NHS prescription fine question
Discussion
My neighbour has had a letter from the NHS Business Services Authority. It states that they didn't pay for a prescription, that then goes on to state a lot of stuff in the letter about this, that and the other. Fines, etc.
They previously pre paid for prescriptions but not during this time, so are at fault - what it is the cost to them to sort this out? Tried calling the 0300 330 9291 number to be greeted by an answer of "someone will call you back tomorrow" after 25 minutes.
They were not looking to take a freebie. Just a genuine mistake while the paid for prescription was invalid. What is the simple way of making this go away without the NHS BSA taking the pi55?
They previously pre paid for prescriptions but not during this time, so are at fault - what it is the cost to them to sort this out? Tried calling the 0300 330 9291 number to be greeted by an answer of "someone will call you back tomorrow" after 25 minutes.
They were not looking to take a freebie. Just a genuine mistake while the paid for prescription was invalid. What is the simple way of making this go away without the NHS BSA taking the pi55?
Nath911t said:
My neighbour has had a letter from the NHS Business Services Authority. It states that they didn't pay for a prescription, that then goes on to state a lot of stuff in the letter about this, that and the other. Fines, etc.
They previously pre paid for prescriptions but not during this time, so are at fault - what it is the cost to them to sort this out? Tried calling the 0300 330 9291 number to be greeted by an answer of "someone will call you back tomorrow" after 25 minutes.
They were not looking to take a freebie. Just a genuine mistake while the paid for prescription was invalid. What is the simple way of making this go away without the NHS BSA taking the pi55?
It won't go away. They tried to take me for 2 years worth initially, and even though they admitted they had made a mistake about the first year they were pursuing me for ( mixed up my middle and last names ), and accepted I had actually paid. I was bang to rights for the second year. I pointed out that if I hadn't looked into my payment history, their mistake would have cost me a fine I shouldn't have been asked to pay. Therefore we had both made a mistake. I still had to pay a £100 fine. So be aware. Their mistakes are allowed to stand as mistakes and yours aren't.They previously pre paid for prescriptions but not during this time, so are at fault - what it is the cost to them to sort this out? Tried calling the 0300 330 9291 number to be greeted by an answer of "someone will call you back tomorrow" after 25 minutes.
They were not looking to take a freebie. Just a genuine mistake while the paid for prescription was invalid. What is the simple way of making this go away without the NHS BSA taking the pi55?
Mrs Shanks got fined as she'd forgotten to renew her annual subscription 
My guess is those on the system with 'expired' pre-payment subscriptions are low hanging fruit. As a one off someone who gets the single prescription and ticks the 'wrong' box probably goes under the radar. It's a lot easier to check when someone is on the system than someone who gets a prescription once in a blue moon. And do they actually check them all?
My guess is those on the system with 'expired' pre-payment subscriptions are low hanging fruit. As a one off someone who gets the single prescription and ticks the 'wrong' box probably goes under the radar. It's a lot easier to check when someone is on the system than someone who gets a prescription once in a blue moon. And do they actually check them all?
As someone with a long term medical condition (epilepsy) and living in Scotland I have never once in my life paid for a prescription.
Even when they did charge in Scotland I had an exemtion card.
It was supposed to be for my repeat prescriptions but worked for any prescription so I just always used it.
Even when they did charge in Scotland I had an exemtion card.
It was supposed to be for my repeat prescriptions but worked for any prescription so I just always used it.
Nath911t said:
They were not looking to take a freebie. Just a genuine mistake while the paid for prescription was invalid. What is the simple way of making this go away without the NHS BSA taking the pi55?
I would write to them explaining what had happened. Don't rely on telephone calls, it's not an efficient or reliable way to get goings done and an audit trail is always handy.Happened to me a few years ago - they changed their processes so no longer issued a pre-paid card nor a letter / email advising the current one was expiring.
First thing I knew I'd got a letter stating I was getting an £80 penalty for not paying for a prescription 3 months previously. Plus the fee itself.
I called and got told "tough, you need to pay" and that while they only apply one penalty per month of claiming an exemption falsely, it was down to my luck whether I would be caught the next month, and the next.
Turned out I was, how remarkably surprising huh? Had to pay over £250 in fines. They didn't give a f
k. I very much get the impression it's easy pickings and once they've got you once, they know you've transgressed for a few months and hammer you again if they can.
Since then, they've at least returned to sending a reminder email a month before your prepay expires. But I note they don't actually state the date it does expire. I suspect in the hope you don't renew immediately and then forget. Gotcha!
TL;DR: they'res.
First thing I knew I'd got a letter stating I was getting an £80 penalty for not paying for a prescription 3 months previously. Plus the fee itself.
I called and got told "tough, you need to pay" and that while they only apply one penalty per month of claiming an exemption falsely, it was down to my luck whether I would be caught the next month, and the next.
Turned out I was, how remarkably surprising huh? Had to pay over £250 in fines. They didn't give a f
k. I very much get the impression it's easy pickings and once they've got you once, they know you've transgressed for a few months and hammer you again if they can.Since then, they've at least returned to sending a reminder email a month before your prepay expires. But I note they don't actually state the date it does expire. I suspect in the hope you don't renew immediately and then forget. Gotcha!
TL;DR: they're
s.Steve_H80 said:
Nath911t said:
They were not looking to take a freebie. Just a genuine mistake while the paid for prescription was invalid. What is the simple way of making this go away without the NHS BSA taking the pi55?
I would write to them explaining what had happened. Don't rely on telephone calls, it's not an efficient or reliable way to get goings done and an audit trail is always handy.I received one of these about 7 year ago. I challenged on the basis that I was pretty certain I had paid cash, possibly because I had left my card at home. My argument was that after years of paying why, all of a sudden, would I try and save £8. Secondly because it was a cash transaction there could have been a till related error. The fine was waived.
Thanks for your replies. I'll do an update as and when, in the event someone else goes through the same thing.
Been in contact with them and the initial feeling is they really don't give a damn with a "just pay it" attitude. Have requested copies of what has led them to this decision as since receiving the 1st one, another one has now landed. I know for a fact there will be another as I remember before Christmas I personally collected one for them and thought they were exempt. When I found out they were not and paying for them. I popped back down and paid for it.
I've also noticed on the recent one I collected that on the sticky label with name and addy it does state exempt/not exempt then showing current status of not exempt been highlighted. Unsure why the Chemist would ask this question if it states on it already. Unless maybe that someone had recently bought a prepaid certificate.
Been in contact with them and the initial feeling is they really don't give a damn with a "just pay it" attitude. Have requested copies of what has led them to this decision as since receiving the 1st one, another one has now landed. I know for a fact there will be another as I remember before Christmas I personally collected one for them and thought they were exempt. When I found out they were not and paying for them. I popped back down and paid for it.
I've also noticed on the recent one I collected that on the sticky label with name and addy it does state exempt/not exempt then showing current status of not exempt been highlighted. Unsure why the Chemist would ask this question if it states on it already. Unless maybe that someone had recently bought a prepaid certificate.
FNG said:
Happened to me a few years ago - they changed their processes so no longer issued a pre-paid card nor a letter / email advising the current one was expiring.
First thing I knew I'd got a letter stating I was getting an £80 penalty for not paying for a prescription 3 months previously. Plus the fee itself.
I called and got told "tough, you need to pay" and that while they only apply one penalty per month of claiming an exemption falsely, it was down to my luck whether I would be caught the next month, and the next.
Turned out I was, how remarkably surprising huh? Had to pay over £250 in fines. They didn't give a fk. I very much get the impression it's easy pickings and once they've got you once, they know you've transgressed for a few months and hammer you again if they can.
Since then, they've at least returned to sending a reminder email a month before your prepay expires. But I note they don't actually state the date it does expire. I suspect in the hope you don't renew immediately and then forget. Gotcha!
Don't know if it'd do any good, but I'd be contacting my MP about that.First thing I knew I'd got a letter stating I was getting an £80 penalty for not paying for a prescription 3 months previously. Plus the fee itself.
I called and got told "tough, you need to pay" and that while they only apply one penalty per month of claiming an exemption falsely, it was down to my luck whether I would be caught the next month, and the next.
Turned out I was, how remarkably surprising huh? Had to pay over £250 in fines. They didn't give a f
k. I very much get the impression it's easy pickings and once they've got you once, they know you've transgressed for a few months and hammer you again if they can.Since then, they've at least returned to sending a reminder email a month before your prepay expires. But I note they don't actually state the date it does expire. I suspect in the hope you don't renew immediately and then forget. Gotcha!
LimmerickLad said:
My prepaid certificate expired 3 days before my birthday when I would then get free prescriptions. My son collected my repeat medication ordered and approved by the GP when my prepaid was still current but inside that 3 day window - I still got fined despite my protestations 
That does not sound right. If the PPC is valid at the time the prescription is collected then it’s covered. Unless you are saying that collection was after expiry?The Guardian had a complaint about this late last year and they got nowhere either.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/nov/09/i-pr...
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/nov/09/i-pr...
PianoManYork said:
LimmerickLad said:
My prepaid certificate expired 3 days before my birthday when I would then get free prescriptions. My son collected my repeat medication ordered and approved by the GP when my prepaid was still current but inside that 3 day window - I still got fined despite my protestations
That does not sound right. If the PPC is valid at the time the prescription is collected then it’s covered. Unless you are saying that collection was after expiry?LimmerickLad said:
PianoManYork said:
LimmerickLad said:
My prepaid certificate expired 3 days before my birthday when I would then get free prescriptions. My son collected my repeat medication ordered and approved by the GP when my prepaid was still current but inside that 3 day window - I still got fined despite my protestations
That does not sound right. If the PPC is valid at the time the prescription is collected then it’s covered. Unless you are saying that collection was after expiry?It really is a shambles of a system. Not having 365 cover even on a monthly DD is just nuts.
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