01/04/2017 BBC Wales Today


01/04/2017

Similar Content

Browse content similar to 01/04/2017. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Good Evening.

0:00:080:00:11

Ten years of free prescriptions for everyone in Wales

0:00:110:00:13

is a "long-term investment" in people's health.

0:00:130:00:16

That's according to the Health Secretary Vaughan Gething -

0:00:160:00:19

who says the policy has kept people out of hospital and cut

0:00:190:00:23

overall NHS costs.

0:00:230:00:25

But the Conservatives say the cost is still too high,

0:00:250:00:28

and those who can afford it should pay for their medicine.

0:00:280:00:32

Rebecca John reports.

0:00:320:00:35

Wales became the first of the UK nations to make prescriptions

0:00:350:00:37

free a decade ago today.

0:00:370:00:41

Northern Ireland and Scotland have since followed suit.

0:00:410:00:43

The Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething, says

0:00:430:00:46

the policy is progressive, reducing hospital attendance

0:00:460:00:49

and pressure on GPs.

0:00:490:00:52

It's a celebration of our landmark policy that's

0:00:520:00:54

made a real difference.

0:00:540:00:55

People who used to worry about access to prescription

0:00:550:00:58

medication, the cost of it, but a system that is much fairer.

0:00:580:01:03

The old system didn't make sense for lots of people

0:01:030:01:05

with chronic conditions.

0:01:050:01:07

The income thresholds are much simpler.

0:01:070:01:09

It's a cleaner system.

0:01:090:01:10

And, actually, we think it's cost-effective too.

0:01:100:01:13

The Welsh government says, in 2015, the cost of free

0:01:130:01:15

descriptions was ?593 million.

0:01:150:01:17

Only ?3 million more than the bill in 2007.

0:01:170:01:19

But the Welsh Conservatives say apart from those with chronic health

0:01:190:01:25

conditions higher rate tax should pay for their descriptions.

0:01:250:01:29

Descriptions are a valuable part of the NHS.

0:01:290:01:34

But what we should remember is there are huge pressures

0:01:340:01:37

within the Welsh NHS, and actually, I don't think it's

0:01:370:01:39

unreasonable for people who earn 40% tax to pay for their prescriptions

0:01:390:01:48

When you can get Paracetamol on the NHS, and they cost 20 or 30p,

0:01:480:01:52

surely, a small donation to pay for that would release more funds

0:01:520:01:54

for valuable services in a service under pressure?

0:01:540:01:58

The Welsh government says introducing a means tested system

0:01:580:02:00

would take time and money.

0:02:000:02:03

And there's no evidence it would lead to better outcomes.

0:02:030:02:05

Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats also

0:02:050:02:08

support free prescriptions.

0:02:080:02:11

Today prescription charges in England rose by 20p to ?8.60.

0:02:110:02:17

But the Department of Health says due to exemptions,

0:02:170:02:19

90% of prescriptions in England are also free.

0:02:190:02:26

The operation is continuing through the weekend to recover

0:02:260:02:28

a crashed helicopter in Snowdonia.

0:02:280:02:31

The bodies of five people on board, who were all from the same family,

0:02:310:02:35

were recovered yesterday.

0:02:350:02:36

Poor weather and the terrain of the Rhinog mountains has been

0:02:360:02:38

hampering the efforts.

0:02:380:02:39

Police are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard

0:02:390:02:43

the helicopter in the Trawsfynydd area on Wednesday afternoon.

0:02:430:02:51

A 28-year-old man is in a critical condition in hospital

0:02:510:02:53

following what police have described as a serious assault in Bangor.

0:02:530:02:56

It happened in the early hours of this morning outside the Peep

0:02:560:02:59

nightclub on Dean Street in the city.

0:02:590:03:01

A 26-year-old local man has been arrested and is being question

0:03:010:03:03

on suspicion of assault.

0:03:030:03:05

Officers are appealing for witnesses.

0:03:050:03:07

Drivers are being advised to plan their journeys

0:03:070:03:10

with the closure of one of the Brynglas Tunnels on the M4

0:03:100:03:13

westbound near Newport later this evening.

0:03:130:03:16

Traffic will be diverted until Monday morning.

0:03:160:03:19

It's part of upgrading work and is the first of seven closures

0:03:190:03:22

between now and the end of June affecting both of the tunnels.

0:03:220:03:30

Let's turn to sport now and in football Cardiff

0:03:300:03:32

City were beaten 3 - 1 at Wolves in the Championship.

0:03:320:03:35

Newport County gave themselves some hope of avoiding relegation

0:03:350:03:39

from League Two with a 1-nil win over Crawley.

0:03:390:03:42

And there was a lunchtime kick-off for Wrexham in the National League.

0:03:420:03:46

An early Olly Marx own goal saw them lose 1-nil to promotion-chasing

0:03:460:03:48

Tranmere at the Racecourse.

0:03:480:03:53

Onto snooker and Mark Williams is through to the final

0:03:530:03:56

of the China Open.

0:03:560:03:57

The 2-time former World Champion beat Hossein Vafayee 6-1

0:03:570:03:59

in their semi-final in Beijing.

0:03:590:04:03

Victory in tomorrow's final against Mark Selby will see Williams

0:04:030:04:06

automatically qualify for the World Championships

0:04:060:04:07

at the expense of fellow Welshman Ryan Day.

0:04:070:04:11

Rugby and Cardiff Blues kick-off in just over an hour

0:04:110:04:14

in their European Challenge Cup quarter final at Gloucester.

0:04:140:04:18

Meanwhile , Ospreys players and staff had a run-out

0:04:180:04:21

at the Principality Stadium earlier.

0:04:210:04:24

They face Stade Francais in another quarter-final tomorrow.

0:04:240:04:25

The match was switched away from the Liberty Stadium due

0:04:250:04:28

to Swansea City's Premier League match at home to Middlesbrough

0:04:280:04:30

which kicks-off tomorrow lunchtime.

0:04:300:04:36

Before I go let's take a look at the weather and tonight any

0:04:360:04:39

showers will ease leading to a dry night.

0:04:390:04:41

It will be a little chillier than recently though with some

0:04:410:04:43

mist or fog patches too.

0:04:430:04:45

Tomorrow morning any of that early mist or fog will soon clear,

0:04:450:04:48

leading to plenty of bright and sunny spells and it will feel

0:04:480:04:50

warm in the light winds.

0:04:500:04:53

Highs of 14 celsius. Before I go let's take a look

0:04:530:04:56

We're back around the same time tomorrow, enjoy your evening.

0:04:560:04:59

From all of us here, goodbye.

0:04:590:05:03

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS