Letter: Prescriptions and fairness

Sir: It is highly misleading for David Haslam to suggest (27 August) that a patient needing lifelong therapy with digoxin has to pay for every prescription until reaching pensionable age. He must know that every NHS patient can purchase a six- or 12-month pre-payment certificate, which entitles the purchaser to an unlimited number of prescriptions completely free for the relevant period.

This facility is available to all of us, whether or not we suffer from a chronic condition requiring constant medication.

Yours faithfully,

B. B. PRITCHARD

Pangbourne, Berkshire