Health Minister Jim Wells proposes to bring back prescription charges to pay for specialist drugs

DUP Health Minister Jim Wells wants to bring back prescription charges to pay for a new specialist drugs.

His proposal – to include charging fees and possible exemptions – will be put for a three month consultation.

The specialist drugs fund would pay for drugs that are either too expensive or too specific to be licensed for use at the moment.

Mr Wells assured the Assembly this morning that the process would be “transparent”.

Prescriptions could be charged at 30, 50p or £1. The public could buy a seasonal ticket fo £20-£25 per year.

The Department of Health abolished prescription charges for the province in 2010.