Prescription charges

We were disappointed that the Government announced as part of the Spending Review in the Autumn that they will not introduce free prescriptions for people with HIV, or other long-term conditions, in England at this time. Although antiretroviral therapy is free, people with HIV have to pay the standard rate for UK prescriptions even though their condition can mean that they require regular other medications. In 2009, cancer patients were made exempt from prescription charges, but people with long-term conditions like HIV are still waiting.

We continue to campaign through the Prescription Charges Coalition for reform of the prescription charges system, with the same ultimate aim of abolishing these unfair charges.

How you can help

The Prescription Charges Coalition wants to find out more about how people with long-term conditions are using the Pre-payment Certificate. If you live in England and have to pay for the medicines for a long-term condition, we'd be really grateful if you could fill in this quick survey, conducted by our partner organisation in the coalition, the British Heart Foundation.

If you live in England, please also ask your MP to write to the Secretary of State for Health to ask them to set a timetable for the abolition of prescription charges for people with HIV and other long-term conditions.

E-mail your MP to take part in this campaign.

Are you struggling to pay your prescription charges?

If you're struggling to pay your prescription charges today then you may be able to get help through a prescription Pre-payment Certificate (PPC). This helps people, who need large quantities of medicine on a regular basis but still have to pay prescription charges, by helping to spread the cost of the charges.

You can apply for a PPC by:

•calling 0845 850 0030 (interpretation services available)
•using the NHS' online application form
•posting form FP95 available from your local pharmacy
•going to a pharmacy registered to sell PPCs
Through the PPC you can pay £28.25 for all your prescriptions for three months, or £104 for all your prescriptions for a year. An NHS prescription costs £7.20, so if you pay for four of more prescriptions in three months, or 15 prescriptions or more over a year, then the PPC would save you money.

As part of our work on prescripton charges, we appreciate people with HIV telling us their stories of how the current system is unfairly denying them of medications they need owing to their condition. If you have a story, please let us know by emailing campaigns@tht.org.uk