Scotland’s families are saving hundreds of pounds each year thanks to a prescription charge policy that has now reached its 14th anniversary.
In the past year alone, NHS Highland dispensed nearly seven million prescriptions—6,971,860 to be exact—free of charge.
That’s part of more than 113 million prescriptions given out across Scotland in 2023/24.
The policy, introduced by the SNP Government, means every person in Scotland received on average 20.8 prescriptions last year at no cost.
If Scotland followed the same £9.90 per-item charge still in place in England, the average household here would be facing a bill of £436.72 annually.
Maree Todd, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, says that without this policy, people across the Highlands would be forced to choose between medication and other essentials.
She warns that plans to bring back charges—proposed by new Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay—would hit the sickest the hardest.
His proposal would see the average person in Scotland paying £206 per year just to access the medicines they need.
Todd says that reintroducing charges is nothing short of a tax on ill health.
She insists that the SNP’s stance is rooted in the principle that healthcare must be free at the point of use, no matter your income.
A recent report by the Trussell Trust paints a stark picture of the alternative.
It found that 68% of working households in England who receive Universal Credit have gone without prescription medication because they couldn’t afford it.
For families already facing soaring energy bills and rising costs, this is a dangerous compromise.
Todd says people in the Highlands must never be put in a position where they’re forced to skip treatment because of cost.
She also raised concerns over growing whispers from Labour about increasing the role of private healthcare within the NHS.
According to Todd, only the SNP can be trusted to protect access to essential medicines for all.
She believes prescription access should be based on what you need—not what you can afford.
With over six million prescriptions filled in NHS Highland alone, it’s clear that free access is not only popular—it’s essential.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, this policy remains a lifeline for thousands across the north.
And for now, at least, every prescription filled in the Highlands remains one less thing for families to worry about.
