Scottish Government under fire over cancer patient drug charges

Published on Wednesday 13 May 2009 14:20

THE Scottish Government today came under opposition fire over "unacceptable" prescription charges for cancer patients.

Labour said such charges have been scrapped in England and called on the SNP administration to follow suit north of the border.

"I am deeply disappointed that the SNP is letting Scotland fall behind England and Wales," Labour health spokeswoman Cathy Jamieson said today.

"It is unacceptable that patients with cancer will have to pay for prescriptions for the next two years when they are already free in other parts of the UK."

The Scottish Government has lowered all prescription charges over the past two years and said it plans to scrap them by 2011.

Ms Jamieson today issued a parliamentary answer from Public Health Minister Shona Robison, which indicated that year-on-year sales of prescription pre-payment certificates more than doubled between 2007-08 and 2008-09.

The minister said that this has provided "even greater benefits" for patients who need regular medication.

In England though, patients with cancer have been exempt from all charges since April.

It was funded, Labour has said, by reducing the drugs bill in the NHS by "bulk-buying" and using cheaper generic products.

About 150,00 patients have benefited with savings of up to 100 a year, according to the Department of Health.

Prescription charges for all drugs were abolished in Wales in 2007.

"Labour's decision to abolish prescription charges for cancer patients was absolutely the right thing to do," Ms Jamieson added.

"It has transformed the lives of thousands of people living with cancer. This disease not only threatens your life but can also make you poor.

"We need Nicola Sturgeon to show the same urgency about standing up for Scottish patients."