Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: JackSpratt on January 21, 2008, 12:10:29 PM
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I was talking to my mum on the phone yesterday and she said a new law has come in that means a vet can charge for a prescription now. I asked who'd told her and she said her vet had. Is this true?
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As far as I know, they can't. I think they used to be able to and then a new law came in preventing them from doing so (in 2005 I believe) so I'd be surprised if that has been changed again. I don't get any regular prescriptions from the vet though, so someone else might be more up to date on this kind of thing. The best thing would be for your mum to contact the RCVS and ask them about it. Contact details here.
http://www.rcvs.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=90637
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Thanks Susanne. I'll email them for her today - she got charged £5 for her prescription!
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I thought that law only made vets give them free for a fixed period of time after it came in - maybe that period ended on 1 Jan 08? The other alternative is that I was told about what is, in effect, a 'dispensing fee' which can be charged for prescriptions, although it has to be charged to ALL customers including those collecting their prescriptions directly at the surgery.
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Hmmm...here's the law...the order came into force on 31 Oct 2005 and section 3 says that the 'relevant period' during which a surgeon must not charge for a prescription is 3 years from that date, so not yet unless that law has been amended somehow! It does say that they may pass on the cost incurred though - but must do so for all customers not just ones asking for a prescription to take away.
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20052751.htm (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20052751.htm)