Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review his current policy on prescription charging for patients with long-term health conditions.

There are no plans to change the existing list of medical conditions which provide eligibility to exemption from the prescription charge.

Other extensive exemption arrangements are in place, in England, based on age and income, to support those who cannot afford to pay for their prescriptions. Additionally, for those who need multiple prescriptions and do not qualify for exemption, Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPC) can be purchased, which allow someone to claim as many prescriptions as needed. A 12 month PPC costs £104 and benefits anyone who needs 13 or more prescriptions a year.

Around 90% of prescription items are dispensed without a charge, a further 5% against PPCs and 5% are paid for at the point of dispensing.