Prescription charges should be scrapped for long-term conditions

North Dorset MP, Robert Walter has added his weight to a campaign run by a coalition of twenty organisations representing people with long-term conditions to scrap prescription charges for all people with long-term conditions without delay.

Bob has supported the ‘Prescription Promise’ campaign by signing up to a Parliamentary motion, calling for the Government to end this unfair charge before the next General Election, which must happen by June 2010.

The Prime Minister promised at the Labour Party Conference last September to abolish prescription charges for people living with long-term conditions.  One year on, 162 MPs have signed a parliamentary motion supporting the campaign and 1,450 members of the public in England have also signed a petition in support.

Members of the public who would like to support the ‘Prescription Promise’ campaign can do so at prescriptionpromise.org

Bob Walter MP said: ”The Government is slowly reviewing this issue, but in the meantime, large numbers of people with long-term conditions are struggling to afford their prescription charges and many are making a difficult and distressing choice not to take vital medication because of the cost.

"It is clearly nonsense that I, as a relatively well paid individual, get free prescriptions simply because I am over 60 whilst thousands of people with long term chronic conditions on very modest means have to pay for their essential drugs.

”I am calling for an end to this unfair charge on people with long-term conditions as soon as possible.”