Free cancer prescriptions from today

As well as the introduction of free swimming for over-60s and under-16s which begins today, I want to flag up three extra Labour health initiatives that take effect today too.

The abolition of prescription charges for cancer patients

...available to anyone who is undergoing treatment for cancer, the effects of cancer, or the effects of cancer treatment. This should benefit up to 150,000 patients already diagnosed with cancer.

Free NHS Health Checks for everyone in England aged between 40-74

This is part of a national programme to identify people?s risk to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes. The preventative checks programme will be fully implemented by 2012/13. It is up to local NHS trusts like Wandsworth's to decide how the checks will be delivered; but they're likely to include GP surgeries, health centres and pharmacies so that as many people benefit as possible.

All NHS trusts offer MRSA screening

This will allow the NHS to reduce the chances of patients getting an MRSA infection, or passing MRSA onto another patient.

Today is April Fools Day, but just as swimming is now free for under 16s and over 60s, these are three practical measures that are no joke: they'll make a real difference to hundreds of thousands of people the length and breadth of the country.