Meeting with Lord Prior

27/5/2016

On Wednesday representatives from the Prescription Charges Coalition, and Stephen McPartland MP met with Lord Prior at the Department of Health to discuss prescription charges for people with long term conditions.

This meeting was as a result of a letter sent to the Secretary of State for Health by the Chairs of several All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG) including Respiratory Health, Parkinson’s, Motor Neurone Disease, HIV and AIDS, Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, and Heart Disease. APPGs are groups of MPs from all the political parties who agree to work together on certain topics they think are important. The letter asked the Secretary of State for Health to review the medical exemption list which sets out the conditions for which people do not have to pay for prescriptions.

The Prescription Charges Coalition believe this list is severely out of date and illogical. Although, when it was developed 50 years ago, it was done with input from the medical profession, a lot can change in 50 years! And we believe that people with long term conditions shouldn’t be in a position where they have to pay high costs for the life-saving medication they rely on.

Alongside Stephen McPartland MP, who chairs the Respiratory Health APPG, we conveyed out points about the unfairness of the current exemption criteria. The burden of prescription charges falls heavily on those of working age with long term conditions, and we know that many people with long term conditions struggle to pay for their prescriptions, often resulting in serious consequences.

Lord Prior took our points on board, and seemed sympathetic to the issues faced by people with long term conditions, but made no specific commitments. It’s vital that as many people as possible raise this issue with their MP so that the Government are given a clear message that they must act.

32 Comments

Joanne singh

1/6/2016 15:14:27

I have a congenital heart disease. I have to take warfarin for the rest of my life. Medical exemption would be great for everyone who suffers from this disease and other diseases which medicine has to be paid for. I hope the laws are changed soon. Where is the fairness of thyroid patients getting free prescriptions but not those with heart problems!!

Karen Connor

1/6/2016 17:08:04

I am an asthmatic and have had several chest infections when lack of money meant I couldn't pay for prescriptions and I think we should get prescriptions free of charge; it is life threatening if not well maintained.

Lynn Kettle

1/6/2016 17:21:51

I have been diagnosed with asthma and require 2 inhalers I also have allergic rhinitis which is linked to asthma for which i need steroid nasal spray I am luckly that I am a pensioner and get free prescriptions as if this had happened earlier we would not have been able to pay for them all

Tracy Roberts

1/6/2016 17:50:43

I have had to stop getting my perscription for my inhaler now, just cant afford it. This means when winter comes round now, which is when Im bad, I probably wont even be entitled to my flu jab as they will no longer view me as someone with asthma, its gonna be scary. it doesnt feel fair that my hubby can get 3 mths of medication for one perscription cost but I have to buy one inhaler a month per prescription and a blue one when the date expires. Something is not right about the current system.

Natalie Hawes

1/6/2016 17:57:24

I am asthmatic and I have a nut allergy, I have to replace my epipens I have two because my allergy is so severe but they used to last a year but now it's only eight months on the last ones I got. I also need inhalers, I have my main one but the two others I cannot afford to buy right now as I do not have many hours in my current job. It would help if all prescriptions that are a medical requirement were free, as I am charged the prescription cost per item and it's so expensive.

michelle dale

1/6/2016 18:02:42

I am 46 years old and been suffering with heart problems now for 5 years I am on 6 types of meds for heart failure and angina I have to work 40 hours a week even if I'm feeling unwell as with the cost of prescriptions I must have its not fair that people have to pay for drugs they need to keep them alive its so wrong and unfair

Andrea

1/6/2016 18:18:44

I suffer with migraines and there is no rhyme or reason as to why, prescriptions should be free. My husband has MS, he has to pay for so many Meds. Neither these conditions are our fault.

Paula Everitt

1/6/2016 18:41:40

I'm 25 and have asthma I have to have 3 inhalers aswell as antihistamine as I suffer from hayfever which effects my asthma if not taken I'm lucky I can afford to pay a yearly subscription and pay for them that way if not I wouldn't be able to afford my prescriptions as I don't bring enough home to pay each month.! I think they need to sort the system out to help people like us out its life saving medication and when we struggle to pay the costs of each item it's detrimental to out health.

Charlotte brown

1/6/2016 20:24:58

I have allergic asthma and bronchiatitis I have to pay £114 a year to get a pre payment certificate card to pay for all my repeat medications I shouldn't have to if its a life threatening Health condition having to pay to be alive its disgusting and hurtful I earn and pay fr mybtad for bloody hell what

sammy

2/6/2016 03:04:59

i have asthma and i got copd

KAREN

2/6/2016 08:50:29

I have allergic rhinitis, asthma and high blood pressure, all of which are inherited. I cannot afford all my prescriptions. I will get free prescriptions next year when I am 60. What I object to is that drug addicts get their daily fix of methadone for nothing.

helen redmill link

2/6/2016 15:32:19

I have two long term health condition Interstital cystitis and asthma both can choose change for the worse. I have changed my inhaler three times in the last six months and 3 lots of steriod tablets. As well as 3 spacers and three lots of ventolin. That makes 12 prescription and one a monthly for my ic. So in total that's 13 and one every three months that's 14. I have never worked that out before. 82.00 + 24:60= 106.60 that's a lot of money! I pay for my prescription monthly for a year. But what if didn't have the money what would I chose which condition to treat?

Sophie

2/6/2016 19:14:31

If you think about the ABCDE approach, an asthma attack is A because it narrows the airways. It seems madness that inhalers are not exempt when you think of it like that. I am not saying all prescriptions should be free for asthmatics, just inhalers and nebulisers.

Dawn Hunt

2/6/2016 23:34:13

I have brittle asthma heart diease and heart condition from birth that causes blood clots in my lungs also osteoporosis and cushings syndrome and a low immune system due to meds so get lots of infections also diabetes I am on 15 different drugs I could never manage them if I did have to pain only got them free first of all as unable to work due to my health and then the diabetes but I 100% agree you should not have to pay for meds if long term especially if they are drugs that keep you alive its just wrong

Emma

6/6/2016 07:29:09

I have a spinal disease resulting in 7 major surgeries, osteoarthritis, Reynolds syndrome and high blood pressure. 36 tablets a day. Still in massive pain. I need between 8 & 11 prescription items every 4 weeks and have to pay for them all. Yes I buy an annual prepay card but I've lived with my disabilities for almost 35 years now. I'm being made redundant this month but been told I'll still have to pay for prescriptions. Where is the justice in that? I've worked all my life and paid NI contributions the whole time. Very sad.

Anna lewis link

6/6/2016 11:14:53

hi, I have too pay for mine too, but my cousin is now out off work and I'll. He applied on a H 10 ? certificate for low wages and gets his free plus dental care and eye tests , thou Tesco give you free eye tests, if you need glasses you get them free as well. I cannot work due to a spinal injury and have 17 prescriptions, I'm not eligle for them above form as I have an Endownment policy for my home I took out 24 years ago, due to mature next year. I get no help at all but you maybe able to get help with rent mortgage and poll tax plus fuel allowance, if out off work. I hope this helps, not much fun either way, when you are ill and have large prescriptions too face. Take care and good luck

Jane

6/6/2016 08:13:12

I have degenerative spine and fibermialger. My back problems were a result of nursing for a lot of years due to this condition I now suffer with mobility problems and I am on medication for pain and medication for the side effects of the pain medication

mandy

6/6/2016 10:22:34

i have ms and i think this should be on the list has it can get very expensive for medication and it a life long condition and were only get worse and not better until they find a cure

Elizabeth Lund

6/6/2016 11:16:22

I receive ESA support group contribution based for Lymphocytic Colitis, Fibromyalgia and angina. Why is it that I have to pay for my prescriptions and, yet those on income based ESA do not have to? This seems unfair as I do not have any savings!

Gemma

6/6/2016 13:50:00

I agree with you, contribution based ESA is for those who have worked and contributed to the NHS but are no longer able to work due to illness. Seems unfair that we do not benefit from the very fund we paid in to!

Summer

6/6/2016 20:06:07

I have a Spinal Cord Tumor , I am on morphine patches for the pain , plus clonazepam,and imipramine . I have to pay for my prescriptions , yet a friend has a thyroid condition and is exempt , why oh why can't everyone with long-term debilitating conditions be exempt ??

Jane Young

6/6/2016 23:43:32

Prescription pre-payment certificates lasting 12 months can make the cost of each prescription much, much lower than it would normally be. The greater the number of different medications you need, the more money you save. It saves me a huge amount of money - I pay just over £10 a month for 10 months of the year (the yearly certificate is currently £104), and I have to collect 10 different prescription medications each month plus another one occasionally. This works out at less than £1 per prescription item!

It is only possible to use this method if you have have a bank account that can accept direct debits (or if you can afford to pay £104 up front every year), but for anyone who can use direct debits and who has to get 2 or more prescription items a month a 12-month pre-payment certificate is a no-brainer. For more details see http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1127.aspx

7/6/2016 09:29:43

Thanks Jane . Yes I do use this method of pre-payment, but it seems unfair and unjust that many people have long-term chronic health conditions that will never recover from and we still need to pay for prescription charges, yet certain conditions can get their prescriptions free.

Natalie

11/7/2016 19:32:01

I was just going to say the same, as I am not on any benefits I buy an annual one so I just pay once a year and that's it. I know it's still money but nothing is free in life and I get a huge amount of medications for that. I have family in Ireland and believe you me they pay a lot more than they would here!

11/7/2016 20:32:01

Natalie, I am just back from my mothers funeral in Athlone, West Meath in Ireland and when she was alive she had to pay 1,000 euro for a hearing aid !! aged 83. My father is 88 yrs old and pays 10 euro for a simple blood test each time , plus he pays for his medication. So yes as much as we moan we are most certainly lucky to have the NHS ( sorry off topic)

11/7/2016 22:21:13

Summers summer, sorry for your loss, i know, I keep telling people here how lucky we are, I couldn't afford to live in Ireland ever again.

Andrew

13/6/2016 09:52:56

I suffer from Parkinson's and am on a lifetime of medication. Many long term illnesses are exempt from prescription charges and the current list is outdated and needs a complete refresh to capture all long term people on lifetime medication no matter what the condition we are all long term illness sufferers and deserve better treatment from our government.

Frances lansfield

13/6/2016 17:52:52

I have fibromyalgia and always in chronic pain every day and I am on co-codomal 30mg 500 6-8 a
day. Naproxen 250mg 1 twice a day and amitriptyline 50mg one at night. I paid 29.07 for my pre paid card because it was my first one and was not sure how to use it but it will run out next month and I will have to get the yearly one which I think is 110. I can't afford all these prescription at 8.40 a time. Why is fibromyalgia and all other disability not on nhs list. It's not our fault we have them. I always need my meds to take away the chronic pain fatigue. I find every day a struggle.

11/7/2016 19:34:30

I too have fibromyalgia, the annual pre payment card is the only way to go with any long term illness, I'm surprised anyone with any long term illness does not have one.

Debi

10/7/2016 12:52:45

I also got myself a pre payment certificate which does help, however the problem is also the struggle to get medication prescribed when you pay for your presciptions......even when your not entitled to any help and you only work part time due to your condition!!! #Lupus
It is unfair that only a select few get their medication free and the rest of us not. Even more so annoy is the fact they get all their medications free not just what they need for their condition!!! It should be the same for all long term conditions either way!!!

Dr Claire link

1/9/2016 12:12:55

I think there has to be a certain law or petition to give our free prescriptions to those with serious health conditions.

Heather

29/1/2017 17:30:17

The simple answer is add the other long-term illnesses to the list for free prescriptions, but only allowing for those specific medicines to be free. Did you know that those exempt from paying because for example of a thyroid condition get all medicines free even for mild eczema? Not many people know this!! I have to pay for all my asthma treatment plus anything else but my brother doesn't have to pay for one thing because of hypothyroidism-but who will die first without treatment? Me!! If he contributed a prescription charge for his non thyroid complaints then there would be more money in the pot. It's not rocket science. With today's technology, it could easily be managed.

Meeting with Lord Prior

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