28 April 2025

Responding to the DHSC's announcement of freezes to prescription charges, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, Rachel Power, said:

"Freezing prescription charges is a welcome and positive step; however, it offers only short-term relief and does little to tackle the deep inequalities baked into England’s outdated prescription system.

"Since June 1968, the medical exemption criteria have remained virtually unchanged, creating significant disparities in healthcare access. Estimates show that 2.79 million people in England live with at least one long-term condition but are still not eligible for free prescriptions.

"The inadequacy of the current exemption list is evident: many long-term conditions aren't included simply because they weren't recognised when the criteria were established in 1968, or because people with these conditions rarely survived to adulthood at that time. Research consistently shows that patients who cannot afford their medication rely more heavily on NHS services, creating additional costs elsewhere in the system.

"The freeze in prescription charges is an encouraging first step that provides some relief, but we need to build on this progress to address the deeper systemic problems. We urge the government to go further: to commit to a full review of the medical exemption list and prescription charges, with the ultimate goal of ensuring everyone with a long-term condition can access the medications they need without financial hardship."

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