I was wondering if the vet can still charge for a prescription?????????????

I know it used to cost about £5-£15 pounds when Phoenix was having Pheno' for her epilepsy but I've heard that they can't charge anymore.
This wold make the cost of meds a lot more affordable.

I don't see why they shouldn't charge, I'm afraid. They are professionals and can charge for use of their time/skills like any other professional :)

Daisy

As from 31st october vets can't charge for a prescriptions any more. I had an email from best pets. New rule set by the goverment.

Lynn

But, I presume, they can still charge a consultation fee for the diagnosis ? So the no-fee would really only apply to, say, repeat prescriptions and not someone walking in off the street demanding a prescription for Frontline ?

Daisy

Yes Caroline, you are right, you still pay consultation fee. If you use frontline  already from your vet you can get the prescription without charge and then buy the frontline some where cheaper. But not until 31st october.

Lynn

Thanks :) It will probably just make consultation fees dearer in the long run tho' :(

Daisy

Although vets shouldn't charge for repeat prescription fees, they are allowed to charge for their time spent checking and dispensing medicines. My vets charge a £5 vets authorisation fee to cover this and no doubt others will too.

I'm not expecting to get a prescription with out a consultation initially but it would take a good amount of the cost out of long term meds if repeat prescriptions weren't charged for.

I was told by a vet on a mailing list that I run that vets will simply now put the consultation fees up, as they have been told that is a reasonable thing to do to "cover costs for use of pen and paper".

Maybe our GP's should start charging for the use of pen & paper then?

Doctors do charge for prvate prescriptions! ;)

Yes I was just going to say this but JG beat me to it. :) And don't forget if you need a sick note or health certificate or similar that ISN'T covered by the NHS, you have to pay around £40+ for the pleasure. All doctors I've been to have had a price list on their wall detailing such  charges.

I was shocked yesterday when i took my dog Tyler to the vets, he cut his foot on our walk yesterday, we were not sure what on so took him to the vets to check if there was anything inside, there wasn't and the cut will heal itself, we had to pay £17.00 for a two minute conversation. Does this sound about right?

That's not bad! A consultation charge at my vet is £20. ;)

Yes it's the consultation fee you pay to be seen, regardless of whether the vet needs to do anything else or not. I'd have to pay just over £20 for the same with my vets.

Look at it the other way too. I've been with my vet with a dog having tests for over an hour on occassion and still have just paid the standard consultation fee. I've also had the vet out to do PSS tests and vaccinations on a dozen puppies which has taken well over an hour - plus coffee time :D - and just paid the standard home visit fee. Its swings and roundabouts.

Thanks for the replies.

I spoke to the vet and he said that after the 31st October he will be happy to give 6 1 month prescriptons with no charge with lifetime meds. Then another another consultation charge with the 6 monthly check up. I think my vet must be very reasonable as his consultation charge is only £14. This is for dogs and cats he has lesser consultation charges for the small and furries as he says a lot of peole won't take them to the vet if it costs too much.

I must admit it does make me think twice before going to the vet as most times it's me overreacting and it costs us a fortune. I imagine the consultation fee does put a lot of people off. If you don't have much money £17.00 would be a lot of money to some.

Yes I know what you mean.  Our vets has a reasonable consultation charge of £9.45 whatever animal but we took 3 guinea pigs the other night and he charged nearly £20 to see them and the injections only cost £0.59 each and they have to go back for 3 more injections.  Its a lot of money to pay for small furries in my opinion because we only actually had one consultation and one appointment but they charge separately for each animal even though we knew what was wrong before we set foot in the surgery.  Its getting very costly to have any animal with the price you have to pay if they fall ill.  I know someone who has a guinea pig with hay mite (like mine have) but won't have it treated because of the cost :-(