I have just received a fine for getting a free prescription when my prepay certificate had expired. My pharmacy don't check and so I never actually use the certificate. A couple of months ago I ticked the prepay box and picked up my prescription. A few weeks later I noticed that my certificate had expired and renewed it but missed that I'd had a pick up during that time. Today I got a letter saying that in 28 days they would send a fine of the prescription cost + £100 if I couldn't prove that I was eligible for a free prescription. I quickly rang to explain what had happened assuming that if I responded and paid before the fine was sent, there might be a smaller fee and at least some understanding that it was an honest mistake. But no. So make sure you set a reminder to renew your certificate to avoid my error!
A warning re prepay certificate: I have just received a... - NRAS
A warning re prepay certificate
That’s a bit hash can you appeal in writing? I would as it’s an honest mistake and the pharmacy did not check so you’d have very good grounds. On the letter it surely must say who to write too and it’s far better than phoning. I hope you get it sorted.
Thanks Medway-lady. Yes, over the phone I just got a sympathetic, sorry that's the rule type response. Obviously, not the fault of the operator and I don't like to give those people a hard time but as you say, perhaps a letter would achieve more. There is an address.
I’ve just looked and you can do it online. It is so unfair an honest mistake which I’ve done with forgetting the blue badge. I’ve appealed but put my hand up as yes I did make a mistake and both times it’s been cancelled. Good luck. Xx
I got a parking fine because they said I overstayed my time….but I knew 100% I hadn’t …so I wrote back politely …enclosing the cheque for the fine …& said he photo showed clearly I was in a disabled bay & no way had I been there for over three hours.
They cancelled the fine & returned my cheque so it’s definitely worth writing to explain.
GoodcLuck!
I’m sure mine renewed automatically unless I cancelled it. I used to get an email and a letter saying it was due and to continue do nothing and cancel if no longer needed. I’ve been entitled to free prescriptions for 3 years now so I wonder if it has changed?
I think it depends how you pay and the boxes you tick. Until this year I paid upfront and didn’t auto renew. I had a near miss, so what with increasing brain fog I now pay on a monthly DD.
That's a bit harsh but I suppose the computer said no. It's well worth writing a letter to appeal the decision though. I wish you luck.
Exactly that happened to me some years ago before I got ancient and had free prescriptions. It’s very threatening and worrying and I felt as if the fraud squad was about to swoop! I wrote an industrial-strength grovelling letter but to no avail and had to pay. So good reminder for those still at risk!
You're right...it is very accusing. They must realise that the people that have prepay are the people living with difficult conditions that might take their eye off the ball occasionally.
did you originally do it and pay online as I’ve always received a renewal reminder email a few weeks before mine expire. Always a good idea to put the date in your calendar anyway to save risking a fine. Sadly lesson learnt I suppose 😔
surely the pharmacy share the blame, perhaps they were also fined?
I wouldn't want the pharmacy to get fined, They are my local village pharmacy and always helpful.
I didn’t mean they should be just that they could be if investigated. My local pharmacy once delivered to our house everything in my repeat prescription when I hasn’t requested anything and don’t pay or qualify for free home delivery and always collect and at that time didn’t qualify for free prescriptions either. There were 6 items in the bag, when I took them back the pharmacist was very grateful due to regulations although he couldn’t re issue them again, not even to me and the medicines were returned for destruction. They work very hard and under a lot of pressure all they time, I have enormous respect for pharmacists who I believe train for more years than drs at the outset if their careers.
I get a reminder about a month before sent by the prepaid have done for 8 years (not the pharmacy) You should get a reminder
Perhaps it went to junk mail because I didn't get one. I did expect that I would as I bought it online.
Ah not what you need just before Christmas. I pay for mine by direct debit, it works out cheaper and I don't forget. Might be worth considering??
I pay mine by direct debit so it automatically renews.
I've bought the annual prescription pre-payment for decades but, this summer, received a letter which I just thought was saying they would automatically renew for another year. However, when I spotted my monthly direct debit was not being taken, I checked the letter and I had forgotten next year I will be 60 and (hopefully) entitled to free prescriptions, therefore an annual pre-payment would last too long. It worked out ok as I hadn't picked up any drugs, but I had forgotten and renewed with a 3 month pre-payment which I've just had to renew again with another 3 months. I should have read the letter properly when it came and remembered my age.
I have to say our pharmacy is so busy now that the GP Surgery no longer have a pharmacy for patients living over 2 miles away, that they struggle to keep up. They never ask to see my pre-payment details (saved on phone) but do know me well. A few years ago, there was one assistant (not the Pharmacist) who always asked to see my pre-payment card which I rarely had on me, I don't why she was so officious but maybe she had handed over drugs and someone not paid or had a valid card.
In September, the hospital prescribed a couple of items, I offered to give them my pre-payment details, but they declined! Not sure how that works, surely hospital outpatient prescriptions need to be paid for?
I’m sorry you’ve had this happen, really unfortunate! My pharmacy also have a record that I’m prepaid and I only occasionally show them my certificate on my phone. However, I wanted to say thank you, as your post has actually reminded me that I have forgotten to renew my mums blue badge parking! So a timely reminder for me!
That all seems very harsh! I would get back to them again note my “good” previous behaviour and site the fact that if I wanted to defraud the nhs I would not go to the trouble of buying a certificate in the first place! Good luck🎅🏻🤶🏻
Sorry to hear that. Im exempt and moved recently so showed my new pharmact my exemption card but all the staff left and new staff took over. I got a letter 2 weeks ago saying the same thing but i have approximately 7 items a month and they were going to charge me 100.00 then the 7 prescription fees per month so july to September. Luckily i went online to prove i was exempt and the case was closed.
Hi Gottarelax
This has happened to me a couple of times. There is no leeway, unfortunately. I have written both times, without success. By all means try, but I was unsuccessful.
I try and set a reminder now, a week before it is due to be renewed. My memory is terrible and as there is no physical certificate now, it's not as obvious when it needs to be renewed. When we handed in a certificate to verify our prescriptions, you could see the date of expiry.
I hope you get a more positive response. Good luck.
Don't they usually write to you to remind you it's expiring?My husbands expired just after he turned 60 so luckily we didn't have to redo this year and I've got a medical exemption
I'm afraid not. I had expected an automatic reminder but I didn't see one and looking back through my emails, I didn't miss one that came.
Hi,My experience is that I went into the pharmacy to collect my medications as per usual. Ticked the prepay box. The receptionist then told me that my prepaid certificate had expired months earlier, they also made a note on my collection. I informed her, no way could my certificate be expired as I'm on DD and also got confirmation with my new certificate information. Luckily for me, its my usual collection pharmacy. I got into my email and was able to retrieve my new certificate details which I gave them for their record. I believe that you should have a case because this could have easily happened to me if they handed me my meds and let me leave without getting the new information from me. Pity your pharmacist did not check yours and left you a note for when you've come to collect. That way you could have rectified the situation then at that time, saving yourself the unnecessary stress of a fine for your mistake. I would say put it in writing to them. Hope it gets sorted for you. Best of luck.
When you apply online isn’t there an option to backdate the commencement date of the certificate? This could work out cheaper than the fine if you just went for a 6 month one? I’m guessing it may be too late for you now unfortunately, but something to keep in mind if it happens again. Such an easy mistake to make
I've already renewed. I didn't see that I could back date at the time but may have missed that.
You can select up a 10 monthly payment that continues until u cancel it. Makes it so u never run out
I will definitely do that next time. I generally like to pay things up front but in this case, monthly seems the better option.
That's dreadful - lesson for me - in England you cannot afford to be sick! (I'm in Scotland where prescriptions are free - thank goodness!) I wonder how many people are just not getting appropriate treatment because they can't afford it and why isn't RA on the list of "specified medical conditions"?
Yes, I don't understand the criteria for some chronic, degenerative illnesses and not others.
hi, Just mentioning here that have you also checked if you are entitled to an HC2 certificate? Many people are, and don’t realise. It also helps with opticians and dentist as well as free prescriptions.
I did look into that but unfortunately not. To be honest, I don't mind paying via the prepay scheme but the fine seems a rather harsh for an honest mistake.
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