Prescription charges

Press, 9 March 1982, Page 20

Prescription charges

Sir,—May I submit some fair comment on yesterday’s headline ‘“Prescription sur charge under Govt consideration”? First, family doctors know their patients’ needs far better than do any politicians droning away in the “Beehive.” Second, many thousands of voters expect the Government to display the same good sense as it did when this ignorant, short-sighted notion was considered and turned down a few years ago. To do.. otherwise would be an act of political suicide, especially in view of the present Parliament’s knifeedge situation.—Yours, etc., FRANK CHILTON March 6, 1982.

Sir,—l have a seven-month-old son who has recurring ear infection. This means that he must visit the doctor twice a month, once when the infection begins and again for a checkup. It costs between $5 and $8 for a doctor to examine him and $5 for a check-up. Medication this month alone came to $4.19 including a 10c prescription charge from the urgent pharmacy. This means it has cost over ?17 in a month for his health. I would far rather see him happy and well than ill and miserable so I pay. But for how much longer can I afford it, if the Government under Mr Malcolm’s suggestion introduces prescription and blood test charging? If a doctor is prescribing inappropriately surely the answer lies in educating the doctor not penalising the patient. Good health is a right, not, as the present Government believes, a privilege. Medical insurance should be by choice not necessity. — Yours, etc., NIKI HARNETT. March 7, 1982.