New cost of a prescription: £9.90
‘Rise hits low wage workers worst’
A RISE in the cost of a single prescription to nearly £10 has sparked fury about an assault on the most vulnerable.
A prescription in England will increase from £9.65 to £9.90 on May 1. A prepayment certificate, for those who don’t get free medicine, is up from £111.60 to £114.50 annually.
An annual supply of HRT introduced last year to cut costs, goes up from £19.30 to £19.80.
Prescriptions are free in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland under devolved governments.
Janet Morrison, of Community Pharmacy England, said: “As the cost of living continues to put strain on the most vulnerable, many patients will have to make unbearable decisions about which medicines they can afford to pay for.”
Tase Oputu, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England, added:
“The rise in charges will hit working people on low incomes the hardest.
“In a general election year, I hope that political parties can commit to properly reviewing this complex and unjust system.”
The Government says £600million generated from prescription charges in England each year aids the NHS.
The Department of Health and Social Care claims it has taken steps to help with the cost and that 89% of items are provided free of charge.
A spokesman said prices “are regularly updated to ensure the NHS maintains a sustainable business model and excellent patient care”.
But Nick Kaye, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said: “To allow the prescription charge to rise to this level is a shameful neglect of working people on low fixed incomes. As pharmacists, we are health care professionals and have no interest in being tax collectors.” An NPA survey found the most commonly reported medicines not taken due to the prescription charge include antibiotics, painkillers, asthma inhalers, blood pressure medication and
antidepressants.
To allow the charge to rise to this level is shameful
NICK KAYE NATIONAL PHARMACY ASSOCIATION
PRESCRIPTION charges are to rise yet again next month.
The increase applies only to England. Under the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland prescriptions are free.
Only the Tories in Westminster persist with this tax on health. Pharmacists already report some patients unable to afford medicines, and this is only going to get worse when the fees rise to almost £10.
The consequence will be more people going without medication, resulting in more patients suffering in pain as conditions deteriorate.
Ultimately it will put even more pressure on an already over-stretched NHS.
The Tories are adding to the cost-of-living crisis while worsening the health crisis.