PATIENTS in Scotland are saving £171 a year on prescriptions com-pared to those in England – after charges south of the Border rose to £9 per item.

According to the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (SPICe), the average person in Scotland receives 19 prescriptions per year. This would add up to £171 if charged at the English NHS rate.

SNP MSP Emma Harper said: “Healthcare should be free at the point of use for everyone – that’s why the SNP scrapped prescription charges for all patients 2011.

“They were nothing more than a tax on ill health that Scotland’s families could ill afford. I am proud that an SNP Government took the decision to improve access to prescriptions for all. In England, the Tories are continuing to charge families a small fortune for vital medication.

“This is further evidence that people are better off with the SNP – and that only the SNP will keep Scotland’s NHS safe in public hands.”