Prescription Charges Review - NPA Evidence, UK

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 02 Mar 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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The NPA has told the DH Review of prescription charges for people with long term conditions that removing prescription charges would improve access to medicines for patients and decrease the administrative burden on community pharmacies. Pharmacists experience severe pressures on their time and any release of time could be used to enhance patient care.

The NPA expressed the view that extending prescription charge exemption to people with long term conditions should not be contingent on savings to the drugs budget. The NPA recommends investment in concordance schemes as a better way of achieving value from drug budgets.

Stephen Fishwick, NPA Head of External Relations, comments: "The NPA's starting point is that medicines are a vital component of treatment for many people with long term conditions so we would support any changes that remove unnecessary impediments to accessing medicines."

National Pharmacy Association

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