Daily Mail, Wednesday, March 4, 2020^ Page 19Prescription fees
going up... again!
Labour fears local election humiliation
LABOUR is braced for massive losses in
May’s local elections after its own
research predicted the party is facing one
of its worst ever results.
A leaked party document suggests it
could lose control of councils including
Plymouth, Amber Valley in Derbyshire,
Harlow in Essex and Crawley, West Sussex.
Under the worst forecast 315 councillors
could be defeated, and in a further crum-
bling of Labour’s ‘Red Wall’ in the North, it
could lose its Sheffield stronghold.
Voters in 118 councils in England go to
the polls on May 7, a little over a month
after a new leader takes over from Jer-emy Corbyn. The document, obtained by
the BBC, says Labour’s predictive model-
ling ‘points to substantial losses that may
constitute one of our worst local election
performances in recent history’.
Ian Murray, who is running for deputy
leader, called the research an ‘urgent
wake-up call’, adding: ‘We are sleepwalk-
ing into disaster if we don’t change.’By John Stevens
Deputy Political EditorTHE cost of an NHS pre-
scription in England is
rising to £9.15 next month
- the third year in a row it
has been hiked.
Health Secretary Matt Han-
cock said the 15p increase is
‘in line with inflation’.
But charities fear patients with
long-standing or complicated
conditions – who face the charge
for each medicine or appliance
dispensed – will struggle to afford
the cost of their medication.
Patients in England can claim
free prescriptions only if they are
disabled, under 18, over 60, an
inpatient, pregnant or on certain
benefits. However, they have been
free for everyone in Scotland
since 2011, while there has been
no charge in Wales since 2007
and Northern Ireland since 2010.
Laura Cockram, chairman of
the Prescription Charges Coa-
lition and head of policy at the
charity Parkinson’s UK, said:
‘It is incredibly disappointing
that yet again, people with
long-term conditions are being
penalised by an outdated pre-
scription charges system. By
continuing to drive up the cost
of prescriptions, the Govern-
ment is ignoring clear evidence
that the charge is a false econ-
omy that leaves people unable
t o a f f o r d v i t a l m e d i c a t i o n
which places increased pres-
sure on the NHS.’
Patients who need a lot ofsaving medicine.’ Anaphylaxis
Campaign added: ‘The system
must change so people with
severe allergies don’t have to
pay to stay well.’
Charges for wigs, often used
by cancer patients who lose
their hair during treatment, and
fabric supports will also rise.
Synthetic wigs will increase
from £72.80 to £74.15, partial
human hair wigs will rise from
£192.85 to £196.40 and full
bespoke human hair wigs will
rise from £282 to £287.20, while
the cost of surgical bras, which
are worn after operations, is
going up from £29.50 to £30.05,
and abdominal or spinal supports
are rising from £44.55 to £45.35.
Simon Dukes, chief executive
of the Pharmaceutical Services
Negotiating Committee, which
represents local pharmacies,
said: ‘Pharmacies report that
many people already find it dif-
ficult to pay the prescription
charge. While we recognise the
financial pressures that the
NHS is under, raising the pre-
scription tax once again runs
the risk of those most in need
not getting their medicines –
ultimately adding to the NHS
bill elsewhere.’
[email protected]By Ben Spencer
Medical Correspondent‘Many already find
it difficult to pay’‘Relax, grandad – we promise not to hug you!’
the Royal Pharmaceutical Soci-
ety, said: ‘Raising the amount
people have to pay for their pre-
scriptions is deeply concerning.
‘People now may not be able
to afford their prescriptions and
shouldn’t be in a position where
they have to ration or completely
go without their medicines.
‘This could lead to more peo-
ple becoming ill and would only
put more strain on an already
stretched NHS.
‘Prescriptions are free in Scot-
land, Wales and Northern Ire-
land, so it seems unfair that
patients must pay for their
medicines in England.’
Other charities also hit out at
the increase. The Kidney Care
UK charity said: ‘The system
must change so people with
kidney disease and/or trans-
plants don’t have to pay for life-JON Snow’s eyeball
searing neckties remain
mothballed as the
Channel 4 news anchor
nobly self-isolates. But what of News At
Ten’s Tom Bradby, flying back from
Australia via either Singapore or Hong
Kong to resume ITN spouting duty after
the Big Ben bongs tonight?WHILE £120million has been allocated for
Theresa May’s curious brainchild – 2022’s
Brexit Festival – not a penny has been ear-
marked for the Queen’s platinum jubilee
in the same year, celebrating her unprec-
edented 70-year reign. David Cameron
grudgingly contributed £1million for her
2012 diamond jubilee with Tony Blair offer-
ing a measly £450,000 for her 2002 golden
shindig. Buckingham Palace isn’t holding
its breath for a contribution from Boris.THE Queen will be at Westminster Abbey
on Monday with her family and 2,
others for the annual Commonwealth
Day thanksgiving service. She won’t be
following the example of Sweden’s King
Carl XVI Gustaf, who has cancelled
tonight’s diplomatic dinner for 150 over
coronavirus fears. HM, as always, refuses
to change the diary even if threatened by
terrorists or germs.JOANNA Trollope, pic-
tured, tells Woman &
Home magazine that it’s
normal for women to
feel jealousy, fury or
anger, adding: ‘You are
not alone if you want to
cut the crotch out of
your cheating husband’s
trousers!’ Joanna!FORMER MI6 head Sir Richard
Dearlove, now outed by Czech
intelligence as a British spy in Prague
during the 1970s, was successful in
keeping his day job secret from his
teenage daughter. She told her
Hampshire boarding school classmates
that daddy was a shoe salesman.ECO-zEALOT Ben Goldsmith has been using
Twitter to denigrate hill farmers in his
messianic quest for the ‘re-wilding’ of
Britain, describing the farming method as
Victorian-style ‘failed sheep ranching’. All
fine and dandy. But how does earnest
Ben, son of billionaire tycoon Sir James
Goldsmith, reconcile this with being a
non-executive board member of Defra?DAME Hilary Mantel declines to compare
Downing Street rottweiler Dominic
Cummings with her own ‘power-behind-
the throne’ hero, telling BBC Radio 5
Live: ‘No. I think Thomas Cromwell was
far better dressed.’SMOOTHIE chops former Tory trade minis-
ter Lord Young recalls his solution to
obstructive civil servants, who told him
he couldn’t do what he wanted. ‘I would
invariably reply, “What a pity, could we
meet this time tomorrow and you can tell
me how we can?” And they always did.’FORMER Labour minister Dame
Margaret Hodge urges Eamonn Holmes
to settle his £250,000 tax bill, saying: ‘He
should pay, I don’t know how much he
earns but he should pay and not get
out of it.’ Over to you Eamonn,
self-proclaimed market leader in the TV
presenting lark.Ephraim
Hardcastle
To order a print of this Paul Thomas cartoon or one by Pugh, visit Mailpictures.newsprints.co.uk or call 0191 6030 178.Email: [email protected]Patients hit with third
annual rise in a row as
charge jumps to £9.
drugs can save costs by pur-
chasing pre-payment certifi-
cates, which from April 1 will
cost £29.65 for three months – a
55p increase – or £105.90 for 12
months, up £1.90.
Claire Anderson, chairman of
the English pharmacy board at