In Jersey, some private patients have been receiving high-cost prescriptions for free due to an administrative error. Starting 1 October, they will be responsible for paying for their medication, as the government has been mistakenly covering the costs. This issue, flagged by a new electronic system introduced in May, violates the law, as private prescriptions should be paid for by patients. The Health Minister, Deputy Tom Binet, acknowledges the error and confirms that private patients will now be charged. Patients unable to afford the costs can switch to public treatment under government guidelines.
How do you think the government should handle patients who may struggle to afford their high-cost private prescriptions after the error is corrected?