2011-03-02
Prescriptions will be free from 1st April after the Scottish Parliament backed SNP proposals to abolish charges completely.
In 2007 the SNP promised to deliver free prescriptions and have lowered charges every year for one-off and regular prescriptions. Over the four years someone with regular prescription will have saved £180.
As he met customers in Edinburgh who have benefited from the gradual reduction in prescription fees, SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This is a momentous day marking the culmination of four years' work in gradually reducing the burden on Scots paying for prescriptions. The abolition of these charges from April 1 recognises the fact that during these difficult economic times, no person should see cost as a barrier to access to prescription medication.
"We have gradually reduced the cost of prescriptions since 2007 and in doing so have helped large numbers of patients, particularly those with long-term conditions and who require a number of prescription items. "At times of economic difficulty, the last people we should be penalising are the sick. We want to move towards restoring the NHS to its founding principles: healthcare that's free at the point of delivery and based on clinical need, not the ability to pay."
Ms Sturgeon said:
"Hundreds of thousands of Scots are already better off thanks to our decision to phase out prescription charges and they will benefit even further now that full abolition is to be introduced. "It is my firm belief that healthcare should be free at the point of access for everyone and I am proud to have overseen the removal of prescription charging which was nothing more than a tax on ill health that Scotland's poorest family's could ill afford. "There have been attempts to stop our plans with some suggesting that the current financial climate is the wrong time to bring forward this abolition.
"On behalf of the 600,000 adults living in families in Scotland with an annual income of less than #16,000 who until now have not been entitled to free prescriptions I completely disagree. When times are tight the last people who should be paying are the sick."
http://www.snp.org/node/17761
Scot Free!
Scot Free!
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Scot Free!
Is this an early Scottish April Fool's Day joke?
Nice one Jimmy!
Or is this fair dinkum?
I wish we had the UK's health system.
Nice one Jimmy!
Or is this fair dinkum?
I wish we had the UK's health system.
Bah!
Re: Scot Free!
It's fair dinkum.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Scot Free!
Free drugs. Does that mean rock 'n roll and sex will soon be free on the North side of the wall?
Re: Scot Free!
Would that the author of this article understood the difference between "cost" and "price."
The legislature can certainly reduce the PRICE of prescriptions, but the COST is beyond its powers of modification.
SOMEBODY is paying the cost of these prescriptions, and to say that they are "free" is pure sophistry, obfuscating reality. Spread the cost if you like, but don't lie about it.
The legislature can certainly reduce the PRICE of prescriptions, but the COST is beyond its powers of modification.
SOMEBODY is paying the cost of these prescriptions, and to say that they are "free" is pure sophistry, obfuscating reality. Spread the cost if you like, but don't lie about it.
Re: Scot Free!
"Free at the point of delivery" is a well understood concept Dave.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”