Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of the level of NHS prescription charges on (a) patients' health outcomes and (b) numbers of (i) hospital admissions and (ii) GP visits.

The Department has made no assessment of the impact of prescription charges on patients’ health outcomes, or the number of hospital admissions or general practice visits. The Department does not hold data on the number of individuals not taking prescribed medications due to cost.

Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there are a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place to help those with the greatest need. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.

People with certain long-term medical conditions may qualify for a medical exemption, which entitles them to claim free prescriptions. Medical exemption is a long-standing exemption from prescription charges, which covers all the patient’s prescriptions, not just those for the qualifying condition. A list of the qualifying medical conditions and information on how to apply for a medical exemption certificate is available at the following link:

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/medex

People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. People who need multiple prescription items and who do not qualify for an exemption, or the NHS Low Income Scheme, could save money with a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need for a set cost, with three-month and 12-month certificates available, and the 12-month PPC can be paid for in direct debit instalments.