Prescription charges campaign

Your help makes all the difference. Join us and campaign against unfair prescription charges in England, so that no one is in the position where they can't afford the treatment prescribed by their doctor or health professional.

Our campaign has already led to the abolition of prescription charges in Wales. Scotland is now phasing them out, and Northern Ireland is moving towards a fairer system.

Sadly we know that people in England are forced to go without treatment. Barbara, 48, a mother from Norfolk was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma (soft tissue cancer in the ankle) in 1999. She says:

"Over the years I've had so many prescriptions that I've lost count. As a single mum struggling to work, support my son and pay the daily bills, there were many times when I couldn't afford to pay. Each time I picked up the prescriptions from the GP, I'd choose which drugs not to take because I couldn't afford the total expense. Who knows if that's the reason the cancer has kept coming back."

A consultation to review prescription charges in England is due to be published soon by the Government, but they have already stated that they are not prepared to spend one extra penny on prescriptions. This means that any reform will inevitably involve some patients losing out. In effect, they will be robbing Peter to pay Paul. We are extremely concerned that this consultation may lead to nothing more than tinkering with an inherently unfair system.

 

How you can help: take action today

Click here to write to your MP and your local paper in England. Using your personal experience you can voice your concern at prescription charges, which are effectively a tax on illness.

Follow the above link and once you've filled in a simple form, a letter to your MP/local paper will come up, which you have the option to amend. You can then chose whether to email it immediately or print off and send a copy.

Macmillan believes in the following principles; tell your MP and local paper if you do too:

• No one should have to pay for their prescriptions – it is a tax on illness.
• No one should be in the position where they can't afford their prescription.
• Some people are already exempt from prescription charges, but the current list of medical exemptions is over 40 years old so a review is long overdue. 
• Most people under 60 with cancer have to pay for their prescriptions. This unfair system means that nearly one in ten cancer patients (9%) aged 55 and under who do qualify for charges, are unable to pay for prescriptions.
• The Government needs to think again on their position that they will not put any more money into a solution. The review must consider new ways to fund extra spending on the prescriptions budget in England – such as more effective use of non-branded medicines which could save hundreds of millions of pounds a year.
  

Read more about our prescription charges campaign in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland here.