AQW 37960/11-15 Written question to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the annual cost of the free prescriptions programme, compared to the previous system which included exemptions.
Asked by Stewart Dickson MLA on 24 October 2014
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 24 October 2014
- Answer due by
- 10 November 2014
- Answered
- 11 November 201418 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Based on the income generated under the previous system when a prescription charge of £3.00 per item was in place, alongside a number of exemption categories, it is estimated that the annual cost of the introduction of free prescriptions in April 2010 is £5m - £6million per annum.
It should be noted, however, that in the four years from 2010/2011 2013/2014 the Health and Social care Board has reported that it has reduced expenditure on prescriptions from £426m to £346m a reduction of over 18%.