According to the parliament's Health Select Committee the charges levied by the National Health Service in England needs to be reviewed.
It pointed out to the fact that the charges for prescriptions, dentistry and eye care do not have any comprehensible underlying principles. Hence it concluded in its report NHS charges that the existing system needs to be changed. These charges have a woeful effect on the patients and the evidence for this fact is very clear by the international research which points out that these health charges have a negative effect on the health of the patients and in particular affects the patients with long-term illnesses.
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The charges were not changed since 1968 and were faulty too. Patients are also asked to pay for the non-clinical services, such as car parking and bedside telephones. Hence the committee asked the hospitals to reduce the car parking rates for patients and visitors and waive them completely for those who have to attend the patient every day.
The committee also said that in the future the NHS may not be able to pay for all the medical treatments. The committee's main aim is to provide free clinically necessary services and also not to deter patients visiting their doctor mainly due to the high fee structure. It said that a small charge would be levied on non-emergency patients going to accident and emergency departments. This is done to encourage people to register with a GP. The Department of Health said that it would study the report's recommendations but insisted that their department was absolutely committed and that the current prescription system is not in a mess.
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