Cancer and free prescriptions con

[Mr Green]

If you suffer from a long term illness on a list of about 10 you are entitled to a medical exeption certificate that entitles you to free prescriptions. As of 1st April 2009 cancer was added to this list. Unfortunately my cancer returned in February this year so I applied for the MEC.
I asked my doctors secretary for the form and made an appointment to see my doctor to get him to sign it, I called in to the surgery to collect the form, filled my part in and waited for my appointment.
I firstly asked him for a 'fitness to work note' and a prescription for painkiller(had a recent operation), then asked him to please sign 'this form'. He arrogantly waved a finger across the form saying. 'If your illness is on there I'l sign it', I looked(for the first time)and it wasn't, I apologised thinking my wife had got it wrong and left rather sheepishly.
After making further inquires i find my wife is right, not only did the arrogant tt know I was entitled to a MEC but he is supposed to inform all his patients of their new(as of 2009)rights.
His secretary is giving out the old out of date forms FP92A(2003) which obviously don't have cancer included but he is saying. 'If your illness is on there I'l sign it' knowing full well it isn't.

What a bd. Not only are people suffering from a devastating illness but doctors like this are trying to undermine your attempts to get what you are rightfully entitlement to.
Please tell anyone you know that is suffering from cancer of this change to the rules, don't let the bds get away with this. I will be putting in an official complaint about this incident as soon as I am strong enough to devote some time to it

http://www.prescriber.org.uk/2009/01/medical-exemp...

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Documents/HealthCosts/Gui...

[bitwrx]

Are you telling me that both your doctor and his secretary made a mistake? st the bed.

I take it you've never made a mistake at work, because if you had, criticising your doctor for doing the same would be rank hypocrisy.

Rather than piss your doctor off by complaining about him, do you not think it would be more productive - and better for your community as a whole - to have a quiet word in the secretary's ear about the forms being out-of-date, then when you're getting the new form signed by the doctor say that you found his manner disagreeable when you last met.

All the best for a speedy recovery.

[Mrs Trackside]

bitwrx said:

I take it you've never made a mistake at work, because if you had, criticising your doctor for doing the same would be rank hypocrisy.

There's a bit of a difference between sending out a letter with a typing error and not telling someone with a potentially life threatening illness that they don't have to eat baked beans on toast because their prescription is now free.

I'd write a letter of complaint to a doctor who thinks it's "amusing" to act in such a ttish manner. His job is to make you feel better, not add to the stress of having cancer!

[Pkh72]

bitwrx said:

Are you telling me that both your doctor and his secretary made a mistake? st the bed.

I take it you've never made a mistake at work, because if you had, criticising your doctor for doing the same would be rank hypocrisy.

Rather than piss your doctor off by complaining about him, do you not think it would be more productive - and better for your community as a whole - to have a quiet word in the secretary's ear about the forms being out-of-date, then when you're getting the new form signed by the doctor say that you found his manner disagreeable when you last met.

All the best for a speedy recovery.

I tend to think the Doctor should know something as fundemental as this shouldn't they, it's not only just been brought in either so there's no excuse.
How's the doctor going to cope with something tricky if they can't get this correct, not exactly confidence inspiring is it?

Are you his Doctor by any chance?

[Mr Green]

bitwrx said:

Are you telling me that both your doctor and his secretary made a mistake? st the bed.

I take it you've never made a mistake at work, because if you had, criticising your doctor for doing the same would be rank hypocrisy.

Rather than piss your doctor off by complaining about him, do you not think it would be more productive - and better for your community as a whole - to have a quiet word in the secretary's ear about the forms being out-of-date, then when you're getting the new form signed by the doctor say that you found his manner disagreeable when you last met.

All the best for a speedy recovery.

If the secretary made a genuine mistake then the doctor should have corrected it, he knew I was suffering from cancer and he knew that for 12 months people suffering from cancer were entitled to a MEC. If he had read the form FP92A he should have said, 'Sorry Mr Green you have the wrong form, cancer is not on this form'. To which my reply would have been, 'your secretary gave it to me'.
I find it hard to believe I am the first person in over 12 months to point out they are using out of date forms.
I didn't tell you on my first post that I telephoned the surgery the following day(yesterday) and asked for the manager. I then asked her if she was aware of my entitlement to a MEC, she said yes. I then proceeded to ask her whythis had happened(told her the whole story).
She could not apologise enough and blamed the printers, I find this excuse hard to believe as the arrogant doctor had no need to say what he said 'If your condition is on there(sweep of his finger) I will sign it'. She said she would get it sorted and phone me back.
3 hours later the doctor himself phoned me. He started the conversation by saying it was not a case of him refusing to sign a form that would get me a MEC, it was a case of me having the wrong form. But I said your secretary GAVE me the wrong form. For 8 minutes he argued that he had done nothing wrong then eventually he said, ok someone has obviously done something wrong meaning either me, his secretary, or the printers. I was not for letting him off the hook, I was said. 'No 2 people had done something wrong, your secretary for issuing an out of date form and you for not seeing it and correcting it, working together like that you will never issue these MEC'
There was a long silence(4 seconds) then he said 'maybe now is not the time for you to talk about it'.
I shall go down today and collect the form, hopefully armed with the reciept for my prescription from wednesday the Pharmacist will give me my £7.10p back.


Thanks very much for the speedy recovery comment.

[Paul Dishman]

Just to correct your penultimate remark - you'll need to send your form off and wait until receive your exemption certificate (a white plastic "credit card") before taking the receipt to your pharmacist for a refund. They can't refund you on the evidence of your GPs (now) signed form.

If you need any more prescriptions before your card arrives make sure you get a receipt, then as you know, you will eventually get a refund.

[Mr Green]

Yes you were correct.

[Scraggles]

got a long term illness and get a card to get all scripts free, even those that have nothing to do with the designated illness, glad the OP got it sorted

[Paul Dishman]

Scraggles said:

got a long term illness and get a card to get all scripts free, even those that have nothing to do with the designated illness, glad the OP got it sorted

That depends on the nature of the long term illness-not all are covered

[Broomsticklady]

Paul Dishman said:

Scraggles said:

got a long term illness and get a card to get all scripts free, even those that have nothing to do with the designated illness, glad the OP got it sorted

That depends on the nature of the long term illness-not all are covered

And also where you live - I've had free prescriptions for diabetes for a while, but my cancer would not be 'covered' as I'm in Scotland

[Mr Green]

Scraggles said:

glad the OP got it sorted

Unfortunately I got some bad news today, apparently my cancer has Metastasized to my lungs, bowel and kidneys on a a scale of 1 to 10 as to how serious it is it's a 8.5
'We are talking months not years', was the answer I got from my specialist, well I did ask. I'm 55 and have to some how tell my mother this week end.
Lifes a bh then you die.



Sorry I had to let it out.

[MacGee]

sorry to hear that...cant say much more really..makes me think to enjoy life one day at a time and dont frig about....best wishes.

[Mrs Trackside]

[louiebaby]

Broomsticklady said:

Paul Dishman said:

Scraggles said:

got a long term illness and get a card to get all scripts free, even those that have nothing to do with the designated illness, glad the OP got it sorted

That depends on the nature of the long term illness-not all are covered

And also where you live - I've had free prescriptions for diabetes for a while, but my cancer would not be 'covered' as I'm in Scotland

I used to be a Pharmacist, and have worked in Scotland in the past. Admittedly this was a few years ago, but THEN a medical exemption for Diabetes would also mean that, for instance, your medication for high blood pressure would also be free. It did mean that scrotes could get their paracetamol for free if the Dr prescribed it for them. As I say, this was a few years ago, and when I chat with my mates who work in the trade up there again, I will check.

To the OP: I have nothing to add that can help, and I don't know how much sympathy from a faceless forum poster will mean, but if it means anything, have a hug from me.