SCRAP Prescription Charges
The weblog of the Scottish Campaign to Remove All Prescription Charges. Keeping you updated on all the news about Colin Fox MSP's bill to the Scottish Parliament.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Fox to hear how Welsh ditched NHS drug charges
Edinburgh Evening News
SCOTTISH Socialist Colin Fox was today set to visit the Welsh Assembly to hear how it decided to scrap prescription charges.
The Lothians MSP, who is behind a bill to abolish the charges in Scotland, said the Labour-led administration in Cardiff started off intending only to review the list of exemptions. The Scottish Executive announced last month it was carrying out a similar review.
Mr Fox hopes that too could lead to ditching the charges altogether.
He is due to meet Health Minister Jane Hutt, her deputy David Melling and health committee convener John Griffiths.
He said: "The position in Wales was exactly the same as the Executive’s. They were looking to extend the exemptions, but then decided for £10.5 million they could abolish them altogether and create a massive feelgood factor.
"The Welsh Assembly voted this time last year to abolish charges and they have already started phasing them out at £1 a year between now and 2007."
The Executive has begun the first phase of its review, examining how prescription charges work in other countries, which will be followed in four or five months by a wide-ranging consultation on widening the categories of exemption. Mr Fox said the cost of abolishing charges in Scotland would be £46m.
