§ Mrs. CaltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the long-term savings to the NHS that might be achieved by the provision of free prescriptions for people with long-term mental health problems. [135963]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe Department has not made an assessment of the long-term savings to the national health service of providing free prescriptions for people with mental health problems.
Our policy is to help those who may have difficulty in paying prescription charges, rather than extending the exemption arrangements. By using a prescription prepayment certificate, no one need pay more than £32.90 for four months or £90.40 for 12 months, for all the NHS medication that they are prescribed.