The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7258 p75
19 July 2003

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Delay expected in the abolition of prescription charges in Wales

There are no immediate plans to bring forward legislation for free prescriptions for people with long-term illnesses in Wales, according to Karen Sinclair, the Labour party's business minister.

This is despite it being the party's number one pledge in its manifesto for the elections to the National Assembly of Wales. It now appears that implementation of this policy may not take place until the end of the current four-year Assembly term. Jane Hutt, Health and Social Care Minister, said: "We will abolish all prescription charges in Wales during the Welsh Assembly term, as promised in our manifesto. I plan to consult shortly with stakeholders and officials to decide upon the most practical options and timescales for implementation."