Petition re: Fees for Vets Prescriptions

Stella

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Apparently, there has been a restriction on Vets charging prescriptions fees, but it expires in October. From then a charge of £15 can be made simply to prescribe. It seems that there is a petition to Downing Street to ask for the restriction to remain in place.

For anyone interested in signing it, here you go http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/petprescription/
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star

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i'm all for charging - it takes me ages to write a prescription. why should i do it for free? it's not even me who gets the money as I'm just a lowly assistant - i just dont see why i should do it for free? we already do insurance forms for free (although not all vets do) and we have to employ a whole member of staff to do these!
 

MurphysMinder

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The repeat prescription for our Cushings pony is held on the vets computer system and is just printed off when I need it and the vet signs it, so I would be loathe to pay £15.00 for that. My practice seem to be very good about encouraging clients to get prescriptions elsewhere if it is cheaper, hopefully they won't suddenly start charging or it would defeat the object.
 

Stella

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[ QUOTE ]
i'm all for charging - it takes me ages to write a prescription. why should i do it for free? it's not even me who gets the money as I'm just a lowly assistant - i just dont see why i should do it for free? we already do insurance forms for free (although not all vets do) and we have to employ a whole member of staff to do these!

[/ QUOTE ] I understand what you're saying. I just think that where a lot of money is made in a business, its a bit OTT to charge for every move. I also come from a perspective of working in the NHS - I could choose to charge for all the little extras that I sign and write (e.g. medical forms, passport applications etc), but I don't!
 

stranger1612

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The inability to charge for a prescription is , as far as I am aware, the only example where a professional person can be forced to provide a service but is unable to levy a fee for that service. The professional person retains the liability should something go wrong! If clients want a free script they get one, but the cost will find its way onto the bill somehow. If your vet charges too much then move practices. That is how competition works, not by artificially adjusting the market. That forces professionals into opaque pricing and hidden extras.
 

Stella

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Having discussed this on another forum too, I am beginning to be persuaded of the other side of the argument. I am now busy wobbling on the fence as we speak
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Dressagebabe

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Doctor's charge £20 for authorising a human passport certificate so why shouldn't Vets charge for writing a prescription! If vets don't make enough of a living from their 5/6 yrs training which is not subsidiesed with a grant in many cases (can cost them up to £100k in total to train & qualify) they have to maintain a profit or there will be far and few Vets in the future and then the Vet bills will be huge in comparison. We had to have a plumber out a few weeks ago and his call out fee was £140 before he actually sorted the problem, our Vets have to be highly intelligent to get into Uni in the first place and then starts the serious dedication of studying 24/7. I don't think its rocket science to train as a plumber yet can earn the same annual turnover that a Vet does.
 
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