Since the Prescription Charges Coalition launched the Paying the Price report on March 11th, we have seen almost 2,200 people take our e-action and write to their MP in 11 days - this is fantastic news, epecially as there are only 650 MPs in Parliament! If you haven't done this already, do please help us out by clicking here, it only takes two minutes.

We are also very pleased to welcome our newest Coalition members The Migraine Trust, and we expect to announce more new members very soon! Please do get in touch if your organisation would like to join.

This week has also seen Coalition member the Royal Pharmaceutical Society record a great podcast on the issue of prescription charging, which you can listen to here. If you read the Big Issue in the North, you will also see some coverage of the Coalition's campaign in there too.

Since the Prescription Charges Coalition launched its report Paying the Price earlier this week, this site has been viewed over 1,600 times, and hundreds of people have taken the e-action by writing to their MP to highlight the difficulties faced by people with long-term conditions. This is great progress!

Our report has also received a good deal of media coverage, including:

Primary Care Today

Chemist & Druggist

BBC Radio West Midlands have also interviewed NRAS CEO Ailsa Bosworth this morning.

Finally, we're also Mumsnet's campaign of the week, which can be seen here

The Government announced today that Prescription Charges are due to rise by 20p, to £7.85 from 1st April. 

Crohn’s and Colitis UK, lead organisation of the Prescription Charges Coalition issued the following statement:

Crohn’s and Colitis UK Chief Executive David Barker said: 

Patients with long-term  conditions are extremely disappointed to hear that Health Minister Earl Howe has announced a  20p rise in prescription charges to £7.85 from 1st April 2013. 
 
As a group of charities and  organisations representing millions of people with long-term conditions, we know that prescription charges are  arbitrary, outdated and inequitable, given that the list of exemptions has hardly been updated since its introduction in the 1960s.

Prescription charges have  risen every year since 1979, and the Minister must consider the impact this further increase will have on those who are already struggling to afford the essential medication required to keep them well.

The Coalition is due to  publish its report ‘Paying The Price’ on March 11th which tells a powerful story of a society paying too great a price for prescription charges.

We hope the Minister will  read this carefully and deliver the reform that would be priceless for all those with long-term conditions.

ENDS