NHS penalty charge (extremely worried)

Guest101

SpiderOftheWeb wrote: »

My carer has just admitted that he/she had ticked the wrong box because as he/she just said 'I didn't have the money so what was I supposed to do? You need that medication' The carer said it is going to help pay the fine. - Well why aren't you giving him the money to pay for your medication?

We all agreed with him that the fact you have to pay those sorts of medication is disgusting - why? especially when they only give you 30 (or 20 if the chemist lose the pills) - if the pharmacy only give you 20, they still owe you 10 tabs that sometimes don't work and it is hell trying to get an appointment.

a appointment for a medication review? you should be able to get one with-in 7 days.

w06

if you're not exempt but expected and knowingly received the medication for nothing then that's not wholly the carers fault. Yes they lied, but you knew you hadn't paid for them and put them in that position.

You also have a responsibility to the carer, for example I have a prepayment certificate and am not able to get to the chemist, the friend who collects my prescription has the date in his diary of when I need to buy a new certificate, as do i, because otherwise I would be causing him to commit fraud when he signs for my prescritipion

teddysmum

There is no need to involve the carer in prescription collection as most pharmacies will deliver free of charge. Boots certainly do.


This story is changing as originally it was stated that the counter assistant refused to let the carer see the forms, but later we are told that the carer said he/she ( ?...posters own words) ticked the wrong box deliberately.


Even though prescriptions are electronically processed except for controlled drugs (like Tramadol),I think there is still paperwork, as I collected a short prescription for one drug, to last until my monthly order, and the assistant handed me a green prescription form to tick off the items I required in future, because of requirement changes.

lemontart

you always have to sign for any prescription drugs regardless of how the chemist gets the script.

zaax

lemontart wrote: »

you always have to sign for any prescription drugs regardless of how the chemist gets the script.

I don't with e-prescription

borkid

zaax wrote: »

I don't with e-prescription

Really, I have always had to. Maybe it depends on the pharmacy

Londonsu

As far as I am concerned the post lost all credibility when the OP stated that the Pharmacist signed the back and wouldn't let the carer see what was signed, if you look at the back of the prescription the part that has to be signed is part 3 its made clear that the only people who can sign are the patient, the Pharmacist is not the patient or the patients representative - and that's not the Pharmacist either, in fact when part 3 is signed the 'signee' (if that's a word ) is signing to the declaration to say that the information is correct and that they understand they can be fined if they are claiming something they are not entitled to - no Pharmacist would do that, I suggest what actually happened is that the pharmacist ticked the evidence not seen box and then signed underneath that. Of course we don't know what box was actually ticked and what exemption was claimed

Iwanttobefree

My wife had this. Saying she had ticked a box saying she was entitled to free prescriptions, when she paid for it. Unfortunately, it was for about 6 months previous so she no longer had the receipt.

All that happens is you tell them your entitled to it and there's been a mistake somewhere (or in my wifes case, she had paid and never tried to claim it)

They then send you an email saying (quoting from wifes)

Dear xxx,

Thank you for your email regarding prescription exemption checks.

A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) has been issued as the prescription
record held shows it was claimed free of charge.

To allow us to close your case, please send one of the following to
ourselves as confirmation you have paid:

* A receipt or bank statement showing you paid for your prescription
* A signed declaration from yourself confirming payment was made for
the prescription

Your evidence or declaration can either be sent by replying to this
email or posted to the address below. Please be advised that an
emailed declaration must still include a written signature.

Prescription Exemption Checking Service
Bridge House
152 Pilgrim Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 6SN

Your record has been locked for 28 days to stop any further action
while you send us your proof of payment or declaration. Please be
aware that after 28 days your account will be unlocked, and if
evidence has not been received an additional surcharge will be applied.

She signed a note saying she had paid for it and the case was closed.

Bearing in mind she gets a prescription a month and always pays.

This was March this year

Iwanttobefree

Londonsu wrote: »

As far as I am concerned the post lost all credibility when the OP stated that the Pharmacist signed the back and wouldn't let the carer see what was signed, if you look at the back of the prescription the part that has to be signed is part 3 its made clear that the only people who can sign are the patient, the Pharmacist is not the patient or the patients representative - and that's not the Pharmacist either, in fact when part 3 is signed the 'signee' (if that's a word ) is signing to the declaration to say that the information is correct and that they understand they can be fined if they are claiming something they are not entitled to - no Pharmacist would do that, I suggest what actually happened is that the pharmacist ticked the evidence not seen box and then signed underneath that. Of course we don't know what box was actually ticked and what exemption was claimed

Many times I've signed it and forgot to tick the box and my pharmacist says don't worry I'll do it.

TELLIT01

It may or may not be applicable to this case, but e-prescriptions are open to abuse. I recently went to my GP to collect a prescription and was told it had been done electronically to a pharmacy I use, but had told the pharmacy twice that I did not want to nominate them. I called to the pharmacy to collect the prescription and find out why they had contacted my GP to nominate themselves. They checked their records and told me the date it had been done. I hadn't even been in town that day, let alone in the pharmacy. Their excuses varied from 'I must have forgotten I was in town', to 'as you always use us it seemed the obvious thing to do', to 'the assistant must have misheard you'. How I could have been misheard when I wasn't there was never explained. I was certainly never asked to sign the prescription form when I collected.