Now that Scotland has joined Northern Ireland and Wales in abolishing prescription fees England is the only part of the UK to charge for them. As of today, no one in Scotland will have to pay for prescribed medicines following the move which was brought in by the SNP government. Prescription charges have been falling in Scotland for the last three years and stood at £3 before the 1st April change, which will mean the Scottish government losing out on £57m a year in income.
In reality creating Universal benefits may well prove to be a one way process, as unravelling the decision afterwards may prove more expensive than any revenues that would be raised by any prescription charges raised. At the end of the day it comes down to a matter of choice, private prescriptions have certainly not ceased to exist, only prescribed medicines are universally free.
There is a degree of irony here, in that this move in Scotland comes on the same day that charges per item rise in England by 20p to £7.40. However, despite the charge, 90% of items dispensed are given out free as children, those on low incomes and cancer patients are exempt.Under devolution, Wales was the first part of the UK to make prescriptions free back in 2007 and Northern Ireland followed in 2010.
Showing posts with label NHS Wales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NHS Wales. Show all posts
Friday, 1 April 2011
Friday, 23 July 2010
GOING LOCAL
The good news for both farmers, suppliers and consumers is that the amount of Welsh-produced food bought by public sector bodies across Wales has risen over the last few years. A survey commissioned by the National Assembly Government has reported that almost half of all food and drink bought by schools, hospitals and local authorities in Wales is now of Welsh origin, while the amount of locally-produced food bought by the public sector has risen by 65.8% in the last six years.
The 2010 Welsh Public Sector Food Purchasing survey reveals that Local authorities have increased their purchases of local food by 90.5% over the last six years. Key categories include bread, milk, fruit and vegetables, ready meals, soft drinks, dairy products and water. The NHS (in Wales) purchases 69% of the food and drink products in Wales, when it comes to milk on average, 50.9% of all the milk purchased by Welsh local authorities for schools is locally-produced.
When it comes to Welsh purchases in higher education, accounted for 41.3% in 2009, compared with 28.7% in 2003, in the field of further education some,e 39.6% of purchases were of Welsh origin, up from a previous figure of 16.8%. The survey reveals that the only organisations to have bought less Welsh food than previously were the MoD and the Welsh Police Forces, which saw a 0.4% decrease in Welsh origin purchases.
One of the priorities of the Welsh Assembly Government, that was set out in One Wales was a Local Sourcing Action Plan, to encourage local procurement of food and drink by the public sector. The plan to encourage more local purchasing which will leads to money being reinvested in local communities and local businesses. This also leads to a reduction in food miles, reduces carbon emissions which helps to fight climate change.
The Plaid driven One Wales government strategy has begun a process that should lead to real social, economic and environmental benefits for our communities beginning the process by keeping the money spent in the local economy. This commitment to sustainable development is a good example of how local investment can provide a range of benefits across the whole of Wales benefiting local farmers, local suppliers and producers and local people.
The 2010 Welsh Public Sector Food Purchasing survey reveals that Local authorities have increased their purchases of local food by 90.5% over the last six years. Key categories include bread, milk, fruit and vegetables, ready meals, soft drinks, dairy products and water. The NHS (in Wales) purchases 69% of the food and drink products in Wales, when it comes to milk on average, 50.9% of all the milk purchased by Welsh local authorities for schools is locally-produced.
When it comes to Welsh purchases in higher education, accounted for 41.3% in 2009, compared with 28.7% in 2003, in the field of further education some,e 39.6% of purchases were of Welsh origin, up from a previous figure of 16.8%. The survey reveals that the only organisations to have bought less Welsh food than previously were the MoD and the Welsh Police Forces, which saw a 0.4% decrease in Welsh origin purchases.
One of the priorities of the Welsh Assembly Government, that was set out in One Wales was a Local Sourcing Action Plan, to encourage local procurement of food and drink by the public sector. The plan to encourage more local purchasing which will leads to money being reinvested in local communities and local businesses. This also leads to a reduction in food miles, reduces carbon emissions which helps to fight climate change.
The Plaid driven One Wales government strategy has begun a process that should lead to real social, economic and environmental benefits for our communities beginning the process by keeping the money spent in the local economy. This commitment to sustainable development is a good example of how local investment can provide a range of benefits across the whole of Wales benefiting local farmers, local suppliers and producers and local people.
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