This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Thursday, 2 September 2021
Pricing People Out of Health?
There is a proposal to change the qualifying age for receiving free National Health Service (NHS) prescriptions in England, from 60 to 66 (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/sep/02/scrapping-free-prescriptions-for-over-60s-could-have-devastating-impact). The logic for the proposal is that it would bring the age in line with that at which people receive state pensions. There are, however, millions of people in the UK between the ages of 60 and 66. Many of these have medical conditions (often more than one). Some people responding to the proposal, fear it would lead to some poorer people, failing to obtain and take necessary medication. They could well be right. The costs to the NHS, in terms of having to treat very sick patients, might well increase. I'm glad I live in Wales.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Mood Music?
In 2015, singer/song-writer Joni Mitchell had a massive stroke. When she left hospital, she could neither walk nor talk. Her prognosis was...
-
It's necessary, where possible, to replace diesel and petrol-fueled vehicles by electrical equivalents. Electric vehicles (EVs) don...
-
Zonal pricing is a proposed change to the UK energy market. It would result in energy consumers paying less for electricity, if they are ba...
-
Seagrasses are the only flowering plants growing in marine environments. Seagrass meadows (large accumulations of these plants) provide vit...
No comments:
Post a Comment