It is with much frustration that I read that the prescription charge will be going up yet again on April 1,this time by 20p {PJ,10 March,p269).According to health minister Lord Hunt,this will only affect 13 per cent of prescriptions and will generate pound 425m over the coming year.How many of those 13 per cent of patients will now choose not to have their medicines dispensed because they will need to pay more than pound 20 for three items?Using the minister's own figures,around 62 million prescriptions will incur the pound 6.85 charge,leaving around 414 million prescriptions without any payment.
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