The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group will be proposing a motion to Oldham council on Wednesday 15th July 2015 supporting the call of the Prescription Charges Coalition that Government end prescription charges for patients in England with long term medical conditions.
The motion is proposed by Saddleworth North Cllr Garth Harkness, Shadow Cabinet member for Education and Skills. Cllr Harkness said:
“Many people with long term medical conditions do not qualify for free prescriptions and struggle to pay for regular treatment. Around a third of people are choosing not to collect prescriptions because of the cost. Consequently, some of these patients fall ill and are admitted to hospital. Ultimately hospital admissions and treatment cost the tax payer far more.”
Seconding the motion, Julia Turner, Councillor for Crompton and Shadow Cabinet member for Performance and Corporate Governance, said:
“Some conditions get a medical exempt certificate, which is exactly right, but equally many other potentially debilitating medical conditions are not exempt and are subject to the £8.20 charge per item. Even with pre-payment cards you are looking at over £100 per year and many people round here simply do not have this to spare and choose to go without”.
Councillor Harkness added “We think there should be equality in healthcare. In government we fought to get mental health on a level playing field with other conditions. We want to ensure that people with all long term medical conditions get the medication they need wherever they live in the UK
“In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, residents receive free prescriptions; yet in England, we have patients with identical medical conditions who have to cut pills up to save money or go without altogether and that can’t be right. We should not be subject to a lottery where you only receive free medication based on where you live or which long term medical condition you have. Everyone who needs treatment should receive it. “