What Preps are you doing this week? Part 13

[GeraldTheBonzai]

The medicine shortage is getting worse. SHMBO needs asthma medication. Tried to get the prescription yesterday but they didn't have one of the inhalers in. "Try tomorrow". Tried this morning - still not in. Had a word with the pharmacist who I know and indeed the shortage is now spilling over to other medications.

Only suggestion was either to wait until Monday or he print off the prescription and I try some of the big pharmacies like Boots or Tesco. OR if al else fails, go to A&E. Fortunately we can last into start of next week.

Have you tried the online pharmacies?

ha... The wholesale price for this drug in question is £13. Online pharmacies are selling it for £39.
The markup on basic asthma medication is also monstrous. Retail price for Ventalin is £1.59. Online price around £8.

[berbie]

Ah,
Are no online pharmacies who fulfil NHS prescriptions like high street pharmacies?
I have only dealt with onine prescriptions for pets and it usually works out about a third of the price of the vets.

[GeraldTheBonzai]

Ah,
Are no online pharmacies who fulfil NHS prescriptions like high street pharmacies?
I have only dealt with onine prescriptions for pets and it usually works out about a third of the price of the vets.

Its a totally different business model, and is borderline criminal in my opinion.
The NHS sets a "list price" for a drug. Lets say £1.50. This is what they will pay the pharmacy if the pharmacy fulfils a prescription.
The pharmacist buys the drug from one of a few wholesalers. The wholesaler is selling it at £1.20 so the pharmacist buys it at that price, gives it tou you, and claims the list price, so they make a small profit. This is how they stay in business.

Now the drug goes into demand, due to some shortage. The wholesaler raises the price to £2 but the NHS list price has not been updated - it has a slow update rate. The pharmacist buys it at £2 but can only claim, at this point in time, £1.50 back from the NHS, so they are running at a loss. The NHS eventually updates the list price to reflect market prices. The pharmacist can now claim a refund from the NHS for the price difference, and regains the loss. However, during this period, the pharmacy has a -ve cash flow. This is why so many small pharmacies are going out of business - they can't absorb the cashflow issues that the likes of Tesco or Boots can.

The online pharmacies are totally different. If the wholesale price of a drug is £2, they can actually bid £2.50 for it. They are then free to. sell it for whatever price they want.

[berbie]

I had no idea. That's disgraceful.
A worse service for no actual gain anywhere

[Yorkshire Andy]

Did a bit of additional servicing on the car this morning before my jollys in a couple of weeks

Replaced the fuel filter on the car nice and easy job and £7 for a febi (German) filter and about 10 minutes to change (,took my time no rushing) cut the old filter open and it was spotlessly clean but it's been on 4 years so due doing....

Then drained the antifreeze/ coolant out and refilled with fresh it's a 5 year interval on my car at that point the lubrication (vital for the water pump and other additives (anti corrosion (aluminium radiator and cylinder head) / antifreeze) begin to Loose their effectiveness so £15 for 5l is money well spent ..


Also used a degreaser/ all purpose cleaner and gave the radiator a good spray then a gentle rinse with a hose to give the car all the help I can to run cool in this silly hot weather it won't do any harm

(Car had a big service earlier this year by me (oil / oil filter/ cabin filter/ induction filter, spark plugs , new front shockers and lower arms, brakes cleaned)

Topped tyre pressures up too with my new norco cordless pump which so far is great as you don't need to plug it in so topping up trailers you dont need to mess about