A big thank you to everyone who wrote to their MPs before the election about the continuing injustice of prescription charges, which still apply in England.
Everyone should be able to access the medication they need to stay well, without worrying about whether or not they can afford it. People who live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland do not pay for your prescriptions. In England, people who are not exempt pay £9.90 per item.
There is no specific exemption for people who have CKD or kidney transplant patients who take multiple immunosuppressant medications to stop them from losing their precious kidney.
As long-term members of the Prescription Charges Coalition we are supporting a new push with the new government to get this changed. We have written with other charities to the new Care Minister, Stephen Kinnock, which you can read here.
You can now, alongside people with other long term conditions like liver disease, Cystic Fibrosis and Parkinson's, write to your new MP to ask them to write to the new Minister about prescription charges.
A recent Coalition survey shows that 1 in 10 people with long term conditions can't afford their prescriptions, which is impacting their physical and mental health and making them rely on NHS services more.