The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has called on its members to “alert” patients to an NHS England (NHSE) campaign that raises awareness about possible savings from prescription charges, in a press release published last week (October 12).

While more than 6 million people currently receive “free or cheaper” NHS prescriptions in England, 2022 data from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) suggests that “up to” 2.7m more people could be entitled to reduced or free prescriptions. 

Read more:  ‘Our pharmacy teams are key to tackling health inequalities’

The PDA is one of a number of pharmacy organisations that oppose the prescription charge levy – currently £9.65 per item, raised by 30p in April. Nevertheless, the union said that “in the meantime” it would be “highlighting” NHSE’s efforts to alert patients to potential prescription charge savings.

The PDA highlighted data published by Healthwatch England in January, which showed that 10% of people surveyed “avoided taking up one or more NHS prescriptions” because of the cost of the prescription.

In February, C+D reported that half of all pharmacists surveyed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) had reported a rise in patients asking which of their prescription medicines they could “do without” as the cost-of-living crisis bore down.

Read more: RPS: Rise in patients asking pharmacists what meds they can ‘do without’

In April 2020, C+D launched a campaign calling for prescription charges to be scrapped in England during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite support across the sector, in June 2020 the government announced that it had “no plans” to end prescription charges.

People over the age of 60 are exempt from prescription charges in England, and no prescription charges are levied in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, NHSE last week (October 13) highlighted two schemes that could help people who struggle to afford their prescriptions; the prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) and the low income scheme.

Read more: RPS vows to continue fight to abolish prescription charges for long-term conditions

A PPC covers all of a patient's NHS prescriptions for a set price and can be paid in instalments. If a patient needs more than three items in three months, or 11 items in 12 months, they can save “hundreds of pounds”, according to NHSE.

Last week (October 13), Professor Bola Owolabi, NHSE director of health inequalities, that the health service was “working hard to remove barriers” preventing people from getting care.

Professor Owolabi said that with “millions of people” not claiming free or discounted prescriptions to which they are entitled, NHSE had launched the prescription savings campaign “to ensure people are getting the support they need to stay well”.