Cancer patients ‘to get free treatment’

Gordon Brown has announced plans to phase out the levying of prescription charges in all patients with long-term medical conditions, with cancer patients to get free treatment from April this year.

Speaking at the Labour party conference in Manchester, the prime minister said the government must do more to help cancer patients with their financial concerns.

Mr Brown added: Alan Johnson and I know we must do more to relieve the financial worry that so often goes alongside the heartache, so our plan is next year to abolish all prescription charges for everyone with cancer.”

The prime minister noted almost every British family has been touched by the disease.

The Times said the end of 7.10 pounds prescription charges for cancer patients would cost around 20 million pounds, while the extension of this programme to all long-term conditions would require 300 million pounds.

According to the government, this shortfall will be funded by changes in drug procurement procedures, such as the increased use of cheaper generic compounds in preference to branded pharmaceuticals.

The NHS will also regularly renegotiate its contracts with healthcare companies.

In April 2008, the Scottish government announced a 25 per cent reduction in prescription costs north of the border to five pounds.