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The Government launched a consultation yesterday on plans to align the system with the state pension age. It said the move would help support the NHS’s Covid recovery, generating an extra

£300million by 2026-27. But the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) said it was “deeply concerned” the change would force hard-up patients to go without medication. Thorrun Govind, who chairs

the RPS in England, said: “Many more people will be affected by this tax on the sick at exactly the time at which they may be needing more medicines. “It is unacceptable to raise the cost

of prescriptions in the current economic situation when many have been disadvantaged by the pandemic. “Such proposals will only further drive health inequalities that have been highlighted

by Covid. “Patients shouldn’t have to make choices which involve rationing their medicines.” The prescription charge in England is £9.35 per item, though discounted prepayment certificates

can be bought. Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Out of 1.1 billion items dispensed in 2018 in England, almost 90 percent were free of charge. This was due to

exemptions, including for those aged under 16, 16-18 and in full-time education, or on certain benefits. Health Minister James Bethell said: “The upper age exemption for free prescriptions

used to align with the state pension age, but that link has been lost over the years. Prescription charges are an important source of income for the NHS, and the costs of free prescriptions

continues to increase with our ageing population.”