NHS prescription costs in England have risen yet again this month, from £8.05 to £8.20, prompting fresh calls from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) to make prescription charges fairer.

The Department of Health justified the increase as a necessary means of coping with the growing burdens on the NHS and the rising medicines spend, which has doubled since 2000. It also pointed out that the vast majority (90 per cent) of prescription items are already dispensed to patients who are exempt from charges, although England is the last country in the UK to still have prescription charges. Responding to the rise, David Branford, RPS English Board Chair, said that while the RPS would ultimately like to see England follow the rest of the UK and abolish prescription charges, its current priority is to see an end to unfair charges for those with longterm conditions.

He said: “The false economy of tax raising from the sick ignores the impact on people’s health, hospital admissions and ability to remain in work. Medicines are prescribed for a reason and shouldn’t be taken based on a patient’s ability to pay for them.” The cost of a prescription prepayment certificate for people with long-term conditions who are not exempt from charges remains at £29.10 for three months and £104 for one year.