Prescription charges scrapped in Northern Ireland and cut to 3 in Scotland

6 April 2010

Prescription charges were abolished on Thursday in Northern Ireland and cut to £3 ($4.47) in Scotland. However, UK Health Minister Mike O'Brian announced last week, charges in England have remained at £7.20 for 2010/11 with no changes to age-exemption criteria, health minister UK Mike O'Brien announced last week.

Northern Ireland Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said the introduction of free scrips was the end of 'a tax on illness,' adding that 'charging people for vital medication is totally against the principles of a health service that is free at the point of use.' The cost of abolishing prescription charges would be accommodated from within the existing health budget and no existing services would be affected by this decision, he added.

Rx Coalition calls for similar action in England

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