Citizens Advice Calls For Overdue Review On Prescription Charges, UK

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: Public Health;  Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 23 Jul 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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One year after the Department of Health promised to carry out a review on prescription charges in England, many hundreds of thousands of people on low incomes with chronic health problems are still not getting their prescriptions dispensed and are putting their health at risk, says national charity Citizens Advice.

The Health Select Committee first issued the recommendation to consult on the issue of prescription charges in July 2006 and the Department of Health committed to consult on the issue on 22 July 2007. Yet one year on, there has been no progress.

Prescriptions have been free in Wales since 2007, and will be free in Scotland from 2011. While in Northern Ireland, the issue is under review.

The charity is calling on the Government to stop stalling and publish its consultation paper on prescription charge reform as a matter of urgency. The longer the government fails to look into the issue, says Citizens Advice, the more people in England are going without prescriptions they need.

Earlier this year research carried out for the charity by Ipsos MORI revealed that around 800,000 people failed to collect a prescription last year in England because of the cost involved.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive David Harker said:

"While the Government has been dragging its feet over tackling this issue, nearly a million people have gone without the prescriptions they need because of the cost. And with the introduction of Employment and Support Allowance in October, more people in poor health and on low incomes are set to lose automatic exemption from charges unless urgent action is taken."

Case studies

A CAB in South London reported a woman who was off work with stress and in receipt of statutory sick pay. She has serious money problems including mortgage arrears. She needed to get several prescriptions dispensed but could not afford the cost. Her income is just above the level which would entitle her to exemption from prescription charges.

A CAB in Hampshire saw a man who was receiving long term medication. He was on a low income with learning difficulties and unable to read. He was told that he was exempt from charges but then received a prescription penalty charge notice for £79.80 and then a final action letter for £113.05. The man only had limited payment options but was told he had to pay outstanding fines.

A CAB saw a single man who had been receiving Incapacity Benefit (IB) for over 4 years. In the first two years he was eligible for free prescriptions. After two years he was no longer entitled for free prescriptions because his income exceeded the allowed excess of half the current cost of a prescription, £3.43. His prescription cost was £13.70 per month and he was worried about the cost of the new medicines which his doctor might prescribe.

A CAB in Hertfordshire saw a woman under 25 who was in receipt of incapacity benefit and disability living allowance. She needed at least two prescriptions per fortnight, but because of her age and circumstances she was not entitled to help with prescription costs. She could not afford to pay for a pre-payment certificate in one go.

1. The prescription charge is currently £7.10 per item

2. The Citizens Advice service is a network of independent charities that helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information in England and Wales see http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk

3. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.

4. Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at around 3,400 service outlets across England and Wales.

5. Advice and information http://www.adviceguide.org.uk

6. Volunteer hotline 08451 264264 (local rate)

7. Citizens Advice Guide to your rights, second edition: January 2008 - over 600 pages of practical, independent CAB advice. An invaluable resource for any bookshelf - available from all good bookshops or via http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk