Free prescriptions for those with a long term and/or chronic condition.

Extend the criteria for medical exemption certificates. The MedEx criteria should include chronic illnesses as acknowledged by the NHS. This includes but is not limited to MS, PCOS, endometriosis, IBD, POTS, depression, anxiety and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

Living with a chronic condition can be extremely difficult. The symptoms and complications of having a chronic diseases often means people have to either give up work or reduce their hours - as a consequence some people may not be able to self fund their medication. Another issue is that the number of prescriptions given, for example I’ve been given 20 different medications this year alone. Chronic / LT conditions are not curable, but treatable. This treatment shouldn’t be down to privilege.

The Government understands the immense challenges faced by those living with chronic or long-term conditions, often having to limit their lifestyles through no choice of their own, as well as the impact on their loved ones. We recognise that many patients with these conditions may need many prescription items to manage their health needs.

While not everyone qualifies for free NHS prescriptions there are a broad range of NHS prescription charge exemptions in place in England to help those patients with the greatest need, to ensure that prescriptions are affordable.

Eligibility for these exemptions depends on the person’s age, whether they are in receipt of a war pension or certain benefits or tax credits, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, or have a qualifying medical condition and hold a medical exemption certificate. Partners and dependents of the person receiving certain benefits are entitled to free prescriptions too. When the medical exemptions were first introduced, only 42% of all NHS prescription items were dispensed free of charge. Now the figure is approximately 89% with around 60% of the English population not paying prescription charges at all. There are currently no plans to make changes to the list of medical conditions. Many people with medical conditions not on the exempt list already get free prescriptions on other grounds, with current exemptions already providing valuable help for those on the lowest incomes and for the most vulnerable in society.