27/05/2010
Heart patients should get free prescriptions
An important review has concluded that
heart patients and people with other long-term
health conditions in England shouldn't have to pay
for their prescriptions.
Heart patients in Wales and Northern Ireland already get
free prescriptions while heart patients in
Scotland will have charges lifted from April 2011.
People with other conditions, such as diabetes and epilepsy
already benefit from a UK-wide exemption.
Review author Professor Ian
Gilmore, President of the Royal College of
Physicians, concluded:
- Everyone who fits within a broad definition of
long-term condition, such as six months’
continuous management that could include medication, should be
exempt from charges after approval from their
doctor
- The Government should consider bringing in the changes
as soon as possible so they can start to benefit
patients
- Free prescriptions should be phased in by reducing the
costs of pre-payment certificates
- New exemptions should be for the person rather
than their condition.
The Government has said any decisions will need to be taken in
the context of the autumn spending review.
Betty McBride, Director of Policy and
Communications, at the British Heart Foundation,
said:
"Ian Gilmore’s review is great news for heart patients. His
report sets out a viable roadmap for Government on
how to phase out charges for people with long-term
conditions without burdening the NHS with unaffordable extra
costs.
"It’s vital that heart patients continue to take
prescribed medication to keep them healthy. This
is even more important in the current financial climate as
preventative action avoids more costly medical
treatment and hospital stays.
"We look forward to seeing ministerial action on this point in
the autumn spending review so heart patients in
England can stop facing financial worries and simply focus
on getting well."
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