into it's own.

[zippygbr]

I do not work in healthcare but I would be amazed if this were standard practice- a sign of things to come perhaps.

 

I'm assuming that your partner buys the dressings and then she goes to the nurse to get applied.

 

I think in the first instance you should ring your PCT and seek advice. If it is how they say (as in your wife pays and it could be a post code lottery decision) then ask them to put this in writing and ask for details of when this rule came in and how to challenge their decision. Also - although it may not do any good - write to your MP. This is something that will effect so many women. The last thing you need when you're poorly is to worry about finances.

 

 

this is exactly the same as medication from GPs it's not new it was standard 10 or more years ago when i was doing community placements as a Student Nurse and before that when i worked in care home .

[johnny10hands]

Just an update for you....

I spoke to one of the student nurses who is the partner of one of my colleagues (and who was actually looking after my wife) and she was stunned as she had never heard of it. However after checking, she was horrified to find it to be true. My OH had a chat with the Chemist as well who was very sympathetic and helped her to effectively work the system a little to reduce the costs. Ultimately, OH has has gone for the £29.10 pre payment for 3 months. Incidently one of the items on her shopping list was 'Rubber Gloves' (which they do have in her GP, but is still the responsibilty for the patient to fund). Even the long standing nurse who did her dressing yesterday agrees that it is very unfair, she also said that this will get worse as the goal posts will continue to move whenever there is an opportunity to shift the onus of cost onto the patient.

 

So for those out there in the same situation, if you are given a long shopping list, the cheapest option if you normally pay for prescriptions is to go for the pre-payment method, which is £29.50 for 3 months or about £105 for a whole year.

 

Many thanks for your kind interest

[Nystagmite]

Interesting. When I had district nurses post-op, they supplied their own gloves and aprons.

[Feebee_71]

The gloves could be on the list in case weekend home visits are needed but would be available in the gp surgery.

 

Sadly it is a long standing feature of the new NHS that I worked for for 17 years until earlier this year - and a reason I'm glad not to be going back into it, along with patients own medications being used while in hospital whereas previously they were only required to confirm correct doses and administration instructions!

[zippygbr]

The gloves could be on the list in case weekend home visits are needed but would be available in the gp surgery.

 

Sadly it is a long standing feature of the new NHS that I worked for for 17 years until earlier this year - and a reason I'm glad not to be going back into it, along with patients own medications being used while in hospital whereas previously they were only required to confirm correct doses and administration instructions!

 

or is this a matter of sterile gloves vs none- sterile gloves ? while none sterile gloves are cheap - a few pounds per box through the supplies chain , sterile gloves are a not inconsiderable expense

 

In terms of the use of patient's own medications given that the acute sector has vastly subsidised primary care by issuing 14 or 28 days of TTOs for many years ...

 

we'll not even mention the fact that using patient's own medications means that they can recieve their usual medications from the point of admission.

[Marianne7]

I see that several people are not surprised that johnny10hands OH has had to buy/pay for her own dressings, but in my case, where a district nurse came to my house to dress my wound every weekday for 2.5 weeks (following surgery) they came with the dressings and all other equipment (gloves, aprons, tape, etc) and I wasn't charged anything. This was only 18 months ago. Does it vary from PCT to PCT?

[zippygbr]

I see that several people are not surprised that johnny10hands OH has had to buy/pay for her own dressings, but in my case, where a district nurse came to my house to dress my wound every weekday for 2.5 weeks (following surgery) they came with the dressings and all other equipment (gloves, aprons, tape, etc) and I wasn't charged anything. This was only 18 months ago. Does it vary from PCT to PCT?

 

do you pay for prescriptions ?

 

if someone is a definite exempt category often the Community nurses will get the prescriptions done by the DOctors or one of their Colleagues who is a prescriber if they aren't ...

[Dotty50]

I see that several people are not surprised that johnny10hands OH has had to buy/pay for her own dressings, but in my case, where a district nurse came to my house to dress my wound every weekday for 2.5 weeks (following surgery) they came with the dressings and all other equipment (gloves, aprons, tape, etc) and I wasn't charged anything. This was only 18 months ago. Does it vary from PCT to PCT?

 

I was surprised to read this, having undergone surgery more than once for a similar condition a few years ago.

 

I was not exempt from prescription charges at the time but I never paid for any items needed for after care, the hospital supplied a lot of items on discharge and the nurse topped up anything when I went to the surgery for a dressing change which was daily for several weeks after the district nurse home visits stopped.

 

I hope johnny10hands OH is making a good recovery!

[rubeckia]

I am a district nurse and community nurse prescriber. We supply our own gloves, dressing packs and bandages etc., If a patient needs a particular dressing we either supply it (if a common dressing) or I write a prescription.

 

This applies for home visits only. However, the treatment room sevice for our trust operates out of the same office as ourselves and I know their policy is the same.

 

However, we are emplyed by the NHS Trust. Some GP surgeries (who are not part of the NHS) may charge.

[The Chez]

This is absolutly NOT standard practice! All bandages, dressings and 'fabric' items come under prescribables, and can be prescribed in bulk for just a £7 something prescription charge for the LOT so if they say you need to use it for a week, then you use it for a week and get one week's worth for the cost of a prescription charge. I know because my hubby had major spinal surgery in November 2011 and he was GIVEN the dressings he needed free, and one set came on prescription from our nurse. Sending you 'shopping' is not normal policy, and you have grounds for a complaint, and include in your complaint the strong desire to claim these monies back. Also lodge a complaint both with your surgery, and with the PALS (patient advice and liason service), who may also be able to assist.