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Medical exemption certifcates.

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C

Caroline

Senior Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I was surprised to get a letter telling me my medical exemption certificate would run out soon and that I needed to see my GP to fill in a form to get it renewed.

anyway I took a copy of the letter as I wanted to keep original for my reference down tot he GP where the receptionist gave me a form and said fill it in, we'll get doctor to sign it. Hopefully my new certificate will arrive before I need more meds.

Last time my certificate ran out I was sent a new one automatically, so has anyone else had a letter to say they need to get a form from the GP in order to get a new certificate?
 
Not me, but I now live in Scotland where prescription charges gave been scrapped so exemptions are no longer required.
 
They are supposed to send reminders of pending expiry and need for renewal, but I never got one when mine ran out. Then there was a crackdown about 18 months ago where people who didn't even know they needed them were getting charges and fines - apparently, they never informed people who were already diabetic when they introduced the certificates, and people were never asked for them, so how were they supposed to know? DUK and JDRF sorted it out and the fines were dismissed. I was lucky and didn't get fined, even though mine was over a year out of date - I renewed it pretty sharpish! 🙂
 
Blimy. I haven't renewed mine in years. It's probably mega out of date

I don't even take it with me to pick up prescriptions. They knkw because I'm collecting insulin.
 
Amberzak said:
Blimy. I haven't renewed mine in years. It's probably mega out of date

I don't even take it with me to pick up prescriptions. They knkw because I'm collecting insulin.
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You need to have one now as they are checking the prescriptions issued against the valid certificates - they used to just rely on the pharmacist checking, which as you say, hardly ever happens 🙄
 
As part of the letter I got when I got my certificate it doesn't specifically say you have to renew it yourself but it does say 'you can apply for a new certificate if you still meet the qualifying conditions when your current certificate expires' so basically I think its down to us to sort it!

I actually work in a pharmacy and its definitely the certificate that means we are exempt not the condition as far as I have always been told! Its definitely worth filling out the form at your doctors and getting it signed (mine only took 2 weeks to arrive). I imagine its a lot easier for them to check peoples exemptions now with electronic prescriptions, I can't imaging how long it takes to go through all paper ones in the country to check the exemptions on them!
 
Paper???? OK in 1972 they were cardboard, but they have been little plastic credit card sized ones for about 25 years if not 30 ! Kept in a purse or wallet along with all the other cards (NB 99% not credit ones) and dead easy to keep track of the expiry.
 
Despite having been diabetic for 45 years I got fined because I didn't renew my certificate and hadn't been told that I needed to renew it. I think the fine plus prescription charge was over £100. I got it sorted out without paying but at the time it was stressful because I didn't know that others were also being fined.
 
trophywench said:
Paper???? OK in 1972 they were cardboard, but they have been little plastic credit card sized ones for about 25 years if not 30 ! Kept in a purse or wallet along with all the other cards (NB 99% not credit ones) and dead easy to keep track of the expiry.
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I was talking about them checking the exemptions on paper prescriptions vs electronic prescriptions 🙂 after getting mine in the post last week I can confirm medical exemption cards are still plastic credit card style things!

I think when you are diagnosed with a condition that entitles you to a medical exemption you should get a permanent card at diagnosis that doesn't have a date on but that would be too simple...
 
EmmyBuzz said:
I was talking about them checking the exemptions on paper prescriptions vs electronic prescriptions 🙂 after getting mine in the post last week I can confirm medical exemption cards are still plastic credit card style things!

I think when you are diagnosed with a condition that entitles you to a medical exemption you should get a permanent card at diagnosis that doesn't have a date on but that would be too simple...
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I think the problem with diabetes is that they don't differentiate between Type 1, which will always need medication until they find a cure, and other types which may be controlled by medication or not - it's quite possible that a Type 2 may succeed in coming off medication if the adjustments they make to diet etc. mean they no longer need it.

I believe they check a proportion of prescriptions, not all of them, which is why some of us were lucky enough to escape the fines and charges 🙂
 
Never think of paper scrips these days - of course I had used to have to tick the appropriate box and sign them - but since I was 60 I hardly ever see one! I was quite sad losing my medical exemption entitlement just because I'm old. I was in a really weird way, apparently quite proud of it, judging by the way I felt 'cheated' when I no longer needed it.

Obviously strange in the head, me.
 
Amberzak said:
Blimy. I haven't renewed mine in years. It's probably mega out of date

I don't even take it with me to pick up prescriptions. They knkw because I'm collecting insulin.
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Even when I am picking insulin up they demand to see it
 
Amberzak said:
Blimy. I haven't renewed mine in years. It's probably mega out of date

I don't even take it with me to pick up prescriptions. They knkw because I'm collecting insulin.
Click to expand...

You'd think that, but this is how people got caught out last time.

There's a key technicality - being a T1 qualifies you for a prescription charge exemption certificate. It does not qualify you for a prescription charge exemption.

Only holders of a prescription charge exemption certificate are exempt from prescription charges. I know, it's a real jobsworth thing, but it means if you're a T1 and don't hold a current exemption certificate, you're not actually exempt, if you see what I mean.
 
T2 on diabetes medication can also apply for a perscription charge exemption certificate. Complete the form and hand into the gp surgery, they fill in their bit and send it off, you receive the certificate through the post
Jo
 
jocat said:
T2 on diabetes medication can also apply for a perscription charge exemption certificate. Complete the form and hand into the gp surgery, they fill in their bit and send it off, you receive the certificate through the post
Jo
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I'm type 2 and the original form was filled in almost 10 years ago for me. In good diabetes timing I was diagnosed just before Easter 2006. I'm wondering if I was asked to fill in another form because I am 57 this year and qualify for free prescriptions when I am 60 anyway.
 
Don't you have to be state pension age to qualify for free scrips on age grounds - which is not your 60th birthday now - I had to wait 3 or 4 weeks after my 60th in 2010, so it must be at least months by now!
 
trophywench said:
Don't you have to be state pension age to qualify for free scrips on age grounds - which is not your 60th birthday now - I had to wait 3 or 4 weeks after my 60th in 2010, so it must be at least months by now!
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I think it's still 60 for free prescriptions - despite the rise in state pension age.
 
trophywench said:
Don't you have to be state pension age to qualify for free scrips on age grounds - which is not your 60th birthday now - I had to wait 3 or 4 weeks after my 60th in 2010, so it must be at least months by now!
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I've just turned 60, and I don't reach state pension age til I'm 66! It was 63, then they moved the goalposts again. However, prescriptions are still free for over 60s. My pharmacy have switched from getting me to tick Box E, to printing 'Age Exempt' on the label. (they sure know how to rub in the fact I'm now ancient!)
 
Robin said:
I've just turned 60, and I don't reach state pension age til I'm 66! It was 63, then they moved the goalposts again. However, prescriptions are still free for over 60s. My pharmacy have switched from getting me to tick Box E, to printing 'Age Exempt' on the label. (they sure know how to rub in the fact I'm now ancient!)
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The closer I get to it, the more I realise that 60 is no age at all! 🙂
 
Had my reminder, filled in the form and it got lost in transit, when I phoned them up, they said to pay for the prescriptions then claim the cost back as long as the new certificate was valid at the time of issue as they back date the certificates by a month. filled in the form again and the next thing I know I get two exemption certificates through with different expiry dates.
 
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