The recent surge in NHS prescription costs in England has been branded a “dark day” for those in need of medication. Critics are slamming the increase to nearly £10 as a “tax on the working poor” and caution that more patients might skip collecting their prescriptions due to the cost.
From Wednesday, the price per item will jump from £9.65 to £9.90. Additionally, the 12-month NHS prescription prepayment certificate, which allows unlimited prescriptions for a fixed fee, will rise from £111.60 to £114.50.
While prescriptions remain free in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in England is calling for the abolition of these charges. RPS chairwoman Tase Oputu commented: “This is a dark day for patients who will now have to pay nearly £10 for each item on their prescription.”
She highlighted the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, stating that the increase will disproportionately affect low-income workers.
Ms Oputu condemned the continuous yearly hike in charges, declaring it a barrier that makes essential medicines unaffordable for many, adding: “This is totally unacceptable.”
She added: “You can, it seems, put a price on health.
“Every day pharmacists are asked by patients who are unable to afford all the items in their prescription which ones they can ‘do without’. No one should face a financial barrier to getting the medicines they need to keep them well.
“Prescription charges should be scrapped in England, as they have been in the rest of the UK.”
Nick Kaye, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association, said: “To allow the prescription charge to rise to this level is a shameful neglect of working people on low fixed incomes, who are not exempt. Many people already choose not to collect some or all their prescription medicines because of cost, with potentially dire health consequences.
“This is a tax on the working poor that deepens the cost-of-living crisis for them.”
While prescriptions remain free for certain demographics such as children, over-60s, pregnant women, those on specific benefits, and individuals with particular medical conditions, there’s a growing clamour for change.
The Prescription Charges Coalition, an alliance comprising over 50 organisations, has urgently called for a review of the exemption list for prescription charges.
The coalition has highlighted that the current exemption list, which has seen little change over the past five decades, fails to cover many serious conditions including Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, cystic fibrosis, HIV, and asthma.
It raised concerns that the escalating costs will force patients to forego essential medication.
One Parkinson’s sufferer, Wendy Tombs from Shropshire, said her financial situation was “dire” as a result of living with her condition. She said: “The prescription price rise is just another nail in the coffin for people living with Parkinson’s.
“The way prices keep going up, I don’t know how much longer I can last.”
The 59-year-old has received a grant from charity Parkinson’s UK to cover the cost of her prescription prepayment certificate.
Laura Cockram, head of campaigns at Parkinson’s UK and chairwoman of the coalition, said: “The NHS prescription charge price increase has struck fear into people living with long-term health conditions, such as Parkinson’s.”
“People are already struggling financially due to the cost-of-living crisis, and increasing the cost of prescriptions will result in more people missing, reducing, or delaying taking their medication, meaning their condition will deteriorate.”
“There is limited financial support that charities can offer to offset Government shortcomings. That’s why we’re calling on the UK Government to freeze the charge in 2025 and commit to urgently reviewing the prescription charge exemption list.”
The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
