Pharmacists warn of impact of prescription charges on patient care

Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Pharmacists have warned they are increasingly seeing patients in England declining to take vital medicines
due to the cost of prescription charges.

Responding to a survey by the Pharmacists’ Defence Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society, more
than a third of pharmacists (35%) said they have seen an increase in patients declining prescriptions in the
last 12 months.

97% of respondents have seen cases where patients decline some of the medicines on a prescription due to
cost.

More than a quarter (26%) said they saw this often.

The type of medicines being declined include those for blood pressure, inhalers, pain relief, statins and
mental health.

The warning adds to the voices of leading patient groups calling for reform to prescription charges.

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