Tories push for end to era of universal free prescriptions
BONJELA, Strepsils, cod liver oil, deodorants and Rennies are among the readily available products that continue to be prescribed for free on the NHS in Wales.
The latest figures show that Wales has the highest number of prescription items dispensed per head of population of any UK nation.
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies has made a new call for the era of free prescriptions for all to come to an end.
The number of items prescribed has soared from 43,763,069 in 2000 to 80,433,098 in 2017.
The price of providing Gaviscon products came to more than £1.6 million, according to an official prescription costs analysis; Bonjela products cost more than £4,000; Rennie’s cost more than £2,100.
In Wales 25.8 items were prescribed per head of population, higher than in Northern Ireland (22.3), England (20) and Scotland (19.2).
The cost of prescribed items climbed from £410.4m in 2000 to £578.1m last year.
The number of “drugs for dementia” items rocketed by 1,473% – up from just over 11,000 in 2002 to nearly 179,000 in 2017.
Prescription charges were abandoned in Wales on April 1, 2007 but the Welsh Government states on its website that “where you previously bought non-prescription medication over the counter, without the need to see your GP, you should continue to do so”.
The Conservatives’ Mr Davies is pushing for an end to universal free prescriptions.
He said: “This is another reality check for the Labour Welsh Government. We must remember there is no such thing as a ‘free prescription’ and Labour’s policy is costing Welsh taxpayers and the NHS...
“Universal free prescriptions is a good and noble idea if you have a bottomless well of cash, but clearly this isn’t the case for the Welsh NHS, where we are struggling to provide drugs to cancer patients but somehow dishing out free paracetamol to millionaires.
“When we routinely see the use of specialist medicines for the treatment of cancer overruled by the Welsh Government on the grounds of ‘cost-effectiveness’, we seriously need to question whether it is in the best interests of people across Wales to continue along this road.
“Put simply, people who can afford to pay for their medicine should pay, while those who cannot afford to pay, or live with long-term chronic conditions or serious illness, should still be able to benefit from free medicine. We must all take responsibility for our health.”
However, Tina Donnelly, director of Royal College of Nursing in Wales, defended the policy.
She said: “The principle of the National Health Service, which is now in its 70th year, is that healthcare will be free at the point of delivery. Irrespective of whether this is surgical intervention or medicines management, all conditions with which patients present should be covered by the remit and scope of the National Health Service.”
The Welsh Government argues that it took the decision to abolish the charges because evidence showed some people with serious chronic conditions could not afford to collect their prescription.
Some people would choose to collect only part of a prescription to bring down the amount they had to pay.
A spokesman said: “Free prescriptions were introduced in Wales as a long-term investment to improve people’s health. Since introducing our policy of free prescriptions in 2007, the growth in prescribing of over-the-counter medicines has been slower in Wales than in England, where the UK Government persist with a system of illogical and unfair prescription charges.
“Contrary to the view of the Welsh Conservatives, far from struggling to make cancer drugs available, the investment we are making in our New Treatment Fund means the NHS is making cancer and all other medicines recommended by [the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] and [All Wales Medicines Strategy Group] available to patients in Wales, faster than ever before.”
The largest number of medicines are prescribed to treat the cardiovascular system (23.4 million). But the most expensive drugs are those to treat the central nervous system (£123.6m).
The statistics also point to a rise in the number of opioid-based painkillers prescribed, with the number of Fentanyl items increasing from 19,070 in 2002 to 67,555 last year.
Wales led the way in ending prescription charges. Northern Ireland followed in 2010 and Scotland in 2011.
Items can be prescribed by GPs but also by other professionals including dentists, pharmacists and nurses.
All patients registered with a Welsh GP are entitled to free prescriptions. Those in border areas who are registered with an English GP can obtain an “entitlement card”. This will allow them to get free prescriptions at a Welsh pharmacy if they present the card.
In England, people who claim for free prescriptions to which they are not entitled can face a penalty charge of up to £100.
People in England who do not qualify for free prescriptions have to pay £8.80 to pick up their medication.
However, those who are under 16 or over 60, aged 16-18 and in fulltime education, pregnant or on income support, can get free prescriptions.