The GHA, as part of the Reset, Restart, Recover strategy for post-pandemic recovery, will shortly make further changes to its prescription policy. With effect from 21st June 2022, the price of a single prescription will increase to £5.00 from the current £2.50. The age at which patients become exempt from paying for prescriptions will also increase from 60 to 65. The comparable cost of prescriptions in the United Kingdom is in excess of £9.00.
This change is the only increase to the price of GHA prescriptions since 1998, and brings the price of prescriptions back to 1998 levels relative to inflation. The price will continue to be capped at three simultaneous prescriptions, meaning that the maximum price of any set of prescriptions will be £15.00. Other than the threshold for exemption by age, all other exemption criteria for prescriptions will remain as they currently are and will not change.
The Director General, Professor Patrick Geoghegan OBE, said: ‘The reviewed price of prescriptions announced today is in line with the GHA’s wider strategy, as part of Reset, Restart, Recover, to move towards a model of self-care for minor conditions that usually get better on their own, or with advice from a community pharmacist using over the counter medicines, which should in turn relieve some of the pressure on the GHA’s Primary Care services.
‘I’m confident that these changes strike the right balance between ensuring a good service to patients whilst making responsible use of taxpayer’s money and the GHA’s resources. By bringing the price of prescriptions back to 1998 levels in line with inflation, we can ensure that prescriptions are affordable for both the GHA and our patients. This is a positive step for both the GHA and the community that we serve and remains well below the current UK cost of prescriptions which are in excess of £9.00 per item.’
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