Hi there, I don't know how you stand but it seems so wrong!!! Hopefully somebody on here will know the answer for you. I agree you pay into a system all your life and then you don't get back what you expect. I know if you are on benefits there is some sort of system where you can get non prescription drugs from Boots Chemists for free as I quite often see the post for kids nurofen and calpol. Wishing you every luck.

Hi Vatch

I share the same problems as you having had radiotherapy to my neck and jaw and have Osteoradionecrosis (death of the bone in my jaw). Any infection in the jaw or losing a tooth can lead to serious problems. I too need to use Duraphat toothpaste it has very high flouride which helps prevent decay.

Your practice manager is wrong this is A PRESCRIPTION ONLY item it CANNOT be bought over the counter. The practice is trying to save money on its drugs bill and can wriggle out of giving you a prescription as its for your teeth, which apparently is not their remit. You could of course complain to your surgery or NHS trust which oversees your surgery putting your case and asking them to reconsider.

If this doesn't work and you are no longer under the hospital dentist you could ask your dentist for the prescription, if you have an NHS dentist the prescription will be free, and as we have cancer the toothpaste will be free too. I did pay for one tube 75g and it was over £11 and like you say it doesn't last very long. Hope this is of help. Kim

Hi again

I did give this some more thought, perhaps you could ask the ENT department at your hospital and or the dentistry department to write a letter to your doctor underlining just how important it is for you to be using Duraphat toothpaste. It would add great weight to your dispute with them. Alternatively you could change GP practice to one that would do the prescription. I did some checking around online and was astounded that the Duraphat 5000 is indeed £13+ for 51g a small tube. The one I use is Duraphat 2800 which is about £11 for 75g a slightly bigger tube. Compare that to my partners toothpaste, Tesco own brand, the same size is just 25p and the colgate version 100ml is £1.00. Normally you would use a pea sized lump of toothpaste but the recomendation for Duraphat is a 1cm to 2cm line so a tube doesnt last long when you are required to brush after every meal. I use sensodyne at lunch time cleaning but again that is not a cheap toothpaste. Hope you get this sorted Kim

Hi ​Vatch After calming down I would request that the practice manager put it in writing as to why you could no longer have the prescription which you could then show your cancer team to see what they could do. Sometimes a threat to take things further works. Also I would ask to see the Gp who made this decision as I would have thought that it's not up to a practice manager to make decisions about your prescription. Good luck. Just another thought perhaps the PM is unaware as to the free prescription for cancer patients and needs educating.

​

​

Hi Vatch ....... I did have a quick peep on google re this but am a hopeless computer user and did not know how to put a link up for you.  On the BMA site it does reiterate what River and Kim have said in that a letter from your consultant outlining why you should have this toothpaste/leaflets etc should be sent with a letter to the practice manager.  Personally I would copy your GP who may be totally unaware the the PM has stepped in and made this decision.  The PM is only qualified as an administrator and has no right to make decisions regarding medical supplies without the GPs authority.  PMs just run the business.

It does also say that you can receive prescriptions directly from the consultant/hospital.

If the practice does still refuse - personally I would contact the BMA and the Care Quality Commission - and I would make sure that the practice manager knows that I will be taking this further.  She/he may not be expecting to be challenged and will probably overturn their earlier decision as they will have to explain fully their reasons for stopping supply of this - and to be honest we all know that there are no reasonable reasons other than the cost implication.

Best of luck buddie - we are all behind you! x

Vatch,

Have you talked to your GP?
Frankly, I find it hard to believe that the Practice Manager would have been authorised to change or cancel a prescription. Under normal circumstances, a prescription can only be made or amended by a prescriber, these are usually doctors or nurse prescribers (the latter have more limited formularies they can prescribe from).

It may be that the Practice Manager has suggested to the GP that it would be more cost-effective for you to go off-prescription, being unaware that you are entitled to free prescriptions.

It would definitely be worth you asking your GP directly.

Good luck
Dave

Hi Vatch

i just wanted to let you know that I have just won the fight with my practice manager on my Duraphatt 5000. She stopped my prescription without any consultation with me or warning! I went to get my bag full of Medes as usual and NO TOOTHPASTE was to be found , just a note saying DENIED !

Well you can imagine my shock horror,  but then I though of you,  I  thought if Vatch can do this so can I. 

I went straight home and booked a telephone consultation with my GP and she rang me this morning. I had a lovely conversation about the horrors of getting jaw problems etc and she put the toothpaste straight back on my repeat and marked on my notes that it's a CLINICAL DECISION!

So if any of you guys like Vatch and now myself have arrived at this point in your post care, don't listen,  talk to your Doctor who knows something about it. I really can't understand why a practice manager has the right to decide anyway.

So thank you Vatch for Posting your views about this because you gave me the strength to stand up for myself

hope all is well

Carol 

Well done kirk

glad to have helped, it's a bit silly as I think you have to get a doctors pescrption to buy the stuff anyway.

great news though

vatch

It was good but the stress it caused was unnesecerry as you right Vatch, it would have to be a "private" prescription,which would then have cost around £10 a tube . Don't see why I should have had to do that.

Hope your all well

Carol ( is my name )