Not really looking for advice, but since I commented on someone else's thread, I thought I'd better start my own just to keep things straight: I get a pre-paid certificate for my prescriptions, have done so for a few years now. I pay by DD, £10.40 a month, I don't notice it coming out of my account, I get a letter once a year telling me it's been renewed, and I tick the box at the back of my prescriptions, no fuss, no hassle, my pharmacist has known me for over 20 years, that's it. Or so I thought... Got a letter the other day telling me that I had got myself a free prescription and that I didn't have a valid certificate, so I was being fined, bla bla, pay up or there'll be a surcharge... I e-mailed back to appeal, saying it must be a mistake, as I am on the pre-payment scheme, giving them the Direct Debit Ref. A few e-mails back and forth, where they couldn't find my name, my address, the DD, the usual, before finally working out that they stopped my DD a few months ago (but not the other one, in hubby's name, which is probably why I didn't notice!) and so, I cheated and I must pay. Yeah. No. I don't think so. I have pointed out nicely that they were the ones who cancelled my DD (for reasons best known to themselves), who didn't notify me that they had done so, I have acted in good faith all along, and the legislation is on my side, so I'm not paying, take me to court if you want the money, because I'm not doing it until a judge says so. That's where we're at. I'll let you know what happens next, if anything. Meanwhile, I can't even apply for a new pre-paid certificate, because their website is not working!

Cannabis-derived medicinal products to be made available on prescription READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cannabis-derived-medicinal-products-to-be-made-available-on-prescription

From the Guardian. Some people omitted to notify a change of address, but it seems the NHS has made mistakes. I know people here have been affected. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/10/nhs-falsely-accuses-thousands-patients-prescription-fraud

new here so treat me gently especially if this has already been discussed before (yes you experts can point me in the right direction if you so wish) but I would like to tap your vast knowledge base if you don't mind? Out of the blue the wife receives in the post a short curt letter from the Prescription Exemption Checking Service informing her that she's been a naughty person by obtaining a Free Prescription without being entitled and unless she can prove otherwise she needs to simply send them the original charge plus a nice fine for the pleasure - if she would be so kind ... end off. Well unfortunately the wife has always paid for her prescriptions and has never obtained any for free so in my simple French ... In their letter they do not actually supply full or checkable details, they simply say between the date of ''A'' and the date of ''B'' (A period 80 days!) you did obtain a Free Prescription by ticking the box for people with a valid HC2 certificate .... and on checking to see what if any prescription she had, there was one for which she paid cash for! [and she most definitely did not tick any boxes?]. Now this IS where it get interesting and I have little doubt that some confusion could have come from the following .... at the same time as she collected her last prescription [the only one this penalty charge could relate too] she also collected one for a person for whom she is a Carer for. And that person does have a valid HC2 certificate - does not pay for their prescriptions and because my wife is forever picking up from one particular pharmacy where both these prescriptions where sent to electronically .. . they know her pretty well. So I am of the opinion that given the person serving her - gave her two sets of prescriptions, took her money for hers and checked the certificate for the other probably with a hand full of Prescription Scripts - ticked the wrong box on hers [they always complete the back of the scripts themselves as you the patient do not actually receive them any more - your just asked to sign it as having received your medicine] and then eventually sent them off to wherever at the NHS for processing and now we've been hit with a Penalty Charge for someone else's mistake! [Thanks for reading to this point and sticking with it .... I'm getting to the point. Honest] has anyone else had to go through this particular scenario and if so how did you fare? Yes I know I need to contact the Prescription Exemption Checking Service, which I have done .. . but in the first instance they are both so slow and not that bright! The way they see it is a box was ticked ... end off. One thing they did ask was 'can we provide a receipt to prove we paid'? ... Yer right, who is going to keep a £8.60 cash payment receipt for a prescription they bought over three months ago? Next I've been back to the pharmacy and they are in total agreement with me (at the moment) - they agree my wife has always paid for her prescriptions, which on the surface is great. But if push comes to shove, would they actually put that in writing? we are waiting on the Prescription Exemption Checking Service to get back to us and that's the reason I'm now looking around to see what I might need to do in case they just turn round and say No, pay up as a box has a tick in it? Oh and one other thing - the whole sorry saga is effecting my wife something rotten! I had just got her to a place where she no longer needed the medication that they are now claiming she never paid for - but because of their jumped up demand, she will now probably have to start all over again and here's the rub .. . she's not going to get another prescription 'ever' if it causes this sort of trouble in her life!!! Well, there you have it in a nutshell, so to speak. Over to you ...?

My brother has been off sick with a disablity (both physical and Mental Health) for more than a year. He is not receiving any income from his employer as his sick pay and SSP run out long time ago. He and his wife are in receipt of Universal Credit and my brother is also in receipt of Personal Independence Payment and more importantly due to his mental health not in a state of mind to take rational decisions. Their combined earning for the period was more than £935 however my brother's income was £0. Secondly when I last checked around last year December this net earning requirements used to be individual earnings (thats been changed without me realising). However, at the pharmacy I always show his proof that he is in receipt of Universal Credit as there is no boxes for Universal Credit as yet, nor is there any detailed information about Universal credit earning limits etc and pharmacists asks me to tick the box . He has received this penalty notice from NHS asking him to pay £17.20 for prescriptions and £86 penalty. It says "Your representative (me) incorrectly claim that you (my brother) was included in an award for Income Support or Income Related Employment and Support Allowance. I just checked NHS Business Services Authority website and found following: Prescriptions collected on or after 1 December 2016 To be entitled to claim free NHS prescriptions you must be receiving Universal Credit, either as a single person or as a member of a couple, and: for the last complete assessment period* you and your partner (if you have one) had either no earnings or net earnings** of £435.00 or less. Or; for the last complete assessment period* you and your partner (if you have one) had either no earnings or net earnings** of £935.00 or less, and had a child element included in your award or had limited capability for work You would also be entitled if you are a dependent child or qualifying young person of someone who meets the above criteria in paragraph (b). My Question is: 1) Is he/is he not entitled to free prescription? Specially when it states in section (b) "OR HAD LIMITED CAPABILITY TO WORK" 2) Is he liable to be fined knowing someone (me) has ticked the box on his behalf?

So I've been hit with these because I get tax credits. Stupid me didn't realise it's only if you get child tax credits you get free scripts, (I only get working). Should have read the form properly I know but there we go. I've called them and they will extend the payment dates but there's no way I'll be able to meet their demands, (approx £50 a month). I am able to offer £20 a month. Will they still be able to enforce a DEA if I am offering to make reasonable payments?

My wife has had for a few years a pre payment account (Paid by Direct Debit) for her Px's We have just received a demand for an alleged claim for a prescription as "Exempt from Charges". Now the detail is she turned 60 in mid August this year and We cancelled with her bank the Direct Debit for any payments post this date. On checking Bank Statements we note that NHS have not claimed any payments from Januray 2016, although we have not until the date above cancelled the DD. We understood that the system was self renewing until cancelled and we have had NO communication from them about missed payments etc. How do we stand on this? I feel that the note on the pX form of exempt may well have been a clerical error on the part of the pharmacy but I am not inclined to pay a fine when we believed the system was in place Thoughts appreciated

I have received a letter saying that I have incorrectly claimed for a free prescription. I have type 1 diabetes and I have never had any issues in the past. Will I have to pay this charge? Apparently according to NHS there is no challenge that I can undertake. This seems very harsh!!!!

Hi, I've just received a penalty charge notice from NHS BSA for a prescription I got a couple of months ago. I rang up to complain (more details below) but didn't get anywhere with persuading the lady on the other end of the phone that I wasn't at fault. I have two questions: Firstly - how do I appeal? It doesn't seem obvious from the net or from the letter the NHS sent me. Secondly, do I have a case against the penalty charge (deets below)? So, the story: Basically, I rang up my GP about 2 months ago and asked for some items that were on prescription. They asked me if I had a pharmacy I preferred, I said yes and gave them the details of a place I'd got prescriptions from before. The last time I visited the pharmacy (I've since discovered) I used a prescription prepayment card and therefore was exempt from the charges, but that card expired 6 months ago. About 2 days after I spoke to the GP I came home and my medications (without any accompanying documentation, that I can recall) were on the doormat having been posted through the letterbox. I thought that was a little strange as I thought there would be a bill with it or similar, but I was kind of busy with work, etc. at the time, so didn't really look into it. About 2 weeks later... penalty charge. I've never seen the prescription documentation, ticked any boxes, signed anything, or actively misrepresented myself, as far as I can tell, but the lady at NHS BSA's (spurious) argument was that I should have known to ring up the pharmacy and say that I no longer had a prescription prepayment card. I didn't, in fact, even know that the pharmacy was going to deliver the medications, and I assumed there would be a bill forthcoming. My argument was that it was on the pharmacy to check my prepayment status, not to assume that I did. So, am I going to get anywhere or am I just banging my head against a brick wall?

Have been regularly collecting my prescription of Tramadol for approximately 3 years - it comes in the bag with the rest of the prescription. Today, I am asked to sign a register that I am taking possession of a controlled substance, Tramadol. When did this come into force ?

Long overdue. http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/pharmacists/Documents/eps-patient-information-sheet.pdf

Hi I hope someone might be able to advise: a little background:- my mum is terminally ill and to give her an extra few weeks a blood transfusion has been suggested. Fine. Except that she's already terribly frail and petrified of hospitals, has dementia so like familiarity so rather than put her through all that we declined, and the GP suggested that instead she could have periodic injections of EPO so that her blood count etc would improve. Great, but EPO is only available on the NHS to end stage kidney failure patients, and she doesn't have this, so although it would help, the GP could only issue a private prescription, which I'm happy to pay for and was told by the GP it would be about £90. Took it into her local pharmacy (NOT a big chain) who said it was a 'special' and would take up to 5 days. OK, well, seemed a long time, but what do I know. 3 days later they called and said it would be £588. I said that was impossible. They said they'd look into it. Heard nothing for another 4 days so went in and asked, and £588 is the price for a pack of six, my mum has been prescribed one per month - she probably has 2 months or so left. Their reasoning is that because they have to buy 6 they will have to charge me for 6 even though I only have a prescription for one. I asked for and got the prescription back and have since taken it elsewhere and had it filled for £98. Can a pharmacy do this, i.e. refuse to fill a prescription for monetary reasons? Or are they compelled to supply what's asked as part of their licence to be pharamcists? Any help appreciated as I don't care for their attitude and wish to make them aware of their responsibilities if they have any. Thanks Bob

Does anyone know the full list of medications that the new law will apply to. I know that the stronger pain killers, and anti anxiety medications are included but there are a great number of both over the counter and prescription medication which can effect driving ability. I have already stopped driving because i feel unsafe. My wife is on a number of medications that warn of possible effects. How will this law be implemented because the effects of the same drug vary greatly from person to person.

I recently had to go to optical express with a really sore eye, turns out i'd cut my eyeball. Anyway, while I was there they decided to do a full eye test because it had been 2 years since my last one. My eye was swollen but the optician said this wouldn't make a difference to the test as my pupil wasn't cut. So I got the prescription and took it to Tesco where I always get my glasses, when I received the glasses they were far too strong and I could barely see out of them. Tesco checked they had been made to the prescription, checked my records and seemed surprised there was such a big jump in the prescription in a relatively short space of time. I went back to Optical Express and told them the glasses were too strong, particularly in the left eye (this had been the sore one). They did another eye test, prescription was much lower, and took the glasses and agreed to change the lenses. When they came back they had only changed the lens in the left eye. When I questioned this they said it was the left eye I had complained about! They agreed to send them to get the right lens changed. I've received them back today and they're still not right, there is still a slight blurring in the left eye. I'm reluctant to go back again as i've lost all confidence in them and the attitude of the staff stinks. I'm going to go to Tesco for an eyetest, never had any problems with them before, and find out how much it would cost to get the correct lenses fitted. Could i then make a claim to Optical Express for this? It's for 2 pairs of glasses and they weren't cheap.

Hi all , i've just joined today as i need some advice if possible, ok, like a fair few im going through the same as many concerning my incapacity been stopped, my last payment was on the 27thMarch, i sent in a gl24 form with doctors note saying i want to appeal thier decision of nil points, on the 23rd march, as yet not heard anything back from them pretty straight forward right? right Anyway this week just gone an over the wkend i've become ill with a severe chest infection, i phone my Gp this morning for an appointment, but didn't have any so was give a call back, the GP called me back spoke to me asked me a few questions the said he'd write me a prescription an i could pick it up from reception, This is where my problems started, as ive no money i walked the nearly 2 miles to doctors, (with severe chest infection) picked up my prescription, an went to the chemists, on handing it over i was asked about filing in the reverse, i said im not in recept of benifits, as my last payment was on the 27thMarch i had no money an couldn't pay either, so they did not an would not serve me to the antibiotics, i went back to the doctors, but receptionist couldn't really help, saying that they dont keep drugs on premises, i then walk another mile to jcp an asked to speak to disability advisor, who just told me to sign on, i told him i put a claim in with doctors note could he tell me if its been recieved he said he couldn't as dont have those details, i said you would have my detail on computer, but he wouldn't so still dont no if my claim as been recieved,ask him about my prescription and not being in recept of benifit, an as a result of my benifits being stopped no money, he just said what do you us to do about it, this is a job centre, to which i said im wasting my time you dont want to help anybody an left, (really wishing i could off shouted at him but i cant because i've lost my voice an can only talk in a whisper) So then went to CAB went through it with a woman there, who couldn't really offer me any advice, told her no money to pay for it , an no benifits to fill the back in, she sugested i go to connect to see if i could get a crissis loan, which i did, but as they only deal in vouchers, this would be no good for a presciption, she was helpful an phoned round a few people to see what can be done, other that saying just tick one of the boxes on the back (which would be fraud) an both laughed, so is this an oversight,by the powers that be all is there aim to kill us all off,i told them that even terrorist are entilted to medical treament , an i cant get a bottle of antibiotics, i can borrow off anyone at the min, as used a lot of favours, last week for gas ,elec an food so any ideas as to how to get my presciption thx john

I have an outstanding RBS credit card debt which has been assigned on to Arrow Global. My question is if the debt has prescribed as nothing had been heard of it for ages, until a recent letter from a CCA in Scotland. The last payment made by me was in Dec 2005. The debt was assigned to Arrow Global in Feb 2011. There had been no acknowledgement by me of the debt for over 5 years, so normally the debt would prescribe. However in Dec 2008 I wrote to RBS requiring penalty credit card charges on that account to be refunded, which were credited to the account. Also in Sept 2008 I made a s77-78 request to the then CCA acting for RBS in standard template form. Both letters quoted the account number, but not the amount outstanding. Do you consider that these letters constitute "the subsistence of the obligation having been relevantly acknowledged" in terms of s.6 of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 i.e. that the debt will not prescribe until Dec 2013? Thanks for reading.

Anyone I need some Bactroban (a skin cream) but i'm embarrassed about going to the GP for a prescription. Can I buy this product in the UK without a prescription ie on Amazon or online? Any other way of buying it? Many thanks N

Just for information the NHS run a service where you can buy a pre paid card for repeat prescriptions, my prescription would be normally £45.90, for just over £30 a quarter I get a card and on production do not have to pay, saving me personally hundreds of pounds. I only found out about this when a junior GP told me about it. Just wanted Caggers to be aware of this as some GPs/Pharmacies are not forthcoming with it

Hi All Does anyone know the ruling on prescription charges for a 17 year old, lives at home with me (Mum who is on IS and CA), who can't claim any benefits, and is not in full time education. Many thanks for all info!! LT