'Dark day' as charge reaches nearly £10 from Wednesday

The increase in NHS prescription costs in England has been labelled a "dark day" for those who rely on medication.

Described as a "tax on the working poor", there are concerns that more patients may forgo collecting their prescriptions due to the financial burden. From Wednesday, the price per prescription item will rise from £9.65 to £9.90.

The annual NHS prescription prepayment certificate, which allows unlimited prescriptions for a fixed fee, will also see an increase from £111.60 to £114.50. While prescription charges are waived in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in England is advocating for the abolition of these fees.

Read more: Millions urged to take action as NHS prescription charges rise this week

Chairwoman of the RPS, Tase Oputu, commented: "This is a dark day for patients who will now have to pay nearly £10 for each item on their prescription."

She highlighted the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, stating that the hike in prescription charges disproportionately affects low-income workers.

Oputu criticised the continuous yearly rise in charges, stating: "The relentless annual increase in the prescription charge is making medicines unaffordable for many."

She condemned the situation as "This is totally unacceptable." She added: "You can, it seems, put a price on health."

Pharmacists are increasingly encountering patients unable to afford all their prescribed items, asking which ones they can skip, Oputu revealed. She concluded: "No-one should face a financial barrier to getting the medicines they need to keep them well."

"Prescription charges should be scrapped in England, as they have been in the rest of the UK."

Nick Kaye, chairman of the National Pharmacy