Mike Barnes wrote
Nightjar wrote

Having to get a prescription every month is a NICE recommendation, to
reduce the cost to the NHS from medicine supplied to people who die
before using it all.

That might be a good reason for not allowing the drugs to be collected
more than a month in advance. But there's no reason not to issue a one-
year prescription with monthly collections. This would make life easier
for the doctor and the patient. Of course the prescription period
wouldn't exceed the review period. I believe similar systems operate in
some other countries.

Australia has a system which is basically 6 month prescriptions, monthly
collections.

How they are paid for is complicated.

The most useful meds have a price cap for everyone.

Those who qualify for the health care care get a much lower
cap and all of those who receive the dole, aged pension etc
all qualify for the health care card.

And once you have spent over a specified amount per calendar
year, the rest are free for all citizens, but not foreign visitors etc.