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.
Monday, November 21, 2005
MSPs in Wales on prescription fact-finding trip
Scotsman
MSPs in Wales on fact-finding trip
MSPs will meet doctors and pharmacists in Wales during a two-day fact-finding visit to the country.
Members of the Scottish Parliament's Health Committee have made the trip to learn more about the pledge by the Welsh Assembly to abolish prescription charges by 2007. A Bill put forward by Socialist MSP Colin Fox seeks the same for Scotland.
Health Committee convenor and SNP member Roseanna Cunningham will accompany Labour's Janis Hughes, Liberal Democrat Mike Rumbles and independent MSP Dr Jean Turner on the visit.
They will meet GPs and community pharmacists before making a trip to the Welsh Assembly on Tuesday.
There they will meet the minister for health, Dr Brian Gibbons, and report back to the committee with their findings.
Ms Cunningham said: "This fact-finding visit will give us a valuable insight into the abolition of prescription charges in Wales.
"We are keen to hear more about how this has worked so we can scrutinise the Bill with this knowledge.
"The visit also provides a useful opportunity to meet key figures from another devolved legislature including Dr Brian Gibbons."
Scottish Socialist leader Colin Fox introduced the member's Bill earlier this year, urging the Scottish Parliament to follow the Welsh Assembly's lead and scrap charges.
The MSP said thousands of patients were going without treatment because they could not afford their medicine.
