UK GPs oppose abolition of prescription charges

Almost two-thirds of general practitioners in the UK are against the abolition of prescription charges for all patients under the National Health Service, a GP newspaper survey has found. However, leaders of the British Medical Association (BMA) have repeatedly called for prescription charges to be abolished across the UK.

The survey of 1,266 GPs for GP newspaper found that 63% of doctors do not support such a change. Just 32% do, while 4% remain unsure about the issue. GPs suggested that providing free prescriptions to all patients would be unaffordable. Many argued that well-off patients should not qualify for free prescriptions, even if they had long-term conditions.

'Patients should bear part of the cost of any medication or treatment, so they understand that these things are not free,' one said. GPs are split on whether prescription charges prevent people accessing health care.