Finally good news for patients suffering from cancer in England, as they can now make an application for free prescriptions on drugs to help tackle the disease.
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown made the welcoming statement last year that people coping with with serious long-term illnesses would be entitled to free medicines on the NHS.
As of April 1 cancer patients can enjoy free prescriptions for their condition, but plans are in motion for people with other illnesses to soon be able to claim free prescriptions too.
The fight is not over yet however, as people are still campaigning for prescriptions to be made free to everyone in England - regardless of their condition. Patients in Wales already enjoy free prescriptions while the Scottish board is slowly phasing charges out.
The new rule allows people with cancer to avoid all charges - whether it be for direct treatment of the disease, the effect of the cancer or the effects of cancer treatment like chemotherapy side-effects. Drugs not directly used for the disease will be included along with all other medicines.
Patients will compete an application for a five year exemption certificate in order to claim free prescriptions. This can then be renewed whenever necessary and does not need to be given back if their condition changes.
Patients can obtain application forms from GP surgeries and oncology clinics, which then must be double signed by their own GP, hospital doctor or service doctor to verify their condition.
People must complete applications by March 24 in order to have them processed in time to begin receiving free prescriptions from April 1.
As many as 150,000 cancer patients across England could benefit from the exemption and will have the opportunity yo save up to £100 a year on prescription charges, report the Department of Health.
Public health minister Dawn Primarolo said, “This new scheme gives people living with cancer one less worry at such a difficult time. I would urge patients to make an appointment with their GP from this week to talk about applying for their exemption certificate.”
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Finally good news for patients suffering from cancer in England, as they can now make an application for free prescriptions on drugs to help tackle the disease.
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown made the welcoming statement last year that people coping with with serious long-term illnesses would be entitled to free medicines on the NHS.
As of April 1 cancer patients can enjoy free prescriptions for their condition, but plans are in motion for people with other illnesses to soon be able to claim free prescriptions too.
The fight is not over yet however, as people are still campaigning for prescriptions to be made free to everyone in England - regardless of their condition. Patients in Wales already enjoy free prescriptions while the Scottish board is slowly phasing charges out.
The new rule allows people with cancer to avoid all charges - whether it be for direct treatment of the disease, the effect of the cancer or the effects of cancer treatment like chemotherapy side-effects. Drugs not directly used for the disease will be included along with all other medicines.
Patients will compete an application for a five year exemption certificate in order to claim free prescriptions. This can then be renewed whenever necessary and does not need to be given back if their condition changes.
Patients can obtain application forms from GP surgeries and oncology clinics, which then must be double signed by their own GP, hospital doctor or service doctor to verify their condition.
People must complete applications by March 24 in order to have them processed in time to begin receiving free prescriptions from April 1.
As many as 150,000 cancer patients across England could benefit from the exemption and will have the opportunity yo save up to £100 a year on prescription charges, report the Department of Health.
Public health minister Dawn Primarolo said, “This new scheme gives people living with cancer one less worry at such a difficult time. I would urge patients to make an appointment with their GP from this week to talk about applying for their exemption certificate.”
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