Script charges for wealthy pensioners would 'heap unfairness on top of illness'
Practice Tory MP Nick Boles (pictured) has called for the abolition of free scripts for wealthy over-65s, but the English Pharmacy Board said charges were a barrier to medicines access and patients should be treated "on the same basis as everyone else in their age group".
Pharmacy leaders have slammed an MP's calls to scrap free prescriptions for better-off pensioners.
In a speech to think tank the Resolution Foundation on Tuesday (July 10), Conservative MP for Grantham and Stamford Nick Boles said the government spent £4 billion on benefits for the elderly in 2010-11. And he suggested removing the prescription charge exemption for better-off pensioners in the tough economic climate.
"Does anyone here think it would be responsible for a country in our financial position to go on giving… free prescriptions to Lord Sugar after 2015?" Mr Boles asked.
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"Does anyone here think it would be responsible to go on giving free prescriptions to Lord Sugar after 2015?" Nick Boles, Conservative MP |
 More on prescription charges
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But English Pharmacy Board chair Shilpa Gohil said charging pensioners for prescriptions would "heap unfairness on top of illness". "People over 60 typically require more medicines than most to maintain a good quality of life and should not be penalised because of their circumstances," she said. "Prescription charges are a barrier to accessing treatments, whatever the size of your income." "If you need medicines to live well you should get them on the same basis as everyone else in your age group," Ms Gohil argued. Her comments were backed by Pharmacy Voice chief executive Rob Darracott, who said there were better ways to save taxpayers' money than reintroducing prescription charges for selected groups. |
Free at delivery?"There is no doubt that much more value for patients and the taxpayer could be extracted from this massive investment by supporting more effective medicines use," he said. "It is services like the new medicine service that will give the NHS the big wins."
A Department of Health spokesperson told C+D there were no plans to remove exemption from prescription charges for pensioners.
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What do you think of Mr Boles' proposal to scrap free prescriptions for well-off over-65s? Comment below or email us at [email protected] You can also find C+D on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook |
