A REVIEW of medicines which are available free on prescriptions is urgently needed, according to a Warrington MP.
Helen Jones, the Warrington North MP has raised concerns after receiving an answer to a written question she had asked of health minister Steve Brine.
The MP had asked what the average yearly cost to patients is for prescribed asthma medication.
The minister admitted the government could not estimate the cost.
Ms Jones said: “It is appalling that the government does not know how much it is costing people to obtain prescribed asthma medication. The situation is not confined just to asthma sufferers. I am sure that people with other long term and chronic conditions are also paying considerable amounts for their medicines.
“I have, over many years, asked for a review into which medicines are free on prescriptions and which are not, as well as which patients receive the exemptions and what criteria is being used.
“It is clear that exemptions from prescription charges have been built up over the years in an ad hoc manner and needs to be clarified. I believe that we desperately need a review into the matter which will make recommendations to improve the system.”
MP calls for review of free prescription medicines
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3 Comments
Surely this would mean a modification to or a new computer system to collect the information and we know what successive Government records are with regard to NHS computer systems.
Fortunately I grew out of my asthma at the age of 14 but when it returns as it may well do I will be one of the lucky ones as I am now exempt as I am over the age of 60.
It may be my old age but I am not sure from the article what the outcome of such an analysis is for and what feelings will be invoked if a new list is draw up stating what is free and what is not.
What are the objectives and outcomes of collecting and analysing the data?
This and previous goverment’s aversion to computer systems for collecting and collating NHS records/information stem in the most part, from the doubtful performance of the companies offering those facilities and the resulting additional costs the NHS has had to bear. These costs, sometimes exponential, have in turn have had a negative effect on the NHS’s budget.
Q:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the average yearly cost to patients of paying for prescribed asthma medication.
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Hansard source
(Citation: HC Deb, 24 January 2018, cW)
A:
The Department has made no such estimate. FP10 prescriptions forms do not specify what clinical indication the medicine/device is being prescribed for, therefore the requested data is not collected.
Canny, she asked for the answer to a question that could not be answered instead of asking for the number of issues of medicines usually prescribed for asthma with a list from the BNF. Each CCG knows the cost they bear for categories of drugs and the costs per issue are known. Not lazy questioning but deliberately misleading to put the government in a bad light, and the idiot civil servant drafting the answer let her get away with it. All for publicity.