News from The Labour Party

“Free prescriptions mean real help for cancer patients” – Johnson

Alan Johnson MP, Labour’s Health Secretary, today urged cancer patients to take advantage of Labour’s free prescription scheme, and condemned Tory threats to scrap life-saving cancer treatment targets.

From this week, thousands of cancer patients will get free prescriptions thanks to a pledge made last September by Gordon Brown, Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party.

The Labour Government already guarantees that anyone suspected of having cancer will see a specialist within two weeks and those diagnosed with the disease will begin treatment within a month.

Alan Johnson said:

“From this week no one living with cancer will have to pay prescription charges – real help from Labour. I urge any patient who hasn’t signed up to the scheme to see their GP as soon as possible.

“Fast, excellent NHS care for all is at the heart of Labour’s vision for a fairer Britain. Our cancer treatment guarantees save lives yet the Tories threaten to scrap them, stripping patients of the right to see a cancer specialist within two weeks.

“It’s time the Tories came clean about the damage they’d do to the NHS.”

Other news from The Labour Party

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• Take a long hard look at the Tories on crime - 9 March 2010
• Tory NHS plans could see 4 million evening and weekend GP appointments cut - 4 March 2010