Prescription costs 'a health risk'

Many poorer people with chronic conditions could be putting their health at risk because they find the charges too much, the charity warned. A poll estimated that as many as 80,000 people in England failed to collect a prescription last year due to the costs.

In Scotland, prescription charges will be reduced to £5 from April and will be free from 2011. Patients in Wales get free prescriptions, but in England the cost is £6.85 per item. A survey of 1,075 adults across England and Scotland for Citizens Advice found that some people felt put off by the cost.

Of those questioned, 6% in England said they did not collect and pay for part of a prescription last year because of cost, while 15% said the same in Scotland. A total of 2% in England said they did not collect and pay for all of a prescription because of cost.

Citizens Advice called on the Department of Health to "stop stalling" and carry out the review of prescription charging in England.

In July 2006, the Commons Health Select Committee said the system of NHS charging, including for hospital parking and prescriptions, was in a "mess".

Citizens Advice said the situation will only get worse when the Employment Support Allowance replaces Incapacity Benefit for new claimants from October. It said more people on low incomes and in poor health will lose automatic entitlement to free prescriptions.

Chief executive David Harker said: "It is simply unacceptable that people are still failing to collect prescriptions because they can't afford it. It is essential that there is now urgent action to finally eliminate prescription poverty in England."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "The extensive exemption arrangements we have in place mean that, in England, 88% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge. And anyone may obtain all the prescriptions they need if they buy a prescription prepayment certificate which works out at less than £2 per week.

"Prescription charges provide a valuable contribution to the NHS in England, estimated to be £430 million for 2006/07. Abolishing them would significantly reduce the money available to deliver other health priorities."