Call to stop free prescriptions

Despite being strapped for cash, Wales NHS has dished out 52% more prescriptions compared to 10 years ago, and a local politician blames the decision six years ago to make them free.

Official figures show that in Wales the number of prescriptions handed out reached 24.3 per person last year, compared with 18.7 in England, 18.6 in Scotland and 20.8 in Northern Ireland.

It cost the Welsh NHS £557.5 million last year and Assembly Member Russell George said the universal free handouts must stop.

 “These figures are staggering and it proves that in these times of tighter public spending, this policy needs to be abandoned,” said Mr George.

“While it is right that those who are most in need continue to receive free prescriptions, the current universal policy which gives free medicines to millionaires simply cannot continue. It has led to a perception that medicines cost nothing, resulting in increased waste in the medicines budget, at a time when the Welsh NHS is struggling to cope with record-breaking cuts of over £800million in real terms over five years.

“The truth is that there is no such thing as a free prescription.

“I believe the Welsh Government must do two things – it must end the free-for-all policy and invest the savings into improved access to modern cancer treatments, extra cash for our hospice movement and improvements in stroke care and it must properly address the deep-rooted causes of chronic ill-health in Wales such as poverty, joblessness and smoking.”

The policy means that Welsh patients can even obtain pills like Paracetamol free of charge which cost just pennies to buy in most supermarkets.