The cost of prescriptions is falling to £3 (€3.1) an item from next month, the Northern Ireland Health Minister said today.
Michael McGimpsey plans to scrap charges altogether from April 2010 but ordered the interim reduction.
Prepayment certificates are also coming down in price, from £35.85 (€36.88) to £9 (€9.26) for a four-month certificate and from £98.70 (€101.55) to £25 (€25.72) for a 12-month certificate.
Mr McGimpsey said: “This will bring an end to the inequitable system which ranked one person’s suffering above another’s.
“Reducing the charge to £3 is the beginning of the process towards abolition of prescription charges.
“The reduction in the cost of prepayment certificates will make a real difference for those people who need to buy medication on a regular basis.”
The minister said the introduction of free prescriptions will bring great comfort to thousands suffering ill-health who do not need the anxiety of finding money for vital medication.
“It is also totally against the principles of the NHS which promises free health services to all,” he added.
The cost of prescription charging will be met from within existing health budgets. No services will suffer.
Mr McGimpsey said: “I will be putting processes in place to ensure that prescribing rates are kept within acceptable limits.
“Healthcare professionals must practise responsible prescribing and the public must play a part by only taking medication if they really need it.”
PA
