Credit squeeze is causing people to cut down on prescriptions, pharmacists say

The Cost of Living Crisis appears to be forcing people to skip collecting prescriptions and go without because of cost. Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports

Pharmacists have said high living costs are impact on whether people can afford prescription medicines in England, with many patients asking them which medicines are non-essential due to cost concerns.

A newly released survey by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) reveals how money worries have affected medical habits over the last six months.

The survey found that half of the respondents said they’ve seen an increase in the last six months in patients asking them which medicines on their prescription they can 'do without' due to price concerns.

It also found that half of pharmacists had seen a rise in people not collecting their prescription, and two out of three pharmacists reported an increase in being asked if there was a cheaper, over-the-counter substitute.

The survey was carried out in England, where there is a prescription charge of £9.35 per item.

People eligible for free prescriptions include those who are an NHS inpatient, pregnant women, people with specified medical conditions or disabilities, the over-60s and under-16s.

In contrast, prescriptions are free for everyone in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the RPS is urging for prescription charges in England to be removed for people with long-term conditions.

The RPS chair in England explained how the cost of living is impacting access to prescription medicines

Thorrun Govind, who is chair of the RPS in England, said the group is "deeply concerned" that people are having to make choices about their health based on their ability to pay.

"It is very concerning. We are seeing pharmacists who are subsiding patients' prescriptions," she told ITV News.

"We are seeing patients who are asking what items they can do without and we are really worried that this is going to have a knock-on impact on the rest of the healthcare system.

"If you are, for example, not taking your medication and then you become unwell that puts another pressure on the rest of the health service.

"So, we are calling on the government to support patients to stay well, stay active, stay able to go to their work and participate in life by making sure that the prescription charge is scrapped."

Depending on how many medicines you need per month, it may be cheaper to buy a prescription ‘season ticket’, called a prescription prepayment certificate, available on the NHS. You can read more information about it here.

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