Patients in some of the poorest parts of the UK may be forced to pay an extra charge for their prescriptions, after plans by pharmacy chain Boots to introduce an administration charge of £3 ($4.30; €4.80) a week for dispensing drugs using a monitored dose system, such as Nomad or Manerex.
The decision could mean the introduction of a new form of postcode prescribing, one local medical committee has warned.
Monitored dose systems are commonly used by elderly patients who often have to take four or more different drugs at different times of the day. Until now, this service has relied on the good will of pharmacists, who find it very time consuming and labour intensive.
But in June last year Boots announced that it would be charging for this service, giving existing customers six months' notice. The company said that ideally it was seeking payment from locally funded schemes, such as primary care trusts.
However, some trusts have already overspent their budgets and have no money left to pay for this service.