Major change to NHS prescriptions saves women £1.1million on HRT – are you eligible?
WOMEN have saved more than £1.1million on HRT already after prescriptions were made cheaper on Saturday.
Some 37,700 prescriptions have been bought since the rule change, which was a victory for the Sun’s Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.
The average woman is now saving £30 for a year’s supply.
Minister for women’s health strategy, Maria Caulfield said: “I am massively proud of the work we have done.
“Delivering on our promise to make women’s health a priority comes with challenges — but it is hugely important to everyone.”
The new prescription pre-payment certificate is predicted to give cheaper access to menopause support to around 400,000 women.
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It means women can get HRT as many times as they need across the year, easing pressure on supply.
They now pay a one-off charge equivalent to two single prescription charges — £19.30 — for all their HRT prescriptions.
HRT is a treatment which uses oestrogen and progesterone to relieve menopausal symptoms.
Michael Brodie, of the NHS, said: “It’s great to see how many people relying on HRT are already benefiting from a more cost-effective way of accessing it.
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“We are proud to be delivering the HRT PPC, which is a great addition to the range of NHS services we offer to help people manage their health costs."
A drive to boost access to HRT last year saw the first therapies available over the counter without prescription.
Campaigners still want ministers to go even further and make prescriptions free.
Our Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign has also called for women to get better support at work.
Ministers faced a push to improve conditions for women living through "the change" last year.
The Government appointed a HRT tsar and published a Women's Health Strategy when stocks of the vital medicines ran dry at pharmacies across the country.