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Prescriptions sent electronically/Medical Exemption Certs.

G

GedH

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4
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
Like many people now my prescriptions for my diabetic medicines are sent electronically to my Chemist of choice without me seeing or signing for anything. Occasionally a single prescription might be printed out and signed for and tick the medical exemption box.

Today I have received a penalty fine of £51.60 for a single prescription from September this year. Reason for the fine is because I do not have a valid Maternity Exemption Certificate obviously wrong box ticked.

Simple mistake, and while impressed they have spotted the incorrect claim, It puts me in a pickle!
I have just lazily continued to ask for and collect my medicines using the electronic system, and only now have realised my certificate is expired by what must be several years.

I will pay the fine and tomorrow go to the Doctors and complete a form requesting a new certificate.

Also what do/should the Doctors have to declare when sending electronic prescriptions about valid/non valid exemption certificates?

Is it likely there are more penalty charges for dozens of prescriptions sent electronically over the years?
 
I order my prescriptions electronically but still need to collect them from the pharmacy.
I show my medical exemption certificate at the chemist.
To me, this makes sense because it is the pharmacist who has to claim back the money so they need the proof why they did not get it from you.
Although my GP has to sign the form every 3 years to declare that I *still* have type 1 diabetes, I doubt if they have any clue what this means or what to do with the certificate even if they did know.
 
I have previously asked the Diabetes Nurse about renewing my certificate. Her understanding was that I did not have to and she would record it in her notes as my "proof"?

Note to self, be more insistent!
 
I get my scripts sent electronically to the pharmacist and I pick the meds up when ready. The pharmacy print off the green prescription thingy and I sign each time that I have a medical exemption certificate that I occasionally have to show. I also get NHS notifications whenever my exemption certificate is coming up for renewal
 
I would have thought it unlikely they will chase for ones going back years - if you put your application in now - it will automatically be backdated a month from the date they receive it. I'm surprised you weren't sent a reminder in the post to renew it - I was the last time mine needed to be renewed.
 
Nope, have never received a renewal notification letter!

Even when it was current, I cannot ever remember being asked to produce the certificate for any prescription!
 
DCUKMod thank you for the link.

Fingers crossed!

"Legally, if you claim for a free prescription and you do not have a medical exemption certificate then you have to pay the cost of the prescription. However, if you apply for a medical exemption certificate within 60 days of receiving the fine, then the penalty charge will be waived."
 
GedH said:
Nope, have never received a renewal notification letter!

Even when it was current, I cannot ever remember being asked to produce the certificate for any prescription!
Click to expand...
Things changed a couple of years ago when there was a crack down on medical exemption. Before then, I never showed my certificate but now the pharmacy needs a proof for the auditors who only understand numbers and do not look at what was prescribed. So they don't care whether you had insulin which means you must have diabetes treated with medication which means you do not need to pay for your prescription at the pharmacy.
(I don't think of it as "free" because it is paid for through taxes.)
 
My prescriptions are sent electronically to my pharmacist after I've requested them online. I did have a exemption card as I have hypothyroidism, but I don't remember ever being asked to show it. I just ticked the box saying I am exempt.
I'm exempt now also because I'm over 60 but the pharmacist has never asked to see proof of my age, although I think I look quite young for my age (says he hopefully)!
 
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On physical prescriptions it says your date of birth, probably the same on electronic ones.
 
I am now never asked for my certificate, but all the prescriptions have drugs on them that qualify me to be exempt. Due to hypothyroidism, I only need to renew my certificate every 10 years and they did write to me. But I don't think they get changes of addresses from the GP records.....
 
Interesting. I was diagnosed at age 60 around 13 years ago and have never had a certificate or had one renewed and I never pay - how about that. I order my meds online and the surgery sends the hard copy scripts to the chemist for me to pick-up.
 
As explained to me by the pharmacist, in theory they have to see your exemption card every time you tick the medical exemption box on the prescription. In practice, if they charged you the refundable prescription charge every time you couldn't produce the card, they'd loose a lot of customers. My pharmacy has set it up so the computer flags it up if they haven't seen your card for a while, and you are firmly advised to bring it in next time.

Interestingly, they don't take note of the expiry date. Came in handy when I was accidentally sent a 10 year MATERNITY exemption card.
 
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