Charities slam DoH failure to cut prescription charge.

England is only UK country to maintain charges.

The government's failure to overhaul prescription charges in England is a 'missed opportunity', a group of 20 charities has said.

BMA leaders have repeatedly called for prescription charges to be abolished. The fees were abolished in Northern Ireland last week and cut to pounds 3 in Scotland, where they will be scrapped next year.

But prescription charges will remain at pounds 7.20 in England for 2010/11 and the government has still not published its report into how free prescriptions for patients with long-term conditions will be introduced.

The Prescription Charges Coalition represents charities …