'Give chronically sick free prescriptions'
LOUISE GRAY SCOTTISH POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (lgray@scotsman.com)
PRESCRIPTION charges should be scrapped for sufferers of chronic illness, according to a survey commissioned by the Scottish Executive.
http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=436632007
Two out of three people were in favour of the move, echoing The Scotsman's Change the Charges campaign to scrap fees for sufferers of long-term conditions such as cancer or multiple sclerosis.
The consultation of 1,000 people will form part of a review of prescription charges.
However, there is little chance of the review happening this side of the Holyrood elections in May.
Shona Robison, of the SNP, which has promised to abolish prescription charges, forecast it would become a major election issue. She said: "The findings of this consultation are loud and clear. Prescription charges are unfair and are a tax on ill health.
"An SNP government will end the tax on ill health by abolishing prescription charges for those with a chronic condition and for young people in full- time education or training. We will then phase them out for the rest of the population."
The Executive promised to take account of the consultation exercise in the review, and Labour has pledged to address the "inequities" in the prescription-charging system if it gets back into power.
But Colin Fox, leader of the SSP, whose proposal to abolish prescription charges through a member's bill was defeated after the Executive promised changes in the system, said the review simply kicked the issue into the long grass.
He said: "It is a weak and pathetic response which will dash the hopes of thousands of Scots facing the heavy cost of paying more for medicine week in and week out."
While prescription charges are going up next month by 20p to £6.85, they have been abolished in Wales.
Macmillan Cancer and other charities support scrapping prescription charges for the chronically ill and nearly 3,000 people have added their names to the petition backing our Change the Charges campaign.
Related topic
Health of the NHS
http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=57
This article: http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=436632007
LOUISE GRAY SCOTTISH POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (lgray@scotsman.com)
PRESCRIPTION charges should be scrapped for sufferers of chronic illness, according to a survey commissioned by the Scottish Executive.
http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=436632007
Two out of three people were in favour of the move, echoing The Scotsman's Change the Charges campaign to scrap fees for sufferers of long-term conditions such as cancer or multiple sclerosis.
The consultation of 1,000 people will form part of a review of prescription charges.
However, there is little chance of the review happening this side of the Holyrood elections in May.
Shona Robison, of the SNP, which has promised to abolish prescription charges, forecast it would become a major election issue. She said: "The findings of this consultation are loud and clear. Prescription charges are unfair and are a tax on ill health.
"An SNP government will end the tax on ill health by abolishing prescription charges for those with a chronic condition and for young people in full- time education or training. We will then phase them out for the rest of the population."
The Executive promised to take account of the consultation exercise in the review, and Labour has pledged to address the "inequities" in the prescription-charging system if it gets back into power.
But Colin Fox, leader of the SSP, whose proposal to abolish prescription charges through a member's bill was defeated after the Executive promised changes in the system, said the review simply kicked the issue into the long grass.
He said: "It is a weak and pathetic response which will dash the hopes of thousands of Scots facing the heavy cost of paying more for medicine week in and week out."
While prescription charges are going up next month by 20p to £6.85, they have been abolished in Wales.
Macmillan Cancer and other charities support scrapping prescription charges for the chronically ill and nearly 3,000 people have added their names to the petition backing our Change the Charges campaign.
Related topic
Health of the NHS
http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=57
This article: http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=436632007
posted by Bill at 10:40 PM
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