Prescriptions
After your illness has been diagnosed, you will be put on a course of treatment. In many cases this will simply mean a prescription for medication which will cure your condition or relieve the symptoms. Each NHS prescription item costs £7.20, unless you are exempt from charges. See here for exemptions.
More complex conditions may need referrals and long-term plans for coping with the effects. See below.
Referrals
If your GP has given you have been given a referral to see another healthcare professional, you should not have to wait long for your treatment to start.
An NHS initiative has taken place to ensure that all patients begin their treatment within 18 weeks of their referral, which is the longest that anyone should have to wait. Many people will start their treatment within 18 weeks.
The standards means that 90% of treatment for patients admitted to hospital should start within 18 weeks, and 95% for non-admitted patients. This allows for missed appointments and the treatment of more complicated health conditions.
The 18-weeks timetable refers to non-urgent treatment. All emergency cases will continue to receive high priority.