Historic Prescription Charges

[barry1010]

I remember when a single prescription charge covered everything on the prescription, regardless of how many different items.
Then it changed to a charge for each item. My mother was upset because her support stockings doubled in price overnight.
Can anyone tell me when that happened?

[choux]

1956?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prescription_charges

[barry1010]

Thanks, choux, but it was definitely later than that. It would be after 1968 when the government decided we had to pay for prescriptions again after scrapping all charges

[bhg481]

It looks like it was the late 1970s:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47674752_The_history_of_NHS_charges

[dannyk13]

2015?
//Currently, The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances)
Regulations 2015, made under powers conferred by the NHS Act 2006, make
provision for prescription charges and exemptions in England//

[choux]

"By 1956, the NHS was dispensing 228 million items per year at a cost of £58 million. The Government then raised the charge to one shilling per item to accommodate this growing sum. Three years later, it was raised again to two shillings per item."

From:
https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/nhs-prescription-charges/

[choux]

Both my replies are in response to your OP, barry.

[Peter Pedant]

yup
the financing of the NHS was wonky from the start
but everyone wanted it and so it sallied forth!
NOT out of the blue but based on the EMS ( emergency medical service that is! ) which had worked during the war ( well)

and prescriptions were free

the idea was that it cost £120m and would go DOWN as the fist year you would cure everything

it didnt 240m and rising

and so prescriptions charges came in ( a shillin' levied by the doctor if it were a dispensing practice)

and a politician resigned on principle and that was - - harold wilson, then Pres of the board of trade.

[Peter Pedant]

which nice lady said - PP is an expert on everything

and then followed it up with, I admit " let's all have a good laugh at him ( again) " - but hey boys and girls, even on AB, many a true word said in jest

[Ellipsis]

Just to mention - if you do need more than one prescription a month on a regular basis, a prescription prepayment certificate can save you loads of money:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions-and-pharmacies/save-money-with-a-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc/

[sandra4444]

I think the charges started to hit the roof barry when they started putting pinstripe suits in offices within the hospitals on enormous salaries.

[barry1010]

Thanks all, very helpful