§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Social Services if he will list the circumstances under which exemptions from prescription charges for those suffering from cancer can be obtained.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeExemption from prescription charges is available to people in the following groups, all of which may include individuals suffering from cancer:
- 1. Children under 16.
- 2. Men aged 65 or over and women aged 60 or over.
- 3. Pregnant women or women who have had a baby within the preceding 12 months.
- 4. People who get supplementary benefit, family income supplement or housing benefit supplement, their partners and dependants.
- 5. War or service pensioners (for items for their accepted disablement only).
- 6. People who qualify on low income grounds, their partners and dependants.
- 7. People who have—
- i. a permanent fistula (including caecostomy. colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or an appliance;
- ii. one of the following disorders for which specific substitution therapy :s essential:
- Addison's disease and other forms of hypoadrenalism,
- diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism,
- diabetes mellitus,
- hypoparathyroidism,
- myasthenia gravis,
149 - myxoedema;
- iii. epilepsy requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy;
- iv. a continuing physical disability which prevents the patient from leaving his residence without the help of another person.