British Medical Association Northern Ireland Welcomes Free Prescriptions For All

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Pharmacy / Pharmacist;  Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 29 Sep 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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The British Medical Association Northern Ireland has welcomed NI Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey's, announcement today, Monday 29th September 2008, to introduce free prescriptions for everyone in Northern Ireland by 2010.

Speaking on behalf of the Association, Dr Brian Dunn, Chairman of the NI GPs' Committee said: "This is a very positive step forward and all those patients in Northern Ireland who have found it very hard over the years to pay for their medication will welcome it - as does the BMA. It has been the Association's policy, since 2002, that prescriptions should be free to everyone.

"The inequalities in the current system of charging are extremely unfair. For example, someone with diabetes who also has chronic bronchitis will be exempt from paying for his or her prescriptions yet a person with chronic bronchitis and suffering from heart failure must pay.

"It is important that people needing medication are able to afford it and increasing levels of charging could put them at risk. Those patients with chronic and life threatening illnesses will particularly welcome this move towards free prescriptions because the financial benefit to them will be considerable. It also means these very vulnerable patients will at least have peace of mind knowing that they won't have the additional worry about being able to afford their vital medication."

The BMA believes that the system of free prescriptions, which has worked very well in Wales, is much more in keeping with the principles of the NHS. These are, that the NHS should - be free at the point of use; be funded through general taxation; be available to all on the basis of need; provide universal and equitable acess for all.

British Medical Association Northern Ireland
16 Cromac Place
Cromac Wood, Ormeau Road,
Belfast BT7 2JB

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