NI to scrap prescription charges
Thursday, 2 October 2008
NEWS that prescription charges are to be abolished has received resounding support from politicians in Coleraine.
Welsh Assembly members voted to scrap the controversial 'tax on sick' back in April 2007, now NI Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has announced the NI Assembly is hoping to follow their example.
Mr McGimpsey said that the cost here will be reduced to £3 per prescription in January 2009 and will be free of charge by April 2010, subject to agreement by the Executive.
Making the announcement at the Cancer Centre in Belfast City Hospital, he 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."
Mr McGimpsey added that prepayment certificates would 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.
The UUP minister said that in reaching his decision 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 percent of the total drugs bill, it is still a lot of money.
“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."
DUP
Maurice Bradley of the DUP said: "This is good news and a victory for common sense.
“Those most affected by prescreption charges and high drug costs are the least likely to be able to afford them.
“I would have preferred to have had the charges scrapped immediately, but the fact that they are on the way out is still excellent news. The proposed reduction from January '09 to £3 and then abolished in 2010 is welcome as is the reduced prepayment certificates.
“Now, if Sinn Feinn would get their act together and meet to discuss important issues that affect all of us here in Northern Ireland, instead of holding the country to ransom over the transfer of Policing and Justice, we would see more change and benefit for all coming through," he concluded.
Coleraine's Billy Leonard welcomed the news: "Any relief for people on perscription charges is very welcome. I'm sure the public would have been delighted if the charges had been dropped immediately, however we are working towards the abolition of a charge that should not be there."
NHSSC
The Chairman of the Northern Health and Social Services Council has welcomed the Health Minister's announcement that by April 2010 prescriptions will be free of charge in Northern Ireland.
Tom Creighton said: "For years the NHSSC has been concerned with the increasing cost of prescriptions and the financial burden it has placed on so many people, particularly those with a long standing illness.
“This is indeed an historic day for Northern Ireland and I appeal to the Executive to accept Mr McGimpsey's proposal. Back in October 2007 the NHSSC, together with other Health and Social Services Councils, facilitated a stakeholder engagement workshop at the request of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
“Its objective was to engage with and seek the views of members of the public on the arguments for and against the range of options emerging from the review of prescription charges in Northern Ireland. This proved a very worthwhile event and feedback helped form further work on the options.
“The NHSSC looks forward to an end to the present inequitable system and will be encouraging people living its area to help make this work by acting responsibly with regard to prescriptions. Remember you do not need a pill for every illness."
Heather Monteverde of Macmillan Cancer Support said: "Cancer patients in Northern Ireland have been struggling to pay these unfair charges for too long and it is fantastic news." Macmillan Cancer Support believe 55,000 cancer patients in the province will benefit.
