I think it was Thatcher who said ‘Prescription Charges wont go up’. I believe they were ten pence each at that time and when she was in office, they rose to I believe £2.
I don’t know what they are now, as I don’t pay for prescriptions, but they are certainly high enough for many people to choose not to get them filled.
And of course Big Pharma (and pharmacies if they are not included in that term) rip the NHS off rotten.