The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7245 p534
19 April 2003

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GPs' concern over Labour's plans for free prescriptions in Wales

General practitioners in Wales have expressed concern that their surgeries may be overloaded with extra work if prescription charges are abolished in Wales.

The Welsh Labour Party has made the abolition of prescription charges its number one pledge in its election campaign for the National Assembly for Wales (PJ, 5 April, p461). Now GPs are concerned that unless schemes are put in place to allow pharmacists to supply medicines to patients without charge, they risk being overwhelmed by patients seeking free medicines.

Dr Andrew Dearden, chairman of the British Medical Association's Welsh GP Committee, said that it was a shame that the Labour Party had not spoken to GPs before making its announcement.

"If only half of the patients who currently pay for prescriptions sought a GP appointment then we would be flooded," he said.

He told The Journal that if charges are to be scrapped then it is imperative that schemes are put in place to allow pharmacists to supply medicines on the National Health Service for minor and self-limiting conditions.

"If the two are linked then it would have beneficial effects — if not, then it might do more harm than good." He added that there is already good evidence from pilot schemes in Scotland and England of what can be achieved by pharmacists. The new contract for GPs envisages such schemes as part of its demand management strategy for reducing GP workload.

Phil Parry, chairman of Community Pharmacy Wales, said that CPW is waiting to see what emerges as Welsh Assembly Government policy after the election.