Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Free for all?
It appears that the number of people registered with GPs in Wales amounts to three million, a whole 100,000 more than those resident here. Is this the lure of free prescriptions encouraging the English to cross the border in search of a doctor? The Western Mail clearly thinks that may be the case.
On the other hand those who support free prescriptions dismiss the suggestion of health tourism and say that the disparity is down to students and people looking for work. Personally, I don't think that explanation is credible. There may well be a perfectly credible reason for the disparity between registrations and population but we have not heard it yet.
It sounds like more work is needed to get to the truth behind this statistic and that we need an in-depth and independent report on the free prescription policy if we are to fully understand it's impact on NHS drug bills, doctor's time and the health service. We might also seek to find out if this policy really has meant better take up of medicines by the sick as is claimed.
On the other hand those who support free prescriptions dismiss the suggestion of health tourism and say that the disparity is down to students and people looking for work. Personally, I don't think that explanation is credible. There may well be a perfectly credible reason for the disparity between registrations and population but we have not heard it yet.
It sounds like more work is needed to get to the truth behind this statistic and that we need an in-depth and independent report on the free prescription policy if we are to fully understand it's impact on NHS drug bills, doctor's time and the health service. We might also seek to find out if this policy really has meant better take up of medicines by the sick as is claimed.
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This should be drawn to the attention of the LHB's in your area Peter; before they disappear.
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