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| Call for prescription charge end | |
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| Three quarters of people in the UK want to see prescription charges scrapped in England, a BBC poll suggests. | Three quarters of people in the UK want to see prescription charges scrapped in England, a BBC poll suggests. |
| The survey, taken to mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS, reveals discomfort with different health policies across the devolved nations. | The survey, taken to mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS, reveals discomfort with different health policies across the devolved nations. |
| Charging has been removed in Wales, and is set to disappear in Scotland. | Charging has been removed in Wales, and is set to disappear in Scotland. |
| Seven out of ten people said these differences mattered, although the Department of Health ruled out any change to English charges. | Seven out of ten people said these differences mattered, although the Department of Health ruled out any change to English charges. |
| Prescription charges provide a valuable contribution to the NHS in England Department of Health spokesman What are the differences in the NHS | Prescription charges provide a valuable contribution to the NHS in England Department of Health spokesman What are the differences in the NHS |
| Prescription charging is the most obvious divergence of NHS policy since responsibility for healthcare was given to the Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies, and the Scottish Parliament. | Prescription charging is the most obvious divergence of NHS policy since responsibility for healthcare was given to the Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies, and the Scottish Parliament. |
| In England, each item costs £7.10, raising approximately £430m for health service funds. | In England, each item costs £7.10, raising approximately £430m for health service funds. |
| Only 12% of prescriptions are actually paid for - the vast majority are covered by exemptions for children, pensioners and those with long-lasting medical conditions such as epilepsy. | Only 12% of prescriptions are actually paid for - the vast majority are covered by exemptions for children, pensioners and those with long-lasting medical conditions such as epilepsy. |
| Prescriptions have been free since 2007 in Wales, and will be free from 2011 onwards in Scotland. In Northern Ireland, the issue is "under review". | Prescriptions have been free since 2007 in Wales, and will be free from 2011 onwards in Scotland. In Northern Ireland, the issue is "under review". |
| People who answered the BBC poll of more than 1,000 adults were more likely to call for the abolition of charging if they lived outside England - 84% from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, compared with 73% in England itself. | People who answered the BBC poll of more than 1,000 adults were more likely to call for the abolition of charging if they lived outside England - 84% from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, compared with 73% in England itself. |
| Lower waits | Lower waits |
| This is by no means the only way in which the NHS has become different depending in which part of the UK you live. | This is by no means the only way in which the NHS has become different depending in which part of the UK you live. |
| Waiting times have fallen faster and further in England compared with Scotland and Wales, while Scotland is the only place to provide free personal care to the elderly. | Waiting times have fallen faster and further in England compared with Scotland and Wales, while Scotland is the only place to provide free personal care to the elderly. |
| In total, 71% of those questioned felt that these differences "mattered", and this was a view found most often in older people and women. | In total, 71% of those questioned felt that these differences "mattered", and this was a view found most often in older people and women. |
| A spokesman for the Department of Health said that no changes to English prescription charges were on the way. | A spokesman for the Department of Health said that no changes to English prescription charges were on the way. |
| "Prescription charges provide a valuable contribution to the NHS in England, they raised £430m in 2007-08. | "Prescription charges provide a valuable contribution to the NHS in England, they raised £430m in 2007-08. |
| "Abolishing them would significantly reduce the money available to deliver other health priorities." | "Abolishing them would significantly reduce the money available to deliver other health priorities." |
| She added that the NHS remained united by the "same vision and values" across the UK, but that devolution had given each country the "freedom" to make decisions about the specific health problems affecting its population. | She added that the NHS remained united by the "same vision and values" across the UK, but that devolution had given each country the "freedom" to make decisions about the specific health problems affecting its population. |
| The UK's four health ministers released a statement on Thursday "reaffirming" their commitment to the same "core NHS principles". | The UK's four health ministers released a statement on Thursday "reaffirming" their commitment to the same "core NHS principles". |
| These included providing high quality services based on clinical need, not the ability to pay, yet providing value for money for the UK taxpayer. | These included providing high quality services based on clinical need, not the ability to pay, yet providing value for money for the UK taxpayer. |