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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| NI to scrap prescription charges | NI to scrap prescription charges |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Plans to abolish prescription charges in Northern Ireland have been announced by NI Health Minister Michael McGimpsey. | Plans to abolish prescription charges in Northern Ireland have been announced by NI Health Minister Michael McGimpsey. |
| The cost of a prescription in NI will be reduced to £3 per prescription in January 2009 and will be free of charge by April 2010. | The cost of a prescription in NI will be reduced to £3 per prescription in January 2009 and will be free of charge by April 2010. |
| The charges were abolished in Wales on 1 April 2007 and are due to be abolished in Scotland. | The charges were abolished in Wales on 1 April 2007 and are due to be abolished in Scotland. |
| This leaves England as the only country in the UK to retain the charges. | This leaves England as the only country in the UK to retain the charges. |
| Mr McGimpsey said prepayment certificates will also come down in price, from £35.85 to £9 for four months and from £98.70 to £25 for 12 months until prescriptions are free. | Mr McGimpsey said prepayment certificates will also come down in price, from £35.85 to £9 for four months and from £98.70 to £25 for 12 months until prescriptions are free. |
| Making the announcement at the Cancer Centre in Belfast City Hospital, Michael McGimpsey said: "The introduction of free prescriptions was one of my party's manifesto commitments and was also one of my earliest assembly debates." | |
| The UUP minister established a cost and benefits review into the abolition of prescription charging last year. | |
| "I have now considered the findings of the review and today am announcing my intention to introduce free prescriptions in Northern Ireland, subject to the agreement of the Executive," he said. | |
| Impact | Impact |
| Mr McGimpsey said that in reaching his decision he had to "carefully consider the consequences of any change to the current charging regime in Northern Ireland". | |
| All those patients who have found it very hard over the years to pay for their medication will welcome it Dr Brian Dunn, BMANI | |
| "A key consideration for me was the loss of around £13m income each year from prescription charges, and while it is only 3.5% of the total drugs bill, it is still a lot of money," he said. | "A key consideration for me was the loss of around £13m income each year from prescription charges, and while it is only 3.5% of the total drugs bill, it is still a lot of money," he said. |
| "After looking closely at the financial position with my officials, I have concluded that the cost of free prescriptions can be found within my existing budget and without impacting on any existing service." | "After looking closely at the financial position with my officials, I have concluded that the cost of free prescriptions can be found within my existing budget and without impacting on any existing service." |
| Dr Brian Dunn of the British Medical Association (BMA) Northern Ireland said: "This is a very positive step forward and all those patients who have found it very hard over the years to pay for their medication will welcome it - as does the BMA. | Dr Brian Dunn of the British Medical Association (BMA) Northern Ireland said: "This is a very positive step forward and all those patients who have found it very hard over the years to pay for their medication will welcome it - as does the BMA. |
| "The inequalities in the current system of charging are extremely unfair. For example, someone with diabetes who also has chronic bronchitis will be exempt from paying for his or her prescriptions yet a person with chronic bronchitis and suffering from heart failure must pay." | "The inequalities in the current system of charging are extremely unfair. For example, someone with diabetes who also has chronic bronchitis will be exempt from paying for his or her prescriptions yet a person with chronic bronchitis and suffering from heart failure must pay." |
| Heather Monteverde of Macmillan Cancer Support said: "Cancer patients in Northern Ireland have been struggling to pay these unfair charges for too long and it is fantastic news that the 55,000 people living with cancer here, along with other people who require medication, will no longer face this added burden." |