Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending free prescriptions to people with long-term health conditions.

We have no current plans to amend the list of long-term health conditions which qualify for free prescriptions. The last consultation on this issue was as part of Professor Sir Ian Gilmore’s review in 2008, which included consultation with patients, the public and general practitioners. Exemption from the prescription charge is available to those who are over 60, people with certain medical conditions, people under age 19 and in full time education and those on low incomes. Almost 90% of prescriptions are dispensed free of charge and those who need a number of prescriptions each month can buy a prepayment certificate, which can help reduce costs significantly.