Prescription charges to return?
Saturday 31st July 2010, 2:59PM BST.
Deputy Gorst is the subject of the Saturday Interview in today's Jersey Evening Post
PRESCRIPTION charges are likely to make a return by the end of the year.
The charges were scrapped in 2007 by then-Social Security Minister Paul Routier, because of surpluses in the Health Insurance Fund.
But his successor, Deputy Ian Gorst, is considering bringing charges back at a rate of £2-3 – although there would be exemptions for over-65s and those on Income Support.
• Deputy Gorst is the subject of the Saturday Interview in today’s Jersey Evening Post
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
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So we get charged stupidly large amounts of money to see a doctor and will be paying prescription costs again…rip off.
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Why was Euthanasia not considered in the consultation paper ? No I am not part of the Hilter youth. But when I am too old and infirm to look after myself I do not want to be forced into a nusring home, sell my home, force feed, eat mouth full of pills to keep me from a certain death. This should be the idiviuals choice not the states. No government should be allowed to deny it’s citizens the right to a ‘good death’ on their own terms and I do not want to travel to Swizterland, to leave my love ones open to prosecution. Yes prescription charges should come back to help with finances, but Euthanasia is not posted here to help with finances. It is because Ian Gorst did not consider it ethical to put it on the consultation paper.
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It would be interesting to know what the average cost of prescription drugs is in Jersey. I would expect it to be at least £40 per item.
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I see once again, we are going to get scr**ed by the States.
If they carry on the way they are going, the majority of us on c**p wages will not be able to survive.
I think certain Members of the States should try to live on our wages for a year & see how damn well hard it is to live, but i bet not 1 of them would do it, as they know what the outcome would be.
As a Jersey Born Lady I Am Sick To Death Of The States Taking Us For A Ride.
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That’s a bitter pill to swallow!
Makes UK life look good. No charge to see a doctor. Gov’t pays you £20 per week for each child you have (regardless of income) and a great choice of jobs and supermarkets; not to mention cheaper housing, free museums etc. etc.
I’m surprised the boat’s not full every morning. Perhaps people are STILL conning themselves that Jersey is the great island it once was. Sun, sea, soft-top cars and beautiful people.
Hello. Time to wake up and smell the proverbial caffeine.
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Diabetics to pay for their insulin and needles…
Taxes to rise…Social Security up 2%…
Hydrotherapy pool to close…
Meanwhile, here is a £112,000.00 gift to the Opera House
I would have liked to go and see Matt Monro Jr at the aforementioned Opera House in August, however with the current economic climate, I cannot viably afford to be so lavish on what is an unnecessary – albeit enjoyable – expense.
Unfortunate that the comedians in the States cannot follow the same ethic.
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A couple of quid to those in mainstream for a script..no big deal ,those with HIE will still not pay..remember the abolition of charges was Paul Routier trying to score brownie points pre election time..the Truthseeker has a long memory.
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I wish i wasn’t a middle earner, mind you at this rate, i won’t be and i’ll qualify for some income support and hand outs.
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Great…does that mean GP visits will come down in cost? Thank god i,m still youngish!!!! and only need a perscription once every 7 years or so.
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“think certain Members of the States should try to live on our wages for a year”.
Next elections see how many more jump on the “Member payroll” of £90k+ a year a couple.
Mr & Mrs Pitman (already)
Mr& Mrs Southern (possible)
Mr & Mrs Kevin Lewis (possible)
Mr & Mrs Macon (possible but mother & son)
nearly as good as being a civil servant,only no contract well not after 3/6 years anyway.
any more rumoured, please add to list if known.
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dave (3) It would be interesting to know what the average cost of prescription drugs is in Jersey. I would expect it to be at least £40 per item.
More to the point what is the holistic cost of a prescription. A £2 fee would need to and cover the cost of collecting and administering the fee. The disincentive in using prescription drugs is the need to go to the Doctor in the first place.
Deputy Ian Gorst’s ill considered proposals are a charter for more expensive Social Security bureaucracy and waste. Sorry Deputy Gorst NO VOTES HERE!
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Why do they think people over 65 shouldn’t pay. They are probably the better off ones in the island than us workers who are taxed to the hilt. And while on the social security subject stop paying all those people in full time well paid employment disability benefits for minor aches and pains and don’t even start me on the subject of sending 10′s of millions to people that don’t even live here any more.
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I’m a kidney transplantee and require over 10 items a month, that’s £20 – £30 a month extra I’ve got to find, or is there an exemption.
Why not have exemptions for those that regularly need meds and those that don’t can pay for the occassional item.
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Truthseeker is correct – the charge was removed just before election time and was an absolutely stupid thing to do. A lot of medicines cost £40+ and a £1 or £2 charge is not going to bankrupt anyone. If this hadn’t been removed they might not be asking for a rise in Social Security now. Senator Routier was guilty of shortsightedness at best.
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The reason why no one is on the boat is because we cant afford the fare !! It seems like the only ones with money are the ones on social security ! Out of all the people I work with, the only ones who spend anything, are the ones in council housing, receiving free whatever !! Something, somewhere is very wrong in the State of Jersey.
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No 5 You don’t get £20 per week for each child you have. You get £20 per week for the eldest and a lower amount,something like £12 for each younger child.
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‘Prescription Charge’ is a misnoma. The charge is per drug, not per script. I have 8 separate drugs – 8x whatever they decide to charge +£35 for Doctor every month – while my wages decrease as I’m too ill to work more hours = great incentive to give up work & get Income Support & freebies.
Even the UK has a scheme for cheaper prescriptions for those on permanent medications.
I Thought they wanted us all to work where we could – HELP US?
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@cj #12
Why should people who have already paid taxes and worked for 40-50 years not be entitled to free medication? Sorry to tell you mate but pensions are not any better than working full time. In case you forget, pensions still get taxed, and in the case of my father (working class) his pension is half of what his working salary was. Point in case, how is that in a better off position?
I don’t agree with false disability/benefits claims, but it seems these are the ones that seem to get away with it, whilst the honest and hard working bear the brunt of the backlash from the bigwigs of the states.
As many people have said, despite the issues with UK at the moment, it is on a daily basis becoming a brighter place to live compared to here.
Corruption, Greed and Discrimination against the working class, Welcome to Jersey.
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Just think how much money we would save if we didn’t have child care!!!
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In uk percsription charges are £7.50 per item, no cost for live saving medication (thyroid problems etc). I know we dont have to pay to see a doctor. Perscription i got the other day was £7.50 for 4 tablets!!!!!
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# 16 jackie
‘No 5 You don’t get £20 per week for each child you have. You get £20 per week for the eldest and a lower amount,something like £12 for each younger child’
Thanks Jackie. Apologies for the inaccuracy; just remind me again how much Jersey families receive?
I calculate that for a family with two children that’s £1664 more in the UK. We use our child allowance to pay for transport to places of interest, a National Trust membership and to buy organic food for our daughter; something we couldn’t do without that help.
In Jersey, forget about organic food, we couldn’t even afford decent food after paying extortionate rent to our landlord (who was a hospital consultant with a private practice too). There was never money left for treats and outings at weekends, be they educational or not.
And before you ask…..I was born in Jersey; I didn’t pitch up hoping for a good lifestyle and then get disappointed.
The losers are my parents who don’t get to see their grandchild as often as they would like.
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As already mentioned the Prescription charge was withdrawn just before the last election as a ploy. So were Nursery Charges;the ‘Government’ should now also scrap these as well. This would be money well saved.
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Mogit – free child care was another stupid waste of money for electioneering purposes only. Now all the nurseries are full to bursting because the “can work, won’t work” brigade have taken all the places before working couples got around to register their kids.
But its time we had an honest debate about healthcare. For a wealthy Island, the hospital is a disgrace – I know of one death and one serious illness this year alone because of what I – as a lawyer – would regard as simple negligence on the part of the hospital. One sizeable compensation claim will wipe out five years of penny pinching. We need an open, honest debate about what we should and shouldn’t pay for.
Instead, whenever any cut is proposed – whether to school milk, the hydrotherapy pool, prescription subsidies, agricultural support – everyone is up in arms. We need some politicians with vision that can communicate what they want the Island to be like – neither the COM nor the opposition appear to ever look to the sky and think about the future.
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Well done States of Jersey once again, drop prescription charges and up Dr’s fees. Are we going to see Dr’s fee drop again then? I dont think so!! Wonderful idea, up Social Security too, and lets do GST as well and make it a triple blow to anyone who wants to try and make a living!!!!!! Do they forget average wage is around £30K (if you are lucky), NO because they earn double and triple that amount and can easily afford these small changes, or maybe im just in the wrong job trying to have a life…….
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Mogit 19 –
Just think how much money we would save if we didn’t have child care!!!
Couldn’t agree more, if people choose to have children they should be prepared to pay for them. It’s bad enough that those of us who chose not to have kids pay more tax to subsidise the healthcare and education of those that do, and don’t get me started on preferential parking for parent & child.
If you really want to save money stop paying people to have kids.
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OK, so prescription charges are coming back, but what about those people who need REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS every three months or so? They will be hit the hardest here. I just hope there will be some form of subsidised scheme whereby these people wont be paying as much?
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As a Jersey resident temporarily living abroad and often reading these forums it seems to me that many of the problems people have making ends meet in Jersey is not just down to the high cost of living and ever increasing costs but a basic inability to budget and live within their means.
Just looking around at how low earners I know and myself included (I earn less than 18,000 pounds a year) none of us are struggling. We just don’t drive relatively new cars, churn out kids we can’t afford, eat out in restaurants etc etc or pay high rents. I lived in a cheap attic room for years and saved to buy my own place. Others live with low rent in exchange for work, others do house shares. We all have lots of free enjoyable time to do things we enjoy, few of which require spending mega bucks.
I agree its getting harder and harder to afford to live in jersey but for some it would be hard wherever they choose to live as budgeting is beyond them.
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In the UK you can buy a prepayment certificate which costs £104 per year but will cover all your prescription charges so if you need several each month you are wise to get one.Since moving to the UK I have had need to visit the doctor quite frequently and the joy of not paying is tremendous!!
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A step back in time how impressive how about abolishing all Govt backed pensions instead.
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Mogit (19) and Willie (25) You’re both my heroes. I couldn’t have put it better myself.
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What a lot of kiddie hating misanthropes we have today!
While people should not be paid for having kids, people should realise that our entire tax system is based on the assumption, not that we pay for ourselves, but that we pay for the previous generation. So don’t regard children with disdain: they are valuable because they will pay for your retirement.
Also, the reason why there is preferential parent and child parking is not legislative: it is a commercial decision. And the decision is that people with children are generally economically more valuable than those without: they are likely to spend more and their children may in turn choose to shop at that location in future.
As Andy (29) points out, (albeit ironically) if we were to abolish pensions it would sort out our black hole immediately. And that would be more equitable: after all, while nobody decides whether to be born or not, everyone who gets old has had the ability to kill theselves beforehand.
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Donald Pond 31 I’m not a kiddie hating misanthrope, I just think that if people make a lifestyle choice that has financial implications they should be responsible for it and not expect the rest of us to pick up the bill.
If I choose to buy a Ferrari I know it will be expensive to run, I wouldn’t expect a tax rebate or lower itis because of the choice I’ve made.
As for abolishing pensions, we pay social security for amongst other things our pension, are we to be denied something we’ve paid for. And suicide? boy you’re all heart and you call me a misanthrope. My good friend Miss Ann Thrope will be most upset top see her name taken out of context again.
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Also..remember Gorst gave all the already well heeled doctors £4 per visit..saying it was to help them with professional development…why oh why should the public purse be plundered to assist these guys, we don’t give it to others it is totally preposterous…and he should be hauled over the coals for it and it should be stopped immediately,..how can you say give us two quid and well give these G.P.’s £4…even Tony Soprano wouldn’t have the gall to try that.come on you politicians who are supposed too be on the ball..challenge this c**p..Ben Shenton scrutiny public spending,,how do you allow this.
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Like a large number of people I know, we are all getting fed up of the continued rise in the cost of living on Jersey. Finally we are getting a 3rd supermarket, but guess what, it’s one of the most expensive in the UK.
Childcare costs are out of control, quality schooling is limited to those with more money that sense and everything in between is just getting silly.
After a recent trip to Hampshire and a lot of research we’ve decided that Jersey might have nice beaches but its not worth killing yourself for them and limiting your quality of life.. Were off… Thanks to the friendly people of Jersey for a great time over the past 20 years and to the States Government, your so short sighted your ruining this place for the future generations.
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I agree that people on regular medication should not pay or only pay a low amount say £1, I have to pay £35 every 3 months to see my doctor and get repeat prescriptions (5 items for every month, if I can’t afford the medication then I will end up in hospital which will cost the system far more, also isn’t it rather sexist for only pensioners over 65 to get them free, what about the women who are pensioners at 60, they are still as hard up and ill as the males of 65.
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Re # 27 – Julie – I think you have a very valid point, and I would add that thouse who struggle in Jersey, would probably struggle wherever they lived.
I have a freind who lives in South West London, and she has to be very carefull because she does not earm much, and her cost of living is relatively high – Council Tax is £1300 per year.
I often hear of people on modest incomes paying the best part of 20% in ITIS – This must be because of tax arrears possibly caused by not filling in ones tax return correctly, there are allowances to be claimed. People really should take an interest in their personal affairs and keep their finances in order. It is not that difficult.
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#31 Bit of a misnomer, I’m pretty sure no-one hates the kids, probably just the parents
Childfree people tend to make better provision for their old age than those with children. As long as we can, with all good conscience, take the information and projections available to us and put aside what should be enough for a comfortable life then we cannot be blamed if in future years that isn’t enough. The assumption is that if we don’t have enough in the future that it has been our fault, yet by that time a whole new generation will be affecting the economy and creating the situation that means we no longer have enough. So whose fault would that be then? What if we have plenty of savings but future generations cause an economic crisis like that we have seen in recent years?
We can only do our best given the information we have just now and as we approach old age.
Prescription charges should only be for the one-off, curable or treatable conditions. They should not be used to penalise those who have chronic and incurable conditions through no fault of their own.
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Cat at 35:
…”isn’t it rather sexist for only pensioners over 65 to get them free, what about the women who are pensioners at 60, they are still as hard up and ill as the males of 65.”
An unusual and very obviously flawed logic lies therein! Don’t you think that it would, in fact, be sexist for women to get free prescriptions earlier than men? As things are, the system is sexist anyway because women receive a pension five years earlier and are clearly better off in that respect. Your suggestion would simply compound the existing discrimination against males between 60 and 65 which is in place! Why not advocate free prescriptions for all over 60s?? Better still, why not advocate equal pension rights for all over 60s?
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If we have to start paying for prescripitions will the price of a doctors visits go down as they all went up when prescriptions changed to being free, We cant afford to go to the doctor now let alone haveing to add to the expense if we need medicine as well. Again Jersey think of the elderly, low earners and young families.
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Yes you can prove you are elderly to get free medcine and so they should, elderly people dont get much else from this Island, but how can you prove you are on Income support ?? when you pick up your prescripition
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38 You raise a really pertinent point and an injustice that I can see no way that can be alright…Fact is women live longer than men…so how can retiring them earlier be remotely equitable….?
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doctors charges are outrageous £32+for a consultation £10 for a blood sample £6 for a nitrogen blast and all in less than 10 minutes thats what i had to pay absulutly disgraceful then a handout from social security.i am now afraid to shake their hand in case they charge i suppose they can justify it by explaining their standard of living. planes boats etc.some people are living miserable lives having to make decisions on wheather to pay extornate doctor fees or suffer in silence.what a world.there should be a serious review of the whole system
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You have to laugh at this !
Bet the Doctors don’t reduce the fees after putting them up to include the Prescription Charges.
Funny thing here is that half the Island can go down the street and buy Cannabis Amphetamine’s and other `Recreational drugs `yet if you get Toothache or Similar you cant get some Antibiotics from the Chemist without seeing the local Rip off Quack for £30 …remember when you go to the Doctors they ask YOU whats wrong ..You tell them and they agree and then send you down the Chemist minus you’re dosh !! good innit
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Anon(2) here , here.
we should have the right to opt out.
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#42 I love that we get letters nagging us to go for smear tests! At £44, I think not. Why treat us all the same when our chances of having HPV are greatly affected by how we have lived? I know for a fact that my chances of having HPV and, therefore, developing cervical cancer are negligible, but I’m expected to fork out as frequently as someone whose lifestyle has put them at serious risk of getting HPV.
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#45 Leah- not the best example to give there- as you are obviously misinformed!!
I find that last comment extremely judgmental being that HPV is not a result of a certain ‘lifestyle ‘in many cases- as it seems to me you are insinuating that the only people who get it are the ones who choose to sleep around.
HPV is extremely common, so much so that it is difficult to avoid altogether – condoms do not even prevent it 100%-It is reasonable to expect that you will get HPV at some time during your life- it is a virus that stays silent in many people and Sexual contact with just one partner can be enough to get or spread the virus. Whether you have been in a relationship with only one person in your lifetime- it is still possible and not a sign of promiscuity or irresponsibility.
If by saying your ‘lifestyle’ means that your chances of exchanging the virus are negligible- then you must have chosen chastity as a ‘lifestyle’- because that is in fact the only way in which you can avoid it 100%.
I certainly do not put myself ‘at serious risk’ in any terms being as I have only been in a long term relationship – I’ve had to have a number of different procedures to treat HPV- God forbid i did not fork out the £44 for my smear- as it may have reached the stage of cervical cancer and I might well be in the ground by now!
Please don’t inform people that it is only sleeping around that passes on the virus as many will avoid being tested.
We need to encourage regular smears and educate people about the virus as much as we possibly can to avoid more people suffering from cervical cancer.
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#46 Actually Sal, maybe you’re not on here much but if you were you would realise you don’t need to inform me about HPV at all, thanks for trying though. At least I haven’t done what you have accused me of “Please don’t inform people that it is only sleeping around that passes on the virus as many will avoid being tested” But, on the flip side I will say that maybe you should, given your experience, be informing people that there are things they can do to lessen the risk!
You’ve decided to assume that I was referring to sexual promiscuity, that’s not the case. There are all sorts of issues from diet (like all cancers), to exposure to chemicals, to genetics (not lifestyle obviously). Still, for the majority there is a requirement to catch it, and it is possible to live your life in such a way that your chances of catching it are close to nil. You might not like that kind of life, but personally I would prefer it to getting HPV!
I agree with people being tested but I believe the risk should be weighed up, especially since we don’t routinely test for other cancers. To treat everyone as if their risk is the same is just ridiculous because it simply isn’t. Whether you like it or not I don’t agree with cervical cancer being singled out, and, if you want the God-honest truth, it has been singled out because of a society that has glorified promiscuity! It has been singled out because we know that telling people to take responsibility for their own sexual health is utterly pointless nowadays!
I would far prefer I was being offered mammograms for £44 as I have a far greater risk of getting breast cancer. Still, guess I’ll just have to miss out until I fall into the ridiculously chosen age category for regular mammograms!
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Actually Sal, can I just ask why you think cervical cancer should be getting special treatment?
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Firstly I read these forum comments on a daily basis- and only feel the need to comment on the subjects and statements that are something I am passionate about or I think needs a different opinion to be brought to light from the general consensus on the page. Maybe i don’t comment but it doesn’t mean im not reading yours every day- and from the way your comment came across I felt it was necessary to ‘inform’ you as I took offense from the way it was written
The funny thing is- i agree with you about all of your comments on looking after yourself and taking responsibilities of your health in every way especially sexual health- in fact nothing makes me more angry than people who don’t do this!- i don’t smoke- i am passionate( if not obsessive) about nutrition and the foods that i put into my body and I have never been one for irresponsible sex- ever- i would most certainly fit into the same category as you have put yourself in- but I still got HPV- and at risk of it developing quickly into cancer- if I had not been sent that letter- I may be sitting here thinking ‘ah well’ I have the same lifestyle as the lady who thinks ‘her chances of developing cervical cancer are negligible’- ill just ignore that letter as i cant afford £44- then where would I be!
I agree with you 100% about society and its glorified promiscuity- as I try and educate my friends about the dangers and have been sickeningly shocked at their ignorance and nonchalant attitudes- HPV is the common cold of sexual health and whether we like it or not- its is not going anywhere- it shouldnt have to get to the stage that prevention is a smear test- but prevention is certainly better than the cure in this case!! I dont feel cervical cancer should get ‘special treatment’ above others- however if this is the way to keep numbers of deaths from it down- before they can figure a way out to EDUCATE the youth of today properly- then so be it! The fact we have a CHOICE of paying that £44 to get it checked out- to me is a God send and something we should be feeling lucky about- not annoyed at! If its the ‘nagging’ letter your angry about- just put it in the bin and think nothing more of it.
Cervical cancer is not getting ‘special’ treatment- its getting necessary treatment for the messed up state of our society. My point is- that if even the people who do all of the things that you stated above to look after their health (i.e Me) can still contract HPV, then a) its a miserable state of affairs and b) its a problem further than choice of lifestyle and matter of responsibility anymore.
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