Introduce a bill to make prescription charges fairer
We call on the government to introduce a bill into parliament to make prescription charges fairer.
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The issues
While it is true there may be merit in having a prescription charge to reduce unnecessary visits to GPs the current system does not work well.
At the moment prescriptions are charged per item which is unfair for the following reasons
- A person may need multiple cheap items to effectively treat a condition – for example eye drops and oral antibiotics. They pay twice as much as someone who needs a single expensive drug.
- A GP may need to try several treatments to find one that is effective. Medicine is to an extent trial and error. A patient should not really have to pay multiple times
- A condition may require treatment over a period of several months. Even if medication is cheap a patient will have to make multiple payments
- Persons with chronic or lifelong conditions have to pay for medication which effectively becomes a tax on the sick.
Detrimental impact on the NHS
The charges can have the effect that people do not receive the medication they need. For example £17.20 or £25.80 are significant sums for those on low incomes.
In this case simple to treat conditions can end up requiring significant management – and often hospital based treatment.
The Proposal
We propose that people are charged for treatment of a condition or episode as determined by the judgement of a GP rather than per item.
Interpretation and Implementation
We propose when issuing a prescription the GP selects whether it is ongoing treatment of a condition – or for a new condition. This is entirely at the discretion of the GP using their judgement.
Only prescriptions which are for a new condition are chargeable at the pharmacy.
In the case of a life long or chronic condition this would be considered a single course of treatment for a condition.
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