Madam, – The proposed introduction of prescription charges, on October 1st, for people who hold medical cards is an outright attack on the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
There is no rationale for the introduction of charges, as Sara Burke put it so well (Opinion, September 4th). The Department of Health has acknowledged that it won’t bring in significant revenue. Worldwide health studies have shown that even the smallest charges to health services delays access by poorer people and in the long run ends up costing more as people access services when they are much sicker.
It is ironic that this type of charge was abolished in Northern Ireland in April, is in the process of being abolished in Wales and doesn’t exist in Scotland. Even in England, the most vulnerable do not pay as there are significant exemptions.
Access to free medical care should be a right for all citizens. However, in the absence of that, community health projects such as ourselves, believe it is madness to exclude people who often are in need of the most care in our society. Community health projects work with communities and excluded groups supporting their access to health information and services and to take a lead in managing their own health. – Yours, etc,