Prescription Fees And Dental Charges To Increase In England
The cost of prescriptions and dental fees will increase from the 1st April, it has been confirmed.
The government announced that prescription charges will increase by 20p from April 1st; the new cost will be £7.85 per item in England. The announcement has angered many people, as charges have increased year on year in England, while other UK nations benefit from free prescriptions. Neal Patel, from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society said the news was “deeply disappointing” as many people are already struggling to afford medical costs; he added that from talking to patients, cost can be a barrier, which prevents some patients from getting the treatment they need.
The government also confirmed that NHS dental fees will increase at the beginning of April. The cost of band 1 treatments, including routine check-ups, will rise by 50 pence to £18, while band 2 treatments will cost £49 and band 3 treatments will be £5 more expensive at £214.
Lord Howe, health minister, said that the government is investing £12.5 billion of extra funding into the National Health Service this year and bosses are on course to make savings worth £5 billion, which will be reinvested into “front-line” NHS services.
Prescriptions are free of charge for children, people who receive certain benefits and pregnant women; contraceptives are also available free of charge and the government estimates that 90 per cent of prescriptions in England are given out free of charge. Lord Howe also confirmed that the value of optical vouchers will increase by 1 per cent to help people afford glasses and contact lenses.
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