All prescription charges are axed
Monday, 29 September 2008
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Prescription charges are to be completely scrapped for everyone in Northern Ireland within 18 months, it was announced today.
In a major victory for a Belfast Telegraph campaign, Health Minister Michael McGimpsey this morning announced his intention to make all prescriptions free of charge by April 2010.
The minister spoke of "a historic and happy day" for the Health Service as he revealed details of how charges are to be phased out, subject to agreement from the Executive.
He said the £13m gap created in his annual budget by the decision could be accommodated without damaging other services within the Health Service.
The announcement is a huge success for the Belfast Telegraph’s Prescriptions: Free for All campaign which was launched in April 2007. We called on Mr McGimpsey to completely scrap charges for everyone, while highlighting the burden they place on patients suffering from long-term or serious illnesses such as cancer.
Mr McGimpsey revealed today that the cost of a prescription will be reduced to only £3 per script in January next year.
It will then become free of charge by April 2010. Prepayment certificates are also come down in price, from £35.85 to £9 for four months and from £98.70 to £25 for 12 months until prescriptions are free.
Making the announcement at the Cancer Centre in Belfast City Hospital, the minister said: “A cradle to grave health service, free at the point of delivery, is the founding principle of the NHS which was founded 60 years ago this year. It is a principle that I, and the entire population of Northern Ireland, wholeheartedly support.
“Yet for the majority of the last 60 years, people here have been forced to live with an inequitable and unjust system whereby one person's suffering is ranked above another.
“It is simply unacceptable that those who are ill should have to worry about finding money for vital drugs which they cannot afford. This is totally against the ethos of a health service which promises free health and social care to all.”
Macmillan Cancer Support, which has been campaigning for several years to have charges for cancer patients axed, said 55,000 such patients would benefit from the move.
Its general manager in Northern Ireland, Heather Monteverde, highlighted this newspaper’s campaign.
“Cancer patients in Northern Ireland have been struggling to pay these unfair charges for too long and it is fantastic news that the 55,000 people living with cancer here, along with other people who require medication, will no longer face this added burden.
“Most cancer patients face a simultaneous drop in income and an increase in costs — for things like heating and travel to hospital — so the added expense of prescription charges often drove people to make choices between medicines and other outgoings. We would like to congratulate the Health Minister for this decision, and look forward to its implementation in 2010.
“Macmillan has been campaigning to have prescription charges for cancer patients abolished for a number of years.
“We are delighted the minister has listened to us and to all those who demanded free prescriptions, including the Belfast Telegraph which has been running a Free for All campaign for the past 18 months.”
Mr McGimspey said he had received “countless letters and calls from patients seeking relief from the burden of paying for prescriptions for essential medication” since an Assembly debate on the issue last May.
“That is why I established a cost and benefits review into the abolition of prescription charging last year,” he said.
“I have now considered the findings of the review and today am announcing my intention to introduce free prescriptions in Northern Ireland, subject to the agreement of the Executive.”
The minister said that in considering the details of the review, he had to “carefully consider the consequences of any change to the current charging regime in Northern Ireland”.
“A key consideration for me was the loss of around £13m income each year from prescription charges, and while it is only 3.5% of the total drugs bill, it is still a lot of money. It is used to fund vital health and social care services for everyone. I also had to take account of concerns over increased demand from the public who may be more likely to ask for medication if it is free of charge.
“After looking closely at the financial position with my officials, I have concluded that the cost of free prescriptions can be found within my existing budget and without impacting on any existing service.”
To help ensure that the drugs bill does not rise unnecessarily, the minister said he would be encouraging healthcare professionals to prescribe sensibly.
“I will also need the support of everyone in Northern Ireland to make this work and act responsibly with regard to demanding prescriptions.
“This is an historic and happy day for the health and social care service in Northern Ireland. It brings to an end an inequitable system which caused only anxiety to thousands of people who were already suffering from serious illnesses.”
Belfast Telegraph Editor Martin Lindsay said: “This is a terrific boost for thousands of people across Northern Ireland. Our Free For All campaign is a perfect example of how readers can force ministers sit up and take notice of their views.
“Michael McGimpsey deserves praise for pressing ahead with these proposal while the Executive is in virtual cold storage.”
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Comments
21 Comments
i have a son of 20 who has recently had a motorbike accident and had to have his spleen removed, this means he will have medication twice a day for the rest of his life and carry an sos tag but cannot get free prescriptions ,surely if you give to one you should give to all.
Posted by tracy guest | 07.10.08, 22:55 GMT
Standby to be invaded by a load of sickies from over the water! They've already started moving into Wales!
Posted by Envious Brit! | 01.10.08, 22:54 GMT
Great place for Sick People
Posted by Tom | 30.09.08, 12:04 GMT
Unfortunately not everyone is as generous as Liam and Sharrie. The Department pays out millions every year chasing down prescription fraudsters. The reason for making them free for everyone is to do away with the need for this completely - the cost of chasing these people would outweigh the cost of their prescriptions. The money is coming from 'efficiency savings' which is basically the Government asking all the health trusts etc to run a tighter ship. Nothing wrong with that either.
Posted by Jason | 30.09.08, 10:24 GMT
This is crazy, I can afford to pay for prescriptions despite needing frequent ones but my income allows this. It should be means tested and people who have serious illnesses should be exempt. The current cost of health care means that this will only punish the less well off as services will eventually be too difficult to pay for for some. This is completely ill advised. Already health care costs mean that some people are denied cancer or other medicines, charge those that can pay to save money for the above - its not rocket science.
Posted by Lisa | 30.09.08, 07:54 GMT
Nothing is free in life. You will still pay for prescriptions just not directly.
Posted by MD | 30.09.08, 02:57 GMT
As we live in the midst of a financial meltdown, I am amazed that a political power would announce such a pretentious vote grabber at this time. That an evening newspaper would publish it as front page news on Sept 29 2008, is beyond belief.
Posted by david | 29.09.08, 22:38 GMT
I agree with Robbo. As a pharmacist, I know how small a precentage actually pay for their prescriptions (which includes myself) and know how much this costs the NHS. So my main worry is how this move will effect our other services, £13m isn't just going to come out of nowhere. A smaller fee and an extension of exemptions or further reductions for certain patients (cancer, asthma, etc.) would have been a better idea.
Posted by Ciaran | 29.09.08, 21:11 GMT
Your a very lucky lot.
Posted by Robert Boyd | 29.09.08, 18:48 GMT
While I was on long term medications for the frist 35 years of my life and received all my meds free; when I came off them and had to pay for my meds I was appaled at some doctors saying "we'll TRY these and see if they work" While we were TRYING the meds WE were STILL having to pay for them and if they didn't work - guess what - WE HAD TO PAY FOR YET MORE MEDS to 'see if they worked'. So YES I am all in favour of free prescriptions for EVERYONE
Posted by CannuckCol | 29.09.08, 17:45 GMT
Perhaps now they will have to cut down on frivolous prescriptions for people addicted to codeine or valium, unnecessary (and harmful overall) anti-biotics, etc. etc.. I have a friend who told me he filled an immigrant's prescription for shampoo and toothpaste last week! He was getting it free, and we were paying!
Posted by Ken | 29.09.08, 17:44 GMT
A more than welcome decision that will help the elderly and those in financial need. A little unfortunate for those people affected to date. Such a shame this necessary decision didn't come at an earlier time though very welcome. I can afford now, or at least in 18 months time to be sick without the added stress of not being able to afford my prescription. Thankfully I am only 50 and still look forward to health-free times ahead.
Big thankyou to the Belfast Telegraph and associates for all their support and determination in this very welcome result.
Posted by Brian Fulton | 29.09.08, 17:36 GMT
One problem is that at present, only a small proportion of the NI population actually pay prescription charges. It would have been fairer if all had paid but at a lower rate.
Posted by robbo | 29.09.08, 15:47 GMT
Well done now we want cancer patients who have to be admitted to local hoapitals to go to the ward and not wait in casualty and stressed relatives who are allready tired caring to wait and see bit Does this happen in any part of the uk? If not Why not/????
Posted by joan hayes | 29.09.08, 14:47 GMT
I think that this is wonderful news especially for those who are on low income and students who at the present time pay the full cost of prescription charges. let us hope that this is not abused by unscrupulous people who get prescriptions for any ailment or people who have never contributed to the National Health Service and yet avail of the services that many of us have supported financially all during our working lives.
Posted by Ann | 29.09.08, 14:24 GMT
I agree with Liam - while I appreciate the move, I don't mind paying for the occasional prescription, and wonder whether this will be abused and where the money will come from. The NHS does not have a bottomless pit of money to draw on.
Certainly they should be free for the elderly, children, those who need them long-term and so on, but if I have a job and need a one-off prescription once every few years, I don't see why I shouldn't pay for it.
Posted by Sharrie | 29.09.08, 14:05 GMT
I applaud this turnabout and like Liam I don't mind continuing to pay for prescriptions providing I'm earning a wage and don't need life enabling medications. This is good news not only for cancer patients and the elderly, but for those who are on life long medications, eg asthmatics of which several of my family are and have to pay for this medication at presentation of each script. Let's hope that the Minister can put this into being within the time spane.
Posted by Liz | 29.09.08, 13:10 GMT
Its about time somthing was done we pay taxes so we should be gettin them free!!
Think of families who might have to get continuous prescriptions and havin to pay just under £7 every time (it soon adds up).
The cost of living is a big burden now a days having prescriptions free can help a small bit.
Posted by kizzy | 29.09.08, 12:30 GMT
Well done Michael, now can you find me a dentist which still works under the NHS payment scheme?
Posted by william | 29.09.08, 12:22 GMT
This is good for the elderly and the seriously ill but will unfortunately be wide open to abuse by others.
How will this be paid for? through tax increases?
Posted by Benji | 29.09.08, 11:59 GMT
21 Comments