Hi Kate and Erin (and others),

Australia sounds a bit like the UK. I pay a one time fee of £38 and get all my prescriptions for a year. The difference is made up by taxes etc. The Scottish government is planning to remove all prescription charges by 2011. I don't mind paying a bit for my prescriptions because i am able to (thankfully my husband and I are both working full-time). But I know we wouldn't be able to maintain our standard of living if i had to pay for everything! The worst was when i went in for my IVIG - everyone kept talking about how expensive it was and then it didn't even work for me! I felt like I had wasted so much money (and resources).

The only downside to the NHS is that SOMETIMES the decisions are based on money. For example, when i moved here I was taking contraceptive pills that worked really well to control my cramps etc. When I went to get a refill the doctor told me that brand was too pricey and they wouldn't prescribe it so she switched me to another brand. Oh, and this is a funny money saving story - I take 40 mg of omeprazole daily to help with the side-effects of azathioprine. One day I woke up to a letter from the NHS saying they were changing my prescription for 1 - 40mg capsule to 2 - 20mg capsules. Apparently the 20mg capsules are cheaper. Minor inconvience for me, now I just take 2 in the morning instead of 1.

There are NHS dentists here, but they are pretty much impossible to get into so my husband pays for a private one. I can't even get into that practice (it's full) so I still go to my original dentist in Canada when i go home in the summer and pay for my treatments there. Thankfully I've not needed any emergency teeth work done. Our local area is talking about getting another dentist due to demand but is finding it hard to recruit someone to the area.