Like so many Parkinson’s patients, my partner is on a fairly complex array of consultant-prescribed medications, including some we understand may be quite expensive for the NHS, such as Rotigotine patches. What’s more, some don;t seem to work in generic form, so we have had trouble with generic “Sinemet” substitutes and we have found only two brands of amantadine that appear to be effective.Luckily our GP understands this and the chemist kindly supplies certain brands.
My question is (at last, I hear you sigh) is whether all GPs supply all medications. We are thinking of moving to a quiet spot in the countryside in England after a stressful time in a town. But we are concerned that arriving at a small country practice (as the cliche goes) with a long list of meds and requests for specific brands might, well, break the budget for the GP and they might turn us or the medication request down. Or is that not how it works? Do all GPs offer the same meds as all other GPs?
Many thanks for reading this, it’s much appreciated.
Hello tiredcarer … My Neurologist prescribes the medication & the local pharmacy supplies it. My GP does the repeat prescriptions.
I would imagine every GP practice might differ slightly.
Are you keeping the same Neurologist?
Best of luck.
Steve2
Thanks Steve. That’s pretty much how it works for my partner and I would think that is the normal way of doing it. Unsure if the same neurologist will be involved; it is possible but perhaps unlikely.
Hello tiredcarer … why not keep the same Neurologist? You probably rarely see him anyway.
Steve2
Steve2, I don’t know whether your comment was intended to be satirical but it was right on the button! It’d be nice to see a neurologist once a month if needed. No chance!
Hi tiredcarer,
I’m not sure how in works in the UK, so perhaps my info is of no use to you.
In South Africa, the neuro, as Steve2 says, prescribes the medication, (In SA a physician can give a 6 month repeat, order on the script, that is the maximum repeats allowed,) and then I just telephone him and he sends another script for the next 6 months.
He will only prescribe for a max of a year and then I would have to see him again.
Obviously if I feel things have changed and the meds are not working. I will make an appointment to go and see him again before the year is up.