Comment From Asthma UK On The Prescription Charging System In England
April 12, 2007 – 2:14 pm | posted in Respiratory / AsthmaDonna Covey, Chief Executive of Asthma UK comments: ‘It is disgraceful that people with asthma in England must continue to pay for their medication while those across the border are now able to receive free treatment. People with asthma have consistently told us this is one of the most important issues they want the Government to address and yet nothing has been done in England.
‘Almost 1.8 million people with asthma pay for their medication in England and 43% of them tell us they find it difficult to afford their treatment. They are often forced to make life-threatening decisions to not take medication because they cannot afford to. This can result in poor management of their condition, which can in turn lead to unscheduled emergency hospital visits.
‘We are concerned that the Government’s internal review of the prescription charging system will ignore the views of people with asthma and that nothing will change. We urge them to listen to us and reform a system that is unfair, inequitable and unsustainable.’
– Asthma UK is one of nine key patient organisations that have lobbied the Government to review the current prescription charges system as soon as possible. These organisations include: Arthritis Care, Asthma UK, Breast Cancer Care, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, We Are Macmillan Cancer Support, Mind, Multiple Sclerosis Society and Parkinson’s Disease Society.
– Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.2 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by asthma.
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