Prescription charges

The cost of NHS prescriptions in England went up 25p to £7.65 an item on 1 April — a 3.4% increase.

The cost of a prescription payment certificate (PPC), which is valid for three months, remains at £29.10 and the price of an annual PPC is be held at £104. However, charges for basic dental treatment also rise 50p to £17.50, with rises of up to £5 for more complex work.

This latest announcement means NHS prescription charges increase again in England, while in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland charges have already been scrapped.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society described the increase as “completely unacceptable”. It has campaigned for the charge to be frozen.

Neal Patel of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society said: “The prescription charge system at the moment seems to penalise people that have certain long-term conditions, but not others.

“It is perhaps a false economy to think if we don’t take these medicines there is a reduced cost to that patient. But, longer term, they may end up in hospital and cost the NHS more.”

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17576096