Scotland plans to abolish prescription charges

Scotland plans to axe prescription charges

Extract from Telegraph article:

"The public services ''apartheid" between England and Scotland has widened again as Scottish ministers pledged to abolish all prescription charges north of the border.

Your view: Should English taxpayers subsidise Scottish health care? While millions of patients in England will still be expected to pay for vital medication, prescriptions in Scotland will be available free of charge within four years. The move was cited as the starkest example yet of the "unfairness" of the current funding arrangement, with English taxpayers forced to pay towards improvements to health care and education available only in Scotland. Scottish residents already have access to free eye care and dental check ups, free personal care for the elderly, extra central heating grants and a number of drugs deemed "too costly" for the National Health Service in England and Wales. As a result of plans announced earlier this summer, Scottish students will receive a free university education and pupils in the early years of primary school could soon be taught in class sizes as small as 18." Unfortunately, most prescription drugs are far from 'vital', as the article mistakenly implies. - Overwhelmingly, prescribed drugs do far, far more harm than good. - See I've been warning for years about prescribed drugs Scotland already has the highest obesity in Europe, and free prescription drugs are likely to increase obesity still further, since so many of the drugs cause/worsen obesity because of sodium retention and water retention. See my website http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/.html (The site does not sell anything and has no banners or sponsors or adverts - just helpful information.) vulnerable groups How to Lose weight! Children and Obesity Read my Mensa article on Obesity and the Salt Connection See Sodium in foods and Associated health conditions and http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/story.html - my 'political' page I can be contacted via my website if you need my further help. My help is free.

Age Concern attacks 'care lottery' for elderly

Charity attacks 'care lottery' for elderly - Telegraph

Extract:

"Elderly people in some parts of Britain are up to 160 times more likely to have their bills for long-term NHS care paid for by the health service than others.

The unjustifiable postcode lottery was a public scandal and "beggared belief", said Age Concern, which obtained the information from the Department of Health.

The issue of who pays for "continuing care" is highly contentious as thousands of elderly people have to use their savings or even sell their homes to pay bills, while others get their care for free.

It is estimated that more than 70,000 elderly people have been forced to sell their homes.
Continuing care is defined as where the NHS is responsible for, and fully funds, health care outside hospital. It mostly affects very ill, older people in nursing homes, but the NHS can also fund care in a person's own home.

Age Concern's analysis of continuing care figures shows that in March, Derby City Primary Care Trust was giving just seven people continuing care, a figure which represents 0.26 people per 10,000.

Age Concern contrasted the figures with Harrow, which was giving 826 people continuing care, at a rate of 41.75 per 10,000 people, 160 times higher than Derby."

Three doctors, including Karol Sikora, professor of cancer medicine at Imperial College School of Medicine, say a free health service is not possible.

Doctors' report claims: 'We no longer have free health care' - The Independent

Extract:

"Increasing numbers of patients are paying for private "top-up" treatments alongside NHS care, meaning the health service is no longer free, a report by leading doctors warns today.

The doctors have written to all three main political parties, and the Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, outlining their concerns that the idea of a free health service is a "political mirage".

The study was written by three doctors, including Karol Sikora, professor of cancer medicine at Imperial College School of Medicine for the group Doctors for Reform, which has nearly 1,000 members, all working for the NHS.

It says that patients are developing "sophisticated approaches to purchasing upgrades to their care", including in key areas such as cancer and heart disease.

Publication of the report "Free at the point of delivery: reality or political mirage" comes the day after International Development Secretary Hilary Benn was heckled by union delegates as he tried to defend the Government's record on the NHS.

While politicians often claim care is free at the point of delivery "this mantra is now a political mirage", the report said. Doctors for Reform is urging a debate on future healthcare funding."


Lose weight by eating less salt! Go on! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!
See my website www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk
(The site does not sell anything and has no banners or sponsors or adverts - just helpful information.)