Prescription pre-payment problem

sghughes42

I bought a 3-month PPC at my local pharmacy back in June at the same time I put a prescription in. By the time the next one was due (I get them roughly monthly as I'm on Asthma / allergy medicine so get about a month at a time) the PPC hadn't arrived so I held off getting it a bit. Eventually I just went in to the pharmacy and explained it hadn't turned up yet, could I still get my prescription? They said OK so I got that one.

Next time I needed one again the PPC hadn't arrived so I phoned the PPA to ask if it had been sent and if so could they send a replacement? Their reply was that they'd received no application from myself and no certificate was in place. They suggested I contact the pharmacy for a refund of the fee I'd paid as it mustn't have been passed on to them.

Due to work pressures I wasn't able to contact the pharmacy straight away but when I did they weren't exactly helpful. Their attitude is that I have their receipt for the PPC and that is all I need. They aren't interested that I've not had all the prescriptions from the card I should have and that in theory I've claimed two prescriptions on a PPC that doesn't exist and that if the PPA happen to check them I could get in trouble for doing this.

Is there anything I can do? I certainly haven't had full benefit from the card - I should have got 4 prescriptions in the 3 months but have only had 2. (Four items per prescription so in theory I've still saved but would have saved a lot more)

The Pharmacy claim that they've paid for the items I've had (to the PPA) so they can't refund. I don't see what this matters - they've basically taken payment and not delivered the service paid for surely?

I'm also at the point where I'm out of medicine now but they don't seem interested.. I've even been buying antihistamines over the last two months to keep me going.

Any advice appreciated...

cyberbob

I'm a little confused the Pharmacy is saying the receipt is enough for them and they have given you prescriptions using this before. But your still not using this to get your prescriptions? Is that correct? Why not?

If you haven't claimed all the prescriptions you could that's not really the pharmacies fault. You paid for the service but didn't use it. As far as they are concerned you have a PPC that you haven't fully used. (Your fault not there's) if they haven't properly registered it with the NHS that's not your problem as long as you have the receipt which you say you have you can prove you bought it.

Hintza

I don't know ho it works for you but I just go into the pharmacy fill out the pre payment form and receive a copy. Then when I collect the filled prescrcription I just tick the correct box and sign for it.

Job done.

Of no real help sorry but I'm confused (guess it might be easier in Scotland).

sghughes42

The impression I was given was that a receipt would 'do for now' as the card may take a while to arrive. In other words, they would accept that the card may still be on the way at that point, not that a receipt would be good enough proof for the duration of the card. (Why bother sending the card otherwise?)

I'm also not sure how far I could pass the blame over and even if it is fully I would still have the hassle of having to do so - it seemed easier to wait and to be honest I forgot it hadn't turned up until the next script was due by which time I was over 2 months in and not a lot of time to sort things out.

I did fill the form in, paid on my credit card and expected them to send the form off to the PPA. They've not done this for whatever reason so legally I don't have a PPC even though I've paid for one...

mtd-142128

Hi OP

I work in a pharmacy that enters all the customers details on line at the time of purchase
You should check with the pharmacy which way they do theirs as if they do it on line they will receive a reference number and keep the details of your application on file( which is what we do )The reference number can then be chased up
If they have no trace - or haven't sent the application -then get them to do it while you are there but make sure they date it from when you first applied as to include the previous scripts so you don't get fined.

Hope this helps - get in touch with them as they should be there to help and you have your till/creditcard receipt as proof. PPC's usually should be received within 2 weeks

sghughes42

It seems they record the details in a book and send them off in batches. For some reason my details didn't get recorded and didn't get sent off...

I have a feeling I know the reason for this thinking back. I was very annoyed when I originally 'bought' the PPC when the assistant who served me broke off while I was filling the form in to take a phone call. I completed the form and as there was no sign of her ending the call any time soon and I was coming back a few hours later to pick up the items I just left it on the desk with my script. Nothing was said when I returned and the items were ready so I assumed all was OK.

I rarely get PPCs from this pharmacy within a month - as I say, I think they send them off in batches rather than doing it online / at the time.

I've still not received a satisfactory answer from them as to why they feel a receipt is valid proof I have a PPC when the PPA state categorically no certificate was in place and I had no right to claim on one...

DVardysShadow

Strikes me that this is a devious tactic to keep the PPC so that you can't use another pharmacy. I would give them an ultimatum to produce it within 48 hours have the complaint taken to the PPA.

Torry_Quine

Seems very strange way of working to me. I go to the pharmacy and get my PPC there and then. Last time I came home and realised I hadn't been given my part and phoned up. They apologised and posted it to me and it arrived in a couple of days. Most times I use it though I just tick the box and never even show it no matter if it is a pharmacy that doesn't know me.

System

why dont you just do it online/telephone yourself ? they give you a reference number to use while you wait for the card.

sghughes42

Thanks, Chrissy, I didn't know you could do that! I've always bought them from the pharmacy. I know several years back there was some dispute and the number of pharmacies doing them dropped significantly but I wasn't aware that online purchase was possible. I'll be doing that from now on and trying to find another pharmacy I feel I can trust.

Torry_Quine

Actually I've just remembered that I always get sent a reminder just before it runs out which has a form to fill in to send away for a new one. That could be another way if the pharmacy are latchy.