Asked by: Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding of the House of Commons Health Committee Report NHS Charges, published on 6 July 2006, that when the medical exemptions list was created in 1968, most babies born with Cystic Fibrosis did not live beyond childhood; and what assessment they have made of the case for extending eligibility for medical exemption certificates to patients with Cystic Fibrosis to access life-saving drugs.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made. The medical exemptions list was last reviewed in 2009, when cancer was added, and there are no plans to extend the prescription charge medical exemptions list to include cystic fibrosis. Approximately 89% of prescription items are currently dispensed free of charge and there are a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place, for which those with cystic fibrosis may meet the eligibility criteria and be in receipt of free prescriptions.
In addition, those on a low income can apply for additional support through the NHS Low Income Scheme. This provides both full and partial help with a range of health costs, not just prescription charges. Those who do not qualify for low-income help, may benefit from the purchase of a prescription pre-payment certificate. This caps the cost of prescriptions at £111.60 per year, helping people to get all the medicines they need for just over £2 a week.