14,520,670 PRESCRIPTIONS DISPENSED BY NHS LOTHIAN LAST YEAR – SAVING HOUSEHOLDS AN AVERAGE OF OVER £400
On the 14th anniversary of prescription charges being scrapped by the SNP Scottish Government, Gordon Macdonald MSP has highlighted that the policy saves the average household in Scotland over £400 a year.
Latest figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) show that over 113 million prescriptions, including 14,520,670 by NHS Lothian, were dispensed in Scotland in 2023/24 – meaning that on average people in Scotland received 20.8 prescriptions.
This means that based on the £9.90 charge currently in place in England, the average household in Scotland saved £436.72 in 2023/24 thanks to the policy.
In one of his first acts as Scottish Tory leader, Russell Findlay outlined his plans to re-introduce charges if he ever came to power – a move which would cost each person £206 per year on average.
A report by Trussell Trust last year showed that in England, 68% of working households receiving Universal Credit have gone without essentials such as prescription medication due to the costs involved.
SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald said: “The SNP is proud to have abolished prescription charges in Scotland, ensuring that everyone in Edinburgh has access to the medication they require based on their needs rather than the ability to pay.
“The SNP believe that healthcare should be free at the point of use for everyone. The prescription charges, which Russell Findlay plans to re-introduce, were nothing more than a tax on ill health.
“In the face of soaring energy bills, despite Labour’s promise to bring them down, people across the city are still living through a cost-of-living crisis – making it more important than ever that they can access the medical treatment they need without worrying about the cost.
”With Labour continuing to hint at an increased level of private healthcare involvement in the NHS, only the SNP can be trusted to put the people of Edinburgh first and protect them from having to pay for their vital medication.”
| Dispensing NHS Board | Prescriptions items dispensed (total) | |
| NHS Scotland | 114,358,700 | |
| NHS Ayrshire and Arran | 9,172,880 | |
| NHS Borders | 2,615,030 | |
| NHS Dumfries & Galloway | 4,062,010 | |
| NHS Fife | 7,785,890 | |
| NHS Forth Valley | 6,421,780 | |
| NHS Grampian | 10,606,210 | |
| NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde | 26,355,740 | |
| NHS Highland | 6,971,860 | |
| NHS Lanarkshire | 15,807,560 | |
| NHS Lothian | 14,520,670 | |
| NHS Orkney | 410,830 | |
| NHS Shetland | 569,610 | |
| NHS Tayside | 8,356,630 | |
| NHS Western Isles | 702,020 |