Medical Exemption Certificate

[LeonT]

Do you have one? I've had type 1 for 21 years now and don't even know what they look like!

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Dont know what they looked like 21 years ago Leon but this is what mine looks like today, well kinda :wink:

If you are prescribed any medication to control your diabetes from Insulin to Metformin and everything in between you are eligible for an NHS Prescription Charge Exemption Certificate which enables you get free medical prescriptions not just for your diabetes meds but for any other prescriptions you require other than glasses prescriptions which you still have to pay for.

Application forms are available via your GP :thumbup:

 

[mrburden]

Hi,
Do you mean a NHS prescription exemption? If so, then yes I have one. It is the size of a bank card and is white, with "NHS Prescription Charge Certificate" across the top. It has "Medical Exemption" on it further down. I think that you can get an application form from your GP and possibly a chemist.

 

[mrburden]

...Yes, that's like mine Sid

 

[Sid Bonkers]

What yours has Sid Bonkers on it too :lol:

 

[LeonT]

Apologies - that was a pretty poor opening post. I was posting via my phone on the way to work and, well, I'm rubbish at using my phone lol.

I have had type 1 for over 20 years and in that time I have, in the main, used the same pharmacy. Today, I decided to go elsewhere as my usual one was extremely busy. The lady on the counter at Sainsbury's asked to see my certificate as I had, by default, ticked the "medical exemption" box like I have always done. I didnt have one, of course, and I was asked if I was sure that I was entitled to free medication. As I was only after some Novorapid it was quite an easy one for me to explain that my form of diabetes entitled me to free insulin, however it may have been more of a problem if I'd required non-diabetic medication.

So, I was wondering if I was the only one of us that had never used an exemption certificate or whether it was quite common.

 

[Fallenstar]

Hi Leon
Know what you mean about this modern gadgetry...Except it's better than my home connection :lol:
Ask your GP or Team for one, you should have one for exact instances as the one you have stated.

Hope you get it sorted soon...and welcome to the forum

 

[noblehead]

Apologies - that was a pretty poor opening post. I was posting via my phone on the way to work and, well, I'm rubbish at using my phone lol.

I have had type 1 for over 20 years and in that time I have, in the main, used the same pharmacy. Today, I decided to go elsewhere as my usual one was extremely busy. The lady on the counter at Sainsbury's asked to see my certificate as I had, by default, ticked the "medical exemption" box like I have always done. I didnt have one, of course, and I was asked if I was sure that I was entitled to free medication. As I was only after some Novorapid it was quite an easy one for me to explain that my form of diabetes entitled me to free insulin, however it may have been more of a problem if I'd required non-diabetic medication.

So, I was wondering if I was the only one of us that had never used an exemption certificate or whether it was quite common.

Interesting Leon your story is similar to mine!

Up until 3 years ago I never had a Medical Exemption Certificate and always used the pharmacy closest to my home, when the pharmacist retired he closed the business so I was forced to go elsewhere, on producing my prescription I too was asked for a certificate which obviously I didn't have.

You would think that having type 1 in itself would be enough to prove that your entitled to free prescriptions but yet they still insist, Tesco's......no matter how many times I go in always ask even though it's the same lady who asks! :roll: ........the forms are easy to obtain and you can pick them up from your gp surgery and most pharmacy's.

 

[mrburden]

I think the reason that they always ask for the card is to take the number so that they can charge the NHS for the prescription cost. My local pharmacy keep a record of my card number on their system so they don't need to ask each time but like you say, other larger shops always ask.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

No ones ever taken the number off my card, although I have been asked to produce it when collecting prescriptions from chemists that I dont normally use, Tescos always ask but then I dont use them very often so I guess they would but they only ever ask to see it they have never taken the number so I dont think that is right MrB I think it is just proof that you are entitled to claim.

 

[noblehead]

Not really noticed them jotting down the NHS number, they always just take a quick look and hand it back.

 

[mrburden]

What yours has Sid Bonkers on it too :lol:

Oh I wish it did!

 

[Osidge]

Hi

I have had my Exemption Certificate almost from diagnosis day - or at least a few weeks after. In theory you are not eligible to tick the exemption box without a certificate and medication should be paid for unless a reason other than medical exemption exists. Info from the Medical Exemption people says that it is an individual's responsibility to ensure they always have a valid card.

Regards

Doug

 

[donnellysdogs]

After returning back to England to live from Wales where everbody gets free prescriptions... I went to tesco and was shocked to be asked to sow my exemption card....
Said I would take it in next time and they allowed me my strips n insulin...
Then i realised that i needed to reapply!!!

It only took 5 days from form being signed by gp to it arriving.. Pretty good service..

But.why do type 1's have to reapply every 5 years when diagnosis is for life?? Sure other diseases are the same...

If the Nhs stopped reprinting tgese forms and gp's wasted time and cost of this administration, plastic and posting perhaps we could all get blood testing scripts easier... Putting money to better use!!

Think in the new year i will write to my mp, health secretary and PM with this suggestion...
Are there any long term script free exemption illnesses that actually can disappear???

 

[CollieBoy]

donnellysdogs,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I could still be diabetic, but improve my control to such an extent that I do so by diet and exercise :clap: , and hence no longer be entitled to the exemption on prescriptions. So i would be penalised for improving my control :shock:

 

[ladybird64]

I hope nobody minds this T2 butting in

Due to personal circumstances we are on Income Support at present and are therefore entitled to free prescriptions. Having said that, as someone who so far has chosen to try and control my diabetes by diet alone, I too would be penalised for managing as Fergus has pointed out.

I have long thought that the Medical Exemption list is pretty unfair. I have chronic asthma and have been in intensive care on life support three times. If I don't have my inhalers, nebules etc then I am in serious trouble as it is a life threatening condition that kills more than 2000 people in the UK each year..yet it is not on the exemption list.

I think this list is long overdue for an overhaul.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

donnellysdogs,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I could still be diabetic, but improve my control to such an extent that I do so by diet and exercise :clap: , and hence no longer be entitled to the exemption on prescriptions. So i would be penalised for improving my control :shock:

Not really DD, if you dont take any diabetic drugs you dont need an exemption certificate do you :thumbup:

 

[mrburden]

donnellysdogs,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I could still be diabetic, but improve my control to such an extent that I do so by diet and exercise :clap: , and hence no longer be entitled to the exemption on prescriptions. So i would be penalised for improving my control :shock:

I'm hoping to have a kidney and pancreas transplant and one of the questions I asked the diabetes consultant was "will I still keep my medical exemption?", given that I would be taking a whole heap of medicines to control rejection. The answer was that, once you are a type 1 diabetic, you will always be counted as such. Even having a pancreas transplant does not remove the "T1" tag apparently.

 

[ladybird64]

donnellysdogs,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I could still be diabetic, but improve my control to such an extent that I do so by diet and exercise :clap: , and hence no longer be entitled to the exemption on prescriptions. So i would be penalised for improving my control :shock:

Not really DD, if you dont take any diabetic drugs you dont need an exemption certificate do you :thumbup:

Perhaps in an ideal world they could use the money that we save them on diabetic meds and put it towards the cost of issuing test strips. 8)

Well..I can dream can't I? :lol:

 

[smidge]

Hi Everyone!

Yes, I agree the system is unfair. It is unfair in so many ways! Unfair that the Scots get their prescriptions for free and the English don't. Unfair that those who work and contribute have to pay and those that don't don't. Unfair that many major conditions are not exempt and some are. Unfair that diet-only diabetics are not exempt, medicated ones are etc etc. However, I suspect the only thing a review will do is take away the free prescriptions from those of us (Type 1) who currently have them - I doubt it would give more away!

Smidge