Pre- paid prescription expired Fine - how much?

UKSBD

We just received a letter informing us of a fine because my wifes pre-paid prescription expired.

Fair enough, our fault so will pay the fine.

Problem is, it expired at end of September, we only got the letter today and she has had 6 presciptions in that time.

Will we be getting a £600 fine (on top of the cost pf the prescriptions)?

DullGreyGuy

Presumably you are buying another one? Online you can backdate it a month, previous posters have said they managed to have theirs backdated further by phoning. 

Not every prescription is checked so you would need bad luck to have them all caught. 

I dont know if the level of checking varies by class of exemption but my medical exemption was lapsed for 2 years before I got a fine through the post. 

UKSBD

DullGreyGuy said:

Presumably you are buying another one? Online you can backdate it a month, previous posters have said they managed to have theirs backdated further by phoning. 

Not every prescription is checked so you would need bad luck to have them all caught. 

I dont know if the level of checking varies by class of exemption but my medical exemption was lapsed for 2 years before I got a fine through the post. 

Did you get 6 years worth of fines, or just a fine for the time period they checked?

DullGreyGuy

UKSBD said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Presumably you are buying another one? Online you can backdate it a month, previous posters have said they managed to have theirs backdated further by phoning. 

Not every prescription is checked so you would need bad luck to have them all caught. 

I dont know if the level of checking varies by class of exemption but my medical exemption was lapsed for 2 years before I got a fine through the post. 

Did you get 6 years worth of fines, or just a fine for the time period they checked?

I got a single fine for a single prescription initially, then had issues with the GP completing the form, during that time got a second fine. They backdated the certificate so the second fine was waived. 

Mine is a condition I was born with so will never go away but the rules require the cert to be renewed every 5 years and its the cert not the condition that entitles you to not have to pay. Initially my own fault but the GP had a role to play in the second.

UKSBD

Thanks

it's frightening really, you would think once they see someones certificate has expired they would check every prescription.

If someone has 3 or 4 items a month, doesn't notice the expiry date for a couple of months, they could end up with a £1000+ plus fine for the sake of £30

DullGreyGuy

UKSBD said:

it's frightening really, you would think once they see someones certificate has expired they would check every prescription.

If someone has 3 or 4 items a month, doesn't notice the expiry date for a couple of months, they could end up with a £1000+ plus fine for the sake of £30

You'd need to understand their process to say how feasible it is, I've no idea how they go from being bits of paper with someone's handwriting on the back in local pharmacies to be presented to the NHS Business Centre for review of eligibility. 

I assumed it wasnt coincidence that I went 2 years (so 16 prescriptions) without one being caught and then had a second one caught (out of 2 or 3) in the next 4 months but they missed at least one other. 

You would have thought in this day and age it should be simple, but then if it was that automated it would also be easy for anyone with a NHS issued exception (eg Medical, pregnancy or pre-paid) or age based not to need to complete the back because the system would already know the exception exists. 

maman

You'd also think that an expiry reminder could be sent like they do with car tax and tv licences. 🤔

Sarahspangles

maman said:

You'd also think that an expiry reminder could be sent like they do with car tax and tv licences. 🤔

They do, by email or mail. They even say that you can defer renewal until you actually need the prescription i.e. it doesn't have to be on the anniversary.

https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-03639/en-us

DullGreyGuy

Sarahspangles said:

maman said:

You'd also think that an expiry reminder could be sent like they do with car tax and tv licences. 🤔

They do, by email or mail. They even say that you can defer renewal until you actually need the prescription i.e. it doesn't have to be on the anniversary.

https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-03639/en-us

but their db is separate from the rest of the NHS systems so if you change address the reminder goes to your old address, as was the case with me.

maman

Oh thanks, I suppose you need to keep your address up to date. 

Sounds like it would be a good idea if they could move the reminders to the NHS app or if you're signed up with a pharmacy online. Definitely some joined up thinking needed. 

silvercar

Given that a lot of people have their prescriptions sent straight to a pharmacy, you would have thought that the pharmacies would be able to note on their systems when exemption certificates need renewing.