NHS PPC (Pre Payment Certificate) Can I get a Prescription refund?

stevo13

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone can offer any advise? I have held a PPC for around 3 years as I get several regular repeat prescriptions. Today I asked my Auntie if she would pick up my prescription for me. She hadn't done this for me before, but she picked it up and thinking she was being helpful she went to the chemist and filled it for me not knowing that I have a PPC and don't pay. The bill has come to about £35.

To add another layer of complexity, the chemist advised her that half the items where cheaper of the shelf, so around £15 of that was off the shelf. I'm hoping I can just take these items back for a refund as they are unopened.

My questions are, when I take the "off the shelf" stuff back tomorrow, will they be able to fill the remainder of the prescription from today or do I need to get the doctor to re-prescribe them. Also, will I be able to claim a refund for the prescription charges paid on the rest of it?

Thanks.

AshfordSteve

The items that were purchased over the counter would need a new prescription - if items are not wanted on a prescription we put a 'N/D' in the left hand margin and physically cross out the item (prescriptions are priced by automated scanners and if an item is not crossed out we might get paid for it in error). You also will not be able to get a refund for these items as pharmacies can not take back medicines after they have left the pharmacy.

In terms of the prescription charges refund, the official answer is no - in order to get a refund for prescription charges you need to get an official NHS receipt at the time of dispensing. The reasoning for this is to reduce the risk of fraud. However, if it is a pharmacy where the staff know you, and they can find your prescription they might give you a refund.

One solution I've just thought of - get a new prescription for the items that were purchased over the counter, and take that in with you with the goods you purchased. Ask them if they can do a refund for what was purchased, and then dispense the same items against the prescription. This is by no means guaranteed to work, as pharmacies cannot use patient returned medication, but a pharmacist may be willing to do it in this specific situation as it would be giving the medication back to the person who returned it.

This whole situation is an argument for building up a relationship with one pharmacy, ideally a smaller one and not one on the high street. My first thought when coming across a paid for prescription with a lot of items on it is does this patient have a pre-payment certificate? If they don't I'll do them an NHS receipt and give them a leaflet about pre-payment certificates.