Free drugs don't work

Welsh Conservative Glyn Davies hinted that something big was going to be covered in the London-based media this weekend, that will be so juicy that it will run for a week. He wasn't wrong.

Today, he gives us his take on the story that has been published by a former Welsh-based journalist in the News of the World. Yes, I know it's the News of the World, but this is a warning that plenty in Wales have been aware of for some time. Described by many as an absolute disaster in policy making, the story has also been covered recently in the Welsh press. This new article takes it a step further - pulling the plug on free prescriptions.

I've said it once, so I may as well say it again. The Welsh Assembly Gimmick Government's main gimmick - in order to make it stand out from Westminster - isn't quite going to plan. We all know that the majority of those that need a regular prescription, or are frequent users of the service, were entitled to free prescriptions under the old system. However, if something is FREE then it's open to abuse from others.

People tend not to think twice when it comes to taking items when free of charge. After all, it's only human nature. This is why it needs to end, or at the very least a nominal charge be placed on prescriptions (except for those covered under the old system). Not sure how the coalition partner is going to handle this challenging part to collective responsibility. They supported the policy in the first place with little reservation, and we all should be in agreement that it's going to be an interesting week in the Senedd. The usual arguments will be made, and what are the odds on the government dismissing the idea of 'pulling the plug' at first, only to change their mind at a more suitable date?

If only we could put an end to the freebie and first-to-do culture of the Assembly Government. More thought is needed when it comes to policy ideas, not 'What would make us look good in the public eye and provide a headline grabber that will run all term?'.

Welsh End Free NHS Drugs

HEALTH chiefs are set to pill the plug on free prescriptions in Wales—because they are too EXPENSIVE.

The free-for-all policy was only brought in by the Welsh Assembly 18 months ago—but has cost far MORE than the anticipated £30MILLION.

Doctors have been dishing out prescriptions for normal over-the-counter products such as vaseline, milk of magnesia and aspirin. And thousands of English people have also taken advantage of the scheme by registering with Welsh doctors.

Figures this year showed there were 100,000 more people on Welsh GPs’ lists than actually lived in the country. It has all led to the NHS there being overwhelmed by the spiralling bill for the drugs, with it draining resources from the rest of the health budget.

The Assembly has admitted that it has no idea how much it will have to shell out this year—but it’s expected to be MILLIONS more than last year.

The crisis will spark fears in Scotland and Northern Ireland over their own plans to scrap charges.

Scotland is phasing them out by 2011, and Northern Ireland last week announced it would cut charges before abolishing them in 2010.

That would leave England as the only part of the UK where patients would still have to pay. A senior Whitehall source said: “In Wales they are running out of money for this and can’t continue.

“They are going to have to pull the plug on it. It’s the last thing anyone wants to do but the financial realities are so serious that they’re having to consider it.”

Health gimmick taken up in millions

As the BBC and Western Mail have reported, the Welsh Assembly Gimmick Government's main gimmick - in order to make it stand out from Westminster - isn't quite going to plan.

The number of prescription items dispensed in Wales rose by 2.9m in the first year of free prescriptions, official figures show.

The number of dispensed items rose 5% from 59.1m in 2006/7 to 62m in 2007/8, the
equivalent to 20 items per person.

The chief medical officer said it showed there was more preventative work and more cancer drugs prescribed. But the Lib Dems said the figures proved their concerns of introducing free
prescriptions.

The figures follow a five-year general trend of an increase in items dispensed.

The National Statistics on GP prescribing showed the net cost of the prescribed items was £584m - an increase of 1% on the previous year - and equivalent to £188.90 per head.

Wales' £3 prescription charge was abolished in April last year by the Labour and Plaid Cymru run assembly government.

Wales' Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Jewell said:

We know that in Wales we have more people with long term illnesses than England. These figures reflect the fact that more preventative work is being undertaken, with GPs prescribing medicines which are helping people manage their chronic conditions and keeping them out of hospital, reducing the cost and pressure on the NHS.

We are also issuing more medicines used to treat cancers, as cancer therapy has improved to a point where, for a number of patients, it is now a chronic condition, plus GPs are helping more patients with diabetes manage their condition under the new enhanced contract.

The figures also show we are increasing access while reducing costs. The net cost per prescription item decreased from £9.80 to £9.42.

But Welsh Lib Dem health spokesperson Jenny Randerson said:

We warned the (assembly) government that giving free prescriptions for all would be disastrous and today's figures have vindicated our position. A 5% increase (in items claimed) is disastrous when the (assembly) government is refusing to fund vital lifesaving drugs. The cost of this gimmick will be with Welsh patients for generations.

While millionaires claim their free paracetamol, the health service will continue to be to stretched to provide life saving services.

Shadow Health Minister Jonathan Morgan, Tory AM, said the figures showed people in Wales were becoming increasingly reliant on prescribed medicine:

The number of prescriptions being issued for cardiovascular problems for example has risen by 141.5% and these are often for the largest, most expensive items. Rather than micro-managing the NHS, the assembly government should be looking at improving the nation's health. Only then, as we become a healthier country, will costs fall.

Opposition politicians immediately said the figures were evidence that the Welsh Assembly Government’s flagship £30m-a-year policy had been a disaster. But doctors said the 2007-08 increases were in line with previous year-on-year rises in prescriptions in Wales and reflected the ongoing poor health of the nation.