England now only place in UK with prescription charges
England is now the only UK country where some NHS patients still pay for
prescription charges.
England is now the only UK country where some NHS patients still pay for prescription charges Photo: ALAMY
Scotland has today joined Northern Ireland and Wales in scrapping fees for
prescriptions.
About half a million people in Scotland are expected to benefit from the
change, which has been brought in by the SNP government.
It comes on the same day as charges per item rise in England by 20p to £7.40.
Prescription charges were first introduced in 1952 - just four years after the
NHS was set up - in order to prevent the "frivolous use" of the
health service.
The fees were abolished in Wales on April 1, 2007 and Northern Ireland
followed in 2010.
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