Where Wales leads, others follow?

So the government in Scotland has decided to fall in line with Wales, by scrapping hospital parking charges.

This is great news and should be commended. BMA Cymru Wales campaigned long and hard on the issue here, with the Welsh Health Minister eventually abolishing what we believe is simply a "tax on the sick". That came in to effect here in April (hospitals with private contracts have been told to gradually phase these out).

Why should people who're ill, or with relatives who are, have to indirectly pay for treatment, which is, under the founding principles of the NHS, meant to be "free at the point of delivery".

It will be interesting to see now what happens in England and Northern Ireland.