Dept of Health in multi-million pound cover-up

It has been claimed that a state scheme hailed as a generous package for poor families with high medical bills was in fact a multi-million pound cost cutting device.

The measures were introduced by the then Health Minister Brian Cowan two years ago.

The new system was for assisting people with conditions such as asthma and heart disease was officially aimed at significantly helping the cash flow for families with big drugs medical bills.

However, it is claimed the real objective of the scheme, as stated in internal Department documents, was to achieve annual savings of £10m.

The documents which were released under the Freedom of Information Act show how the Department targeted the community drugs schemes in the late 1990's with a view to releasing substantial savings.