Is there a medication dispensing charge?

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masterboy123

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So I initially got a prescription for 14 days of medication supply and it costed me €12 at Boots pharmacy.

After 2 weeks, consultant prescribed the same medication, but this time for 4 weeks and it costed me €13. I assumed this would cost double i.e. €24.

1. Is there a flat dispensing fee charged by pharmacies per item?

2. If yes, would Boots be the reasonable option in the long term?

3. Is there a website to check how much a specific drug is going to cost including the pharmacy dispensing charge?

Many thanks!
 
All pharmacies can price private prescriptions in whatever way they like - some charge a mark up (e.g. drug cost plus 50%, often with a minimum fee) and some like Boots charge a dispensing fee + the drug cost.

This means that some pharmacies offer the best value on lower cost drugs and some on higher cost drugs.

Where there are significant sums to be saved its worth shopping around - where its a few Euro though there is benefit to sticking with a regular pharmacy, who has all your medication on their computer system, who can do you an emergency supply if you ever runs short and who has a relationship with your GP etc. for many people its either a fairy irregular private one off item, or they are covered by the Drug payment scheme. Only for those who fall in the middle with a regular €50 per month spend is it really worth choosing your pharmacy based on price alone.
 
Farma1 said:
All pharmacies can price private prescriptions in whatever way they like - some charge a mark up (e.g. drug cost plus 50%, often with a minimum fee) and some like Boots charge a dispensing fee + the drug cost.

This means that some pharmacies offer the best value on lower cost drugs and some on higher cost drugs.

Where there are significant sums to be saved its worth shopping around - where its a few Euro though there is benefit to sticking with a regular pharmacy, who has all your medication on their computer system, who can do you an emergency supply if you ever runs short and who has a relationship with your GP etc. for many people its either a fairy irregular private one off item, or they are covered by the Drug payment scheme. Only for those who fall in the middle with a regular €50 per month spend is it really worth choosing your pharmacy based on price alone.
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Some good tips there.

I would add one exception to that. There are some medications where you can get up to 6 months (or however many months is on the repeat script) dispensed in one go. If it wont reach DPS limit and that is your only medication, it is worth going a little out of your way to the cheapest pharmacy to get them dispensed in that manner.
 
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odyssey06 said:
There are some medications where you can get up to 6 months
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I recently started on cholesterol lowering tablets. My doctor emailed my prescription to Boots Pharmacy in Blackrock.

I have been getting a one months supply at a time.

I must ask Boots for a six month supply next time, but in the back of my head I think that they will charge 6 x dispensing charges, rather than one.

Also, My prescription was emailed by my doctor to Boots.....can I ask Boots to give me a copy of this or to forward to another chemist because I have the feeling that I might save some money going elsewhere.
 
SlugBreath said:
I recently started on cholesterol lowering tablets. My doctor emailed my prescription to Boots Pharmacy in Blackrock.

I have been getting a one months supply at a time.

I must ask Boots for a six month supply next time, but in the back of my head I think that they will charge 6 x dispensing charges, rather than one.

Also, My prescription was emailed by my doctor to Boots.....can I ask Boots to give me a copy of this or to forward to another chemist because I have the feeling that I might save some money going elsewhere.
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I asked Lloyds for a print out of mine - I wanted to know how many months left.
I'm not sure if another pharmacy will take that copy. It's not the 'raw' prescription you get from the GP but had Lloyds headers on it.

It'd be worth next time you are in Boots seeing if you can get the rest of the months dispensed in one go, that should clear up for you re: dispensing charge. And save you return visits.
 
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SlugBreath said:
I recently started on cholesterol lowering tablets. My doctor emailed my prescription to Boots Pharmacy in Blackrock.

I have been getting a one months supply at a time.

I must ask Boots for a six month supply next time, but in the back of my head I think that they will charge 6 x dispensing charges, rather than one.

Also, My prescription was emailed by my doctor to Boots.....can I ask Boots to give me a copy of this or to forward to another chemist because I have the feeling that I might save some money going elsewhere.
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My experience of getting a 6 month's supply at once is that they charge one dispensing fee.

I have found Pure pharmacy to be cheapest around for cholesterol meds @€4 per month. They have a branch in Blackrock:

Pure Pharmacy
Blackrock, County Dublin · (01) 278 8972
Open ⋅ Closes 5:30 p.m.
In-store shopping·In-store pick-up

You can ask your doctor for a paper copy of your prescription if you prefer but you will need to bring that along each time you collect your script as they will need to stamp it to show that you have used up whatever number of months on it.

You could also ask Boots for a paper copy as you say to use elsewhere. I always feel as someone mentioned above that it is best to use the pharmacy that you are most comfortable with. Like with a hairdresser build up a relationship with them and if you have a problem they will be familiar with your needs and more inclined to help.
 
Farma1 said:
All pharmacies can price private prescriptions in whatever way they like - some charge a mark up (e.g. drug cost plus 50%, often with a minimum fee) and some like Boots charge a dispensing fee + the drug cost.
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Are you familiar with the date for the changes in prescriptions to come into force? It has been mentioned in the past, on the news, that pharmacists will be given stronger powers to issue scripts and the length of their expiry. I had heard a rumour recently that March, '24 might be the new date?
 
Sue Ellen said:
I always feel as someone mentioned above that it is best to use the pharmacy that you are most comfortable with. Like with a hairdresser build up a relationship with them and if you have a problem they will be familiar with your needs and more inclined to help.
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Not sure that I have any relationship with Boots. Both myself and my wife have been using their Blackrock, Dublin outlet for some time now. The staff are constantly changing and they never seem to know much about anything when we visit.
I will try Pure Pharmacy that is beside Boots when I next have my subscription updated by my doctor.
 
Sue Ellen said:
Are you familiar with the date for the changes in prescriptions to come into force? It has been mentioned in the past, on the news, that pharmacists will be given stronger powers to issue scripts and the length of their expiry. I had heard a rumour recently that March, '24 might be the new date?
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The expiry lengthening i think is 1st March, the rest requires legislation which is in the news this week but likely to be sorted and implemented by summer 24.
 
SlugBreath said:
I will try Pure Pharmacy that is beside Boots when I next have my subscription updated by my doctor.
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I got my monthly prescription in Pure recently for €12, Allcare charge €17.00.
24 paracetamol in Allcare is €3.75, the identical pack in Pure was only €1.50.

The only downside to Pure is they close at 6 pm and don't open at all on Sundays, Allcare open until 8.30 during the week and 6 on Sat & Sun.
 
Thanks all. It's very helpful info.

We don't have a Pure pharmacy where we live. But will consider their online home delivery service.

Does Chemist Warehouse deliver prescription drugs to homes?
 
Are the Boots dispensing charges itemised on the receipt or is it bundled in with the cost of the prescription?
 
Páid said:
Are the Boots dispensing charges itemised on the receipt or is it bundled in with the cost of the prescription?
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I've never seen them itemised anywhere, but it has been a while since I went to Boots for a script.
 
Chemist warehouse at least in dun Laoghaire seem to have a long wait time . Wait time worth taking into account imho.

They are cheaper for otc moisturisers etc than pure in my experience although not the op question . Both cheaper than boots for prescriptions in my experience.

Frascati pure very helpful in my experience
 
as I understand it a print out of an “emailed( I think it’s actually some special health email system that’s secure )” prescription doesn’t work elsewhere . I overheard someone being turned away .

A pharmacy will send on the electronic one to another one. I have done this
 
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mtk said:
as I understand it a print out of an “emailed( I think it’s actually some special health email system that’s secure ) ” prescription doesn’t work elsewhere .) I overheard someone being turned away .
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I got a copy of a prescription printed off by Pure from the Healthmail system but not for use elsewhere as I just wanted a copy to remind myself when it was due to expire. They do usually mark on the 6th month that a new script will be require the next month.
 
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