GPs have warned that some of their most vulnerable patients are not taking medicines because the cost-of-living crisis have left them unable to afford prescription costs.
In a letter to chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Merseyside healthcare workers also raised concerns that more people were experiencing suicidal thoughts due to financial pressures.
The letter, which was signed by local PCN and ICS representatives and others, called on the chancellor to increase the number of people eligible for free prescriptions and to provide subsidies to anyone at risk of illness due to cold weather to ensure they can keep their houses heated.
‘For over a decade we have seen increasing demand for services, and in recent months this has escalated even further with more and more households requiring help,’ the letter said.
It went on to say that at an urgent meeting convened by St Helens Borough Council last month, organisations had shared ‘worrying evidence’, including that the borough’s two main foodbanks had run out of food in September ‘for the first time in their history’.
The council said it faced a funding gap of around £14m for 2023/24, but that there was ‘nothing left to cut’ that would not ‘further harm its ability to support the most vulnerable’.
‘We are extremely concerned about the impact that further public service cuts would have on residents and our ability to support them,’ the letter added.
‘At the exact moment that many in our communities need public services more than ever, those services themselves are facing a cliff edge. It is a perfect storm with potentially severe consequences.’
The signatories, which also included private, public, faith and voluntary sector organisations, urged Mr Hunt to consider a range of measures ahead of his budget statement on 17 November.
Last month, Pulse reported that GP charity the Cameron Fund had seen a 73% increase in financial support requests compared with last year.
Pulse also revealed that the the same charity had seen requests for financial support rise by more than 50% during the pandemic.
In April, the Government announced no increase to NHS prescription charge for first time in 12 years.
READERS' COMMENTS [4]
Please note, only GPs are permitted to add comments to articles
Every article about cost of medications should include a link to the prescription prepayment scheme – https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/nhs-prescription-prepayment-certificates-ppcs – that is approximately £10/month for all you can eat medications.
And yet Scotland and Wales have free prescriptions for all. We English really are a bunch of mugs, aren’t we?
Having succeeded in bankrupting Liverpool Council, the local councillors now want to try to bankrupt the whole country.
Absolutely ridiculous. If you are really struggling you have free prescriptions due to benefits. If you are employed but on low wages then you have all you can eat medicines via prescription certificate. For all other moaners I would say don’t buy a new north face jacket this year and get your meds instead.