Thanks for the reply dream tribe. So let me get this straight: first step, register with a local doctor. How much would that cost on average? Then, what do you mean if I pay for my prescription? Then if I do have to pay the £7.85, how much suboxone would that get me? Does it vary? I'm trying to figure out the total costs so I can be prepared.
Also, I won't have any trouble with this as a non-Brit?
Registering with a doctor is free and should be pretty simple wherever you are from as long as you are staying here for a while. Once registered with a doctor make an appointment, explain you situation and you'll most likely be referred to a local Drug Service Provider. Some doctors will take on addiction treatment and write your prescriptions themselves but the vast majority won't and will instead refer you to a DSP. There are DSPs pretty much everywhere so this should also be very quick and easy.
Next step is the assessment for addiction treatment whether carried out by own doctor or a DSP. I went through this process again just a few weeks ago and my experience will be very typical. Basically you have to go for an assessment interview where you explain history of use, current use, what you are hoping to achieve with opioid maintenance treatment and so on and you'll need to provide a sample (usually urine sample but some places use buccal swabs) to show that you are actually on opiates and in need of treatment. You will normally leave the assessment with your first prescription and will have to go back regularly for tests (to prove you are not still using illicit drugs) and will usually be required to speak regularly to a drug counsellor about your progress.
In Wales (definitely) and Scotland (I think) there is no prescription charge for anybody. In England (and I think Northern Ireland) you will have to pay a standard prescription charge (£7.85 per script) unless you are exempt (like if you are unemployed, on sickness benefits and I think probably if you're a student - there's a list of exemptions on the back of each prescription). It's entirely up to the prescribing doctor how many items they put on the prescription. You're charged by the prescription not the item or pill-count.
You'll usually have to go through an initial period where you have to pick up your subbies daily and take them in front of the pharmacist. This is the stage I'm currently on and will be until at least the end of October (three months in total). This is pretty standard for new subbiescripts these days afaik. If you pass every drug test, and your drug counsellor has no reason to doubt you, after the initial three months (or however long it is where you are) strictly supervised, daily pick-up period, you'll be given scripts for longer periods and be allowed to take it home with you instead of having to take it in the pharmacy.
Is all a bit of a faff initially, but is easy to get treatment and is either entirely free or very nearly free to anybody treated on the NHS. If you are living in the UK you are being treated on the NHS so will be free or £7.65 per script.
) so it does literally nothing. Doesn't do anything to stop abuse (for those wanting to abuse it) and doesn't provide any benefit at all over bupe alone. Is a bizarre thing. Think it was only done to appease moronic US politicians. Surprised it's used here at all really. Didn't know it was, actually. Maybe it's a Welsh thing. Services are a bit different here. Never been mentioned at the DSPs I've been to anyway... so far 
