NHS Policy on Condoms!

[Lightworker]

As aformentioned the condoms are still being paid for by taxes so are not free. At the risk of repeating myself If I pay taxes, should I then mutely accept the govts decision on what to do with them? If I have a concern about the allocation of funds or the running of a service I am well within my rights to raise my issues. I am not sure why you equate this to the benefits issue because people on benefits dont pay taxes, right?

 

[Lightworker]

The whole "just be content with your lot" attitude does not sit well with me because IMO it thoroughly hinders progress. If people just accepted things blindly as is being suggested, surely we would still be in a society that treated women inequitably, we would still have slaves etc. I appreciate the NHS has limits but why is it they will provide all hormonal contraception "free" leaving you to pay for less invasive methods? How did they figure that one out?

 

[indy and lara]

The whole "just be content with your lot" attitude does not sit well with me because IMO it thoroughly hinders progress. If people just accepted things blindly as is being suggested, surely we would still be in a society that treated women inequitably, we would still have slaves etc. I appreciate the NHS has limits but why is it they will provide all hormonal contraception "free" leaving you to pay for less invasive methods? How did they figure that one out?

I do understand what you are trying to say but I don't think you can compare slavery and free condoms. The shifts in society's attitude needed to end slavery are not really comparable to free condoms on the NHS!

If you have issues about NHS resource management then of course you should raise it with your local health board or PCT. For me though, there are greater concerns than free condoms. I am more concerned that people do not have access to the cancer drugs which may prolong quality of life, the differences in neo- natal survival rates in different units and the availability of end of life care at home.

The NHS do provide non-hormonal methods of contraception, just not condoms.

 

[Lightworker]

Ofcourse I was not comparing free condoms and slavery in terms of their impact on society. I was illustrating the fact that if people sit and accept situations they don't like, the situations will simply persist. Ofcourse theres tonnes loads of stuff more important than free condoms and surely I have evidenced my recognition of this via my other thread on this forum. However if the resolution of every issue I faced was contingent on where it fell on the "importance scale" I would get nowhere.

 

[Lightworker]

Ah well

 

[indy and lara]

Ofcourse I was not comparing free condoms and slavery in terms of their impact on society. I was illustrating the fact that if people sit and accept situations they don't like, the situations will simply persist. Ofcourse theres tonnes loads of stuff more important than free condoms and surely I have evidenced my recognition of this via my other thread on this forum. However if the resolution of every issue I faced was contingent on where it fell on the "importance scale" I would get nowhere.

Haven't read any other thread, just this one.

 

[Button#]

As aformentioned the condoms are still being paid for by taxes so are not free. At the risk of repeating myself If I pay taxes, should I then mutely accept the govts decision on what to do with them? If I have a concern about the allocation of funds or the running of a service I am well within my rights to raise my issues. I am not sure why you equate this to the benefits issue because people on benefits dont pay taxes, right?

Regarding this point, you pay taxes and then elect a government who decides what to do with them, any issues you have with how this is spent is an issue to raise with your local MP - not some poor NHS employee who like the rest of us follows the rules we are set in our jobs. Like someone pointed out the tax pot is not inexaustible and I'm afraid there are very few MPs who will campaign on the basis that they will give out unlimited condoms.

 

[smokey]

As aformentioned the condoms are still being paid for by taxes so are not free. At the risk of repeating myself If I pay taxes, should I then mutely accept the govts decision on what to do with them? If I have a concern about the allocation of funds or the running of a service I am well within my rights to raise my issues. I am not sure why you equate this to the benefits issue because people on benefits dont pay taxes, right?

I was refering to benafites as in advantages not as in claimed money benafits.

As others have said before you can not limit the amount of pills per month as they are a medication, you cant just take 12 a month and have the same affect so they are nothing alike realy as its not as easy as take one each time you have sex like condoms.

I also have a issue with the allocation of funds and tbh paying for someone to have sex more often is not realy top of my list of concerns about where the money in this country is going.

 

[smokey]

The whole "just be content with your lot" attitude does not sit well with me because IMO it thoroughly hinders progress. If people just accepted things blindly as is being suggested, surely we would still be in a society that treated women inequitably, we would still have slaves etc. I appreciate the NHS has limits but why is it they will provide all hormonal contraception "free" leaving you to pay for less invasive methods? How did they figure that one out?

I guess its true that some people are never satisfied with what they have and always want more.


As you have said yourself, it isnt free its paid for by tax payers money and your not realy being left to pay for alternatives you are after all given a pretty resonable amount that equates to protected sex 3 times a week and I dont think its realy unreasonable to expect people who want it more to go buy themselfs a pack.
Again only reason people who take the pill get a few extra little pills a month is because it isnt as straightforward as take one each time you want sex.

 

[Char.due.jan]

You either :

Have sex less
Buy your own condoms (as most people do anyway, and the sti treatment shouldn't be in the equation if you are with a long term partner. Why should the NHS fund if you want to go out and have sex with lots of people?)

Or
Choose another method of contraception, as I said protecting yourself from stis shouldn't be a problem if you're with a long term faithful partner.

 

[marley2580]

I actually think that condoms should be pushed more by the NHS - they are the only way you can be sexually active without risking an STI. It's crazy that there's so much focus on getting people onto hormonal contraception to stop the number of teen mums, when STI rates are at an all time high.

 

[Lightworker]

Yes thats the thing I don't get as well. When I told my HV I was sticking to condoms, he looked at me funny and said that they now give the implant at GPs offices, totally disregarding my choice to not have synthetic hormones floating about my bloodstream. They also now advertise the morning after pill so much, its like "don't worry if you get HIV, chlamydia etc, just don't get pregnant"

 

[Lightworker]

Haha I think I should forget about my child protection/humanitarian ambitions and become a condom rights activist, I just can't let this go lol

 

[Jody R]

Can't your husband also claim 12 condoms a month from his GP?

 

[Dopeyjopey]

I completely understand your point huggermom - why are the NHS so keen to pump us full of hormones and discourage people from using more natural methods? Anyone would think the government have a financial interest in pharmaceutical companies

When I was younger, I started having sex and used condoms. I then got put on the pill and never be bothered because I knew I was unlikely to get pregnant. STIs never crossed my mind. I'm not surprised there are so many infections going round now to be honest.

 

[Lightworker]

I was also beginning to wonder about the relationship btwn the NHS and the pharmaceuticals. I mean even if you want to use the natural rhythm/charting method, they make you pay for a consultation - it's identical to going to a GP for advice but still you pay, but they will happily discuss pills, implants etc no charge.

 

[Lightworker]

Can't your husband also claim 12 condoms a month from his GP?

Lol I hadn't even thought of that! Thats a great idea.

 

[smokey]

Can't your husband also claim 12 condoms a month from his GP?

Interesting thought.

Huggermum please dont get me wrong, I completly agree with you regarding they shouldnt be pushing hormonal treatments as much as they are especialy to people that prefer an alternative method.
And especialy seen as the pill does nothing for STI, and I realy cant stand how the morning after pill is pretty much becoming the norm these days and so easy to get when its education that should be provided more not pills.
My main thing about this is complaining about a limited funded service aimed to help because you want more out of it.

The pill I used to be on I actualy had to pay a perscription for because it was also used for PCOS and bad achne and was then classed as contraception just being a side affect (stupid I know)

 

[tallybee]

I can see what people are saying re. Big Pharma's influence on prescriptions etc. (scope for many a debate...
But - the Condoms are being provided as well. Presumably condom manufacturers are just as profit oriented and would have an interest in their product being 'pushed' too?

As has been said above, STIs shouldn't be an issue if you're in a committed relationship, and if you're not - well, how many people would be seriously going out and having more than 12 random sexual encounters in a month


I also don't believe that the NHS giving out of any number of free condoms is a discouragement to their use They are still giving out free condoms which is an encouragement to use them surely?

Personally I have never had hormonal contraception 'pushed' on me at all, I have had to push for it if anything (the Implant or Pill have been the only things that've alleviated my excruciating and debilitating AF.... but that's another story).

 

[Lightworker]

Smokey I totally get what you're saying about limited funds and truthfully I am grateful even for those 12 but I am frustrated mainly because they make a big point of advertising their service as being patient led and we choose how we get treated etc but at least in this case, this is not so.