Questioned every time collect a prescription

longwalks1

What are the requirements for collecting a prescription from a pharmacy for someone who is currently unemployed and claiming UC?  

I’ve a friend who gets questioned every time they collect their repeat prescription and asked for letters or emails to prove their are unemployed and it makes them feel uncomfortable when there are others in the chemist. Is this right? 

Spoonie_Turtle

britishboy said:

What are the requirements for collecting a prescription from a pharmacy for someone who is currently unemployed and claiming UC?  

I’ve a friend who gets questioned every time they collect their repeat prescription and asked for letters or emails to prove their are unemployed and it makes them feel uncomfortable when there are others in the chemist. Is this right? 

As far as I know the pharmacist has a right to ask for evidence, and it is in the customer's interests to make sure they are claiming an exemption correctly.  Can your friend not just print off their UC statement (or take it in on their phone) to present at the same time?  It's nothing to do with being unemployed, the criterion is being on UC and having earned less then a certain threshold, which the statement will prove.  https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/help-with-health-costs-for-people-getting-universal-credit/

Of course there are ways of asking for evidence and if the person asking is going beyond professional checking of eligibility, your friend needs to make a complaint.

calcotti

For UC claimants the challenge is that some UC claimants qualify for free prescriptions and others do not. Indeed some claimants with variable earnings will qualify for free prescriptions in some months but not in others. 

TELLIT01

Better for the pharmacy to confirm the person is entitled to free prescriptions than to be fined for claiming free prescriptions when not entitled.

roddydogs

I just get asked for address.

poppy12345

roddydogs said:

I just get asked for address.

That's got nothing to do with eligibility for free prescriptions. That's purely to make sure the medication is being given to the correct person.

calleyw

TELLIT01 said:

Better for the pharmacy to confirm the person is entitled to free prescriptions than to be fined for claiming free prescriptions when not entitled.

 Even when are entitled they still get letters telling them they are going to be fined! I know someone with epilepsy after having a stroke so has an acquired brain injury. One morning I got a very distressed phone call as they had a letter saying they were not entitled free precriptions and were being fined, even though the person still had a year and half left on their 5 year exemption. Got it sorted but it could have been easily been checked before it got to the stage of a letter.  So the system does not always work. 

Yours

Calley

calcotti

calleyw said: So the system does not always work.  

And is a uniquely English problem as other parts of UK have free prescriptions for all anyway.

calleyw

calcotti said:

calleyw said: So the system does not always work.  

And is a uniquely English problem as other parts of UK have free prescriptions for all anyway.

From what I have seen only 20% of the population pay in England anyway.  And now due to restrictions Dr's can only dispense up to 2 months of meds max. For most it seem to be monthly.  The person I care for will be on his meds for the rest of his life so to me it bokers having to get repeats every month. Wasting peoples times which equals money to sort them out.  To me either everyone pays say a £1 per med or no ones pays. 

Yours

Calley

theoretica

britishboy said:

What are the requirements for collecting a prescription from a pharmacy for someone who is currently unemployed and claiming UC?  

I’ve a friend who gets questioned every time they collect their repeat prescription and asked for letters or emails to prove their are unemployed and it makes them feel uncomfortable when there are others in the chemist. Is this right? 

Now they know, can they anticipate and just show the proof without being asked to cut down on conversation.  I get free prescriptions, here's the documentation you need.

calcotti

Mickey666 said: According to this report, over 90% of English prescriptions are issued free anyway, so 'free-for-all' is not such big a concession as it might appear.

https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/nhs-prescription-charges/

I had no idea it was as high as that. I guess in large measure that may be because the largest group of people taking multiple medicines will be over 60.