The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 278 No 7456 p696
16 June 2007

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New Scottish Government starts to outline policies

Abolishing NHS prescription charges is back on the agenda in Scotland, where the new Government has confirmed its manifesto pledge to phase out charges. It will set out the detail of its plans for the health service by the end of this year.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament on 7 June, Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health, said: “Part of our manifesto commitment was the immediate abolition of charges for people with chronic conditions, and we are currently considering options for how best to take that forward. However, she [the MSP asking if charges would be abolished] can be assured that we will be as inclusive as possible. As far as the timescale is concerned, we hope to be in a position to introduce changes around April 2008.”

The previous day, Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, told the Parliament that the NHS will continue in the same general direction under the new Government. This will include adhering to the principles laid out in the Kerr report, “Building a health service fit for the future” published two years ago. “There is a great deal in the report to commend, and I support its general direction,” Ms Sturgeon said.

“We agree that it is important to shift, where possible, the balance of care into communities; to tackle inequalities by anticipating and preventing ill health; and to take account of demographic and workforce pressures in the planning of services.”

Speaking at a conference in Glasgow this week, Ms Sturgeon promised the publication of an action plan for the health service by the end of the year. “This strategy will be founded on a determination to provide services as locally as possible. We believe that in making decisions about services which people value so highly, there should be a clear policy presumption against centralisation,” she said.

Ms Sturgeon also confirmed that the 2.5 per cent unstaged pay award for NHS staff in Scotland would be paid in July, and be backdated to 1 April 2007.