Kill or cure?

The Scotsman and organisations such as mine fought for an end to the inequity whereby only those with one of a limited list of conditions are exempt.

The news that this policy could be reversed will be deeply worrying for many of the 2 million people who live with long-term conditions in Scotland.

More than three quarters of them take prescribed medication (compared with only a quarter of other people) and they are far more likely to rely on multiple treatments.

They are also far more likely to live on low incomes and experience financial difficulty, including debt and inability to meet health-related costs.

We know people who live with long-term conditions sometimes have to choose between different medications, or between prescriptions and other essential expenditure. Halting progress towards abolition of charges for all with long term conditions would lead to poorer health and quality of life, particularly for the most vulnerable, and in turn to greater costs to the public purse.

IAN WELSH

Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland

Bath Street

Glasgow