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Type 1: Prescription fine

Where I live, there doesn't seem to be much of an issue being made over the exemption card. My GP practice has not put a notice in the surgery and my pharmacy hasn't either which is worrying as the pharmacy is aware of the fines but has done nothing to warn people
 
This is clearly a letter to MP issue. How retrospective are these fines? Will they just be fining for the last prescription issued or will they be going back as far as their records allow?
 
Evening all,
Just returned home to a letter and £125 fine - ive been a T1 since 1989 - i can remember reciveing a cert cicra 1992 when i went to Universtity - like Jimski - but never informed by NHS or GPs about any need to get a repalcement every 5 years. Ive spoken to BSA whom are adment that i have to pay the fine. This is an absolute disgrace. Really not happy.
 
I have received a fine too and was told that I could raise a complaint with the BSA. I did so and have had a letter back saying that i remain liable. I have now written back and asked that this be taken to the next stage of their complaints procedure. I think that after this second stage complaint (which they will undoubtedly refuse) my next course is for it to go to an independent trubunal. I plan to take this as far as I can (before it starts to incur me costs). For info my situation was I was diagnosed in Scotland where all prescriptions are free and then when i cam to England no-one told me I needed an exemption certificate. The first I knew was a letter in December with a fine of £96.
 
We need to go over the heads of the BSA. Write to your MP and get him or her to speak to the minister responsible. Or go to the MP surgery. This skips about 19 layers of bureaucracy and gets you to someone who can actually change something. Because the BSA are just going to stick to their rules and hide behind the letter of the law which is probably on their side.
 
My husband has received a letter - a penalty charge notice for £124.15. He was diagnosed with type 1 in 1998 age 18, he doesn't remember ever being told about the card and doesn't remember ever having one.
He has spoken to the BSA this evening and they have said they can only check back 2 years and he hasn't had one in that time.
He went to the DR surgery and the receptionist and the practice nurse were very surprised at the letter.
He has now applied for a card but we really don't want to pay this fine! especially when the prescription was for test strips insulin and needles. I find it really hard to believe that they are unable to see that the prescription was for insulin - something only used for diabetes - and being diabetic means free prescriptions - and still send out a £100 fine and also charge him for the medication?? GRRRR.
 
My husband has had an exemption certificate since 1984, probably a paper one (not for diabetes though) and he has always received reminders to renew, in fact he has just renewed last week - and I renewed about 6 months ago,
 
Spiker said:
We need to go over the heads of the BSA. Write to your MP and get him or her to speak to the minister responsible. Or go to the MP surgery. This skips about 19 layers of bureaucracy and gets you to someone who can actually change something. Because the BSA are just going to stick to their rules and hide behind the letter of the law which is probably on their side.
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I have written to Theresa May who is a recently diagnosed Type 1, but the reply said it had been passed to the Dept of Health. I will post any reply I receive.

To Robswife, I would suggest raising a complaint with the BSA. They have a procedure. They will ask you to raise a level 1 complaint. Once they refuse to accept your initial complaint (which they will) tell them you would like to take it to the next level. At the very least you will be delaying the point at which you might have to pay the fine. I believe that after the second level complaint it might go to an ombudsmen, which is where we have the best chance of success. The more of these we can get raised as complaints the better chance we have of getting someone to listen.

As part of my complaint I have pointed out that the NHS has never told me I needed an exemption certificate. In fact their own website is misleading http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetes-type1/Pages/living-with.aspx It states " If your diabetes is controlled by medication, you're entitled to free prescriptions and eye examinations". No mention of a Medex.
 
lovinglife said:
My husband has had an exemption certificate since 1984, probably a paper one (not for diabetes though) and he has always received reminders to renew, in fact he has just renewed last week - and I renewed about 6 months ago,
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Have you got a copy of the paper one? It doesn't matter whether its for diabetes or not to be honest. We all just need to know what it said on it...
 
I
donnellysdogs said:
Have you got a copy of the paper one? It doesn't matter whether its for diabetes or not to be honest. We all just need to know what it said on it...
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sorry DD I very much doubt it we have moved a few times and has probably been thrown out or lost, We are in the middle of "putting our affairs in order" so if I come across it I will scan it and post it

In the very back of my mind I think you had to return your expired one to get the new one - don't quote me on that though I may be totally wrong!
 
robswife said:
He has spoken to the BSA this evening and they have said they can only check back 2 years and he hasn't had one in that time.
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This is the important point for everyone to note. If they can only check back two years, then it is unlikely they will follow up prescriptions prior to 2013.
 
I have found this site which includes a copy of the BSA complaints procedure and details of the ombudsmen. http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Complaints.aspx
I am raising a complaint that this is unfair treatment by the BSA. I plan to take it through the procedure to the Ombudsmen. I hope once it gets their someone will see sense and accept that no warnings were given, that the NHS has failed to inform people that MEDEX need to be applied for and expire every 5 years. The more people complain the better chance we have of success.
 
tim2000s said:
This is the important point for everyone to note. If they can only check back two years, then it is unlikely they will follow up prescriptions prior to 2013.
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It also gives the reason why they can't find any records of people with paper certificates.

This therefore means that their systems are failing people with these...
 
This is a long shot but is there an organisation that looks after pharmacists? I asked because if there is then perhaps they would know when the paper exemption card for life finished and the new 5 year ones came in.
 
CarbsRok said:
This is a long shot but is there an organisation that looks after pharmacists? I asked because if there is then perhaps they would know when the paper exemption card for life finished and the new 5 year ones came in.
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Not sure if this has been posted in the thread but just found it, on page 3 it talks about changes to the certificate and it seems it happened in October 2002

My husband even when he had the paper one it wasn't for life - it was every 5 years renewal just like now - it mentions on the page that the paper certificates would be valid until expiry date so it seems they never were for life

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/PrescriptionServices/Documents/PPDImpact/imPACTSeptember2002.pdf
 
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