The Manx Labour Party insists health chiefs are pursuing the wrong policy on prescription charges.

Under proposed reforms unveiled by the Department of Health and Social Care last month, state pensioners below the age of 75 will lose the right to free prescriptions, eye tests and dental treatment.

It’s a move that is claimed will save £1m-plus a year.

Others who will no longer be exempt from making a contribution to charges will be women who are pregnant or who have given birth in the past 12 months. Patients with specific medical conditions such as epilepsy and diabetes will no longer be able to apply for an exemption.

Prescription charges are also going up from £3.85 to £5 per item.

In its formal response to the consultation, the Manx Labour Party said its policy, historically, has been that prescriptions for NHS items are issued free of charge - but reluctantly accepted that wasn’t possible in light of the current financial situation.

But chairman David Cretney MLC said: ’What has been made clear though, is that we will under no circumstances be party to the dismantling of the National Health Service which would constitute a major backwards step.

’The issue as we see it is one of government’s priorities, and our concern is that the DHSC are pursuing the wrong policy in this instance.’

The MLP said it understands that significant savings could be achieved elsewhere in DHSC without potentially affecting the public in such a ’detrimental’ way.

And it pointed out that Tynwald’s Public Accounts Committee had already been tasked with scrutiny of the department’s overspends.

’Such major changes should not overtake that significant exercise,’ noted the party’s submission.

It said the proposals are just like other ’clumsy stealth tax’ policies that the government has introduced.

’They will once again detrimentally affect persons who have worked hard and saved a little but often,’ said Mr Cretney. He cited the example of someone who don’t receive income support because they get a small pension but cannot be described in any way as well-off, particularly due to the higher cost of living in the island.

burden

’This category of citizen has often been referred to by Tynwald members but very little, if anything, has been done other than to increase the burden of various government and other charges which makes their position even more difficult,’ said the MLP chairman.

He said the department’s reference to dealing with such people on a case by case basis was ’fundamentally flawed’.

’We would be most concerned that people on a tight budget may do without heat or food in order to obtain required medication and if they did not obtain it are very likely to present far more costly implications to the NHS in general,’ Mr Cretney said.

’Who within the department would decide? On what basis? ’What appeal would be available?’ he added.

Mr Cretney pointed out that no present member of Tynwald was elected or campaigned on the proposals within this consultation but the present House of Keys was well aware of the need to make savings in government expenditure.

The consultation closed on Tuesday.