Question about NHS and medication coverage

[Denzil_DC]

6. I should also add - no doubt confusingly for non-British people -

that only England levies prescription charges nowadays. In the rest of the UK, there are no such charges (this is from 2011):

Scotland has joined Northern Ireland and Wales in abolishing prescription fees - leaving England as the only part of the UK to charge for them.

No one in Scotland will have to pay for prescribed medicines following the move brought in by the SNP government.

It comes on the same day charges per item rise in England by 20p to £7.40.

But despite the charge, 90% of items dispensed are given out free as children, those on low incomes and cancer patients are exempt.

Prescription charges have been falling in Scotland for the last three years and stood at £3 before the 1 April change, which will mean the Scottish government losing out on £57m a year.

Under devolution, Wales was the first part of the UK to make prescriptions free - four years ago - and Northern Ireland followed in 2010.