Key Summary
- Families can now save on the chickenpox vaccine, previously worth £150, as it is now offered free.
- Women are being offered the morning-after pill free of charge.
- Government committed to making healthcare more convenient and affordable for the public.
Prime minister Keir Starmer and health secretary Wes Streeting visited a pharmacy in London on Monday (26) and said that his government was committed to making healthcare accessible and affordable to the public and empowering community pharmacies.
He said the freezing of prescription charges for a second year will help millions of patients.
He said this would mean 50p off every paid-for prescription for millions across the capital and around £12 million of savings for patients in England next year (2026-2027).
Another major step was to protect children against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox in one vaccine on the NHS for free, when previously it cost £150 for two doses.
He pointed out that this would also save parents from making multiple trips to the doctor when their child has chickenpox.
Research shows chickenpox in childhood results in an estimated £24 million in lost income and productivity every year in the UK through parents taking time off work.
This is also expected to save the NHS £15 million a year in costs for treating the common condition, he added.
In addition, this government is expanding the range of services pharmacies provide – from offering the morning-after pill free of charge to giving extra advice for patients prescribed new antidepressants – to make healthcare in the community more convenient and affordable for the public.
Starmer, said, “At a time when families across London are feeling the squeeze, this Government is taking practical, affordable steps to ease the pressure.
"Freezing prescription charges for a second year delivers real savings for millions across London and keeps the cost of their medicines below a tenner - saving 50p off every paid-for prescription.
"We are rolling up our sleeves, bearing down on the cost of living, bringing down bills for good and investing in our public services."
'Pharmacies underfunded'
"Eighty percent of us live within a mile of a pharmacy, but under previous governments, they were underfunded and underused. In the past this increased pressure on frontline hospitals, which should be dealing with emergencies and people who are seriously ill.
"Empowering community pharmacies comes alongside this government getting the waiting lists for London down more than 92,000 compared to when we took office, thanks to vital reform and investment.
"This includes opening up high street Community Diagnostic Centres so that they are open on weekends and evenings, using AI to save missed appointments, and opening new surgical hubs, most recently a new elective centre in Homerton University Hospital, so people can get the treatment they need sooner.
"These aren’t just numbers – they mean thousands of people getting faster care, meaning less anxiety for them and their families and their lives no longer on hold."
