Nutritional drinks on prescription

Hi,

We have 7 of the Ensure drinks in the fridge , we only got them 2 weeks ago so if anyone wants them I would happily post them.  If I hand them back in to the chemist they will go in the bin sadly.

Pam

We were advised by the our GP receptionist that Fortisip and Fortijuice have now been removed from the list of things our PCT will supply because of cost and that patients are going to have to make do with Complan which is an entirely different product and only comes in two flavours. However, she says they've also been told that for cancer patients, if they kick up a fuss they are to be prescribed it again because the PCT can't be bothered with lawsuits or articles in the local paper about how they're starving cancer patients of vital nutritional intake while building swanky new offices in two local towns. My advice would be if your GP stops prescribing it, start shouting and kicking up because you may well get it back again.

Just thought I would update you all -

I wrote a letter of complaint to my Nan's GP and pointed out how important the drinks are and that she was entitled to them on prescription (and entitled to free prescriptions), and that if it was a cost-saving exercise it would cost the NHS much more if she were to be hospitalised due to mulnutrition.

The GP immediately relented, has gone back to prescribing the drinks and has now gone the other way and told my nan she can have whatever she wants! (The GP has even upped how many drinks she prescribes at a time and done a home visit to check how my nan is and have a cup of tea to apologise).

So, a good result for my Nan, which I am really pleased about!

I am worried by the fact that some people wouldn't complain though (or don't have relaties to complain on their behalf) as it seems to be that if you make a fuss they prescribe and if you don't, they dont!

Nat

hi nat, i do sympathise , what is it with drs and surgeries these days ?

slightly differant set of problems, but my hubby had tonsil cancer and by the 3rd week of chemo/radiotherapy he couldn't eat due to the damage done to his throat and was totally dependant on resource drinks which i fed him through his peg, at the time i was chasing drs and chemists weekly , as well as daily back and forth to hospital, and being the only carer 24/7, when our district nurse asked the surgery to increase the amount on prescription the RECEPTIONIST  said they didn't want me to stockpile the drinks grrrr .

i eventually had the prescription increased to 144 bottles per fortnight , which lasted around the 2 week period,

if you have no joy with the gp i would suggest you contact your nans oncologist, or macmillan nurse, or even the dieticians at her hospital

your nan needs them to suppliment her diet, and keep her strength up as much as possible, she shouldn't have to buy them,   hubby has just said contact your local mp and try to get them to work on your nans behalf.

good luck, keep us all informed how you get on   linmad1

So pleased to hear this Nat, your Nan is a lucky lady to have such a caring and loving Grandaughter.  Take care and warmest wishes to you both Debs x

hi all, i have kidney cancer  and i asked my gp for some ensure plus ect and he just said the NHS can not afford to feed me, i did not know what to say to him,

No you won’t have to pay. My husband has them for a while on prescription and never paid due to his medical exemption card x

hi ive had the same off my doctor yesterday im geting over grade 3 aggressive breast cancer i was on fortisip drinks for over 18 months berfore my diagnosis and i asked to be prescribed them when i had my app yesterday as my appitite been non existant and am loseing weight again but when the doc put fortisip drinks in her computer all it showed was complan powder which i had tried before but they made me sick she tried 3 more times and wouldnt prescribe them am a 50 year old lady i need them as cant afford to lose any more weight but she said nothing she could do so i had a look online to see if i could afford to buy and they so expensive i have 3 to 4 a day so whats going to happen now god knows but i carnt afford to get them so me and your mum are in the same boat this should not happen there must be something that can be done its no right 

Having the same problem with our GP.  Hubby had cancer and now weighs 9 stone. Has little or no appetite. He had other problems too. 

Doesn't seem right that you have to battle for it. I have just ordered some on ebay but it makes me so cross that we should have to pay for it. Ggrrrr

She should be entitled to free prescription  - ask her oncologist rather than the gp, the oncologists usually have better knowledge for prescribing for cancer patients 

I have no experience of Ensure or similar since my latest diagnosis, but I had another brain tumour 20 years ago and couldn’t eat solids so was given a food replacement drinks, can’t remember what they were called do remember that the strawberry flavour was the best but the chocolate flavour was disgusting. But if that brand can’t be prescribed, can another?