A small rant

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Saoirse

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
So a few weeks ago I tried to order my insulin as usual to be blocked on the system ‘pending clinical review’. As I have not been miraculously cured I somewhat grumpily wrote out a request for this to be done, and got on with things

Yesterday I get a letter to say my exemption certificate is about to expire and I need to get a form from the GP for it to continue. So I go to the GP today, queue up, get the form which needs to be filled in in black ink within the lines, and hand write in the **exact same** information the NHS **already holds** so that the GP can look it up on their computer and then tick a box on the same paper form. In the name of all that is good and holy what is the point of this? Multipled by millions of Type 1s how much time and pointless effort is wasted with this nonsense? Until my diabetes is cured in 5 years time(lol) I have a lifelong incurable condition that requires both insulin and therefore is exempt from prescription charges. Why waste so much of everyone’s time and energy to such little return?*

Here endeth the rant.

*yes I fully appreciate my good fortune in living in a country with healthcare and generally good care from the NHS I just find the waste of time and pointless administrivia such as above very wearing
 
@Saoirse I have just submitted my form for a renewal of my exemption certificate and share your rantlet.
I would also add: why can the DVLA do this online (including GP details) when the NHS requires me to go to my GP surgery in person in the middle of my working day to pick up a paper form, complete it with black ink, hand it back to the GP and then leave it to their whim when they get around to putting their stamp on it and submit it.
If they forget, who will get fined?
 
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Saoirse said:
So a few weeks ago I tried to order my insulin as usual to be blocked on the system ‘pending clinical review’. As I have not been miraculously cured I somewhat grumpily wrote out a request for this to be done, and got on with things

Yesterday I get a letter to say my exemption certificate is about to expire and I need to get a form from the GP for it to continue. So I go to the GP today, queue up, get the form which needs to be filled in in black ink within the lines, and hand write in the **exact same** information the NHS **already holds** so that the GP can look it up on their computer and then tick a box on the same paper form. In the name of all that is good and holy what is the point of this? Multipled by millions of Type 1s how much time and pointless effort is wasted with this nonsense? Until my diabetes is cured in 5 years time(lol) I have a lifelong incurable condition that requires both insulin and therefore is exempt from prescription charges. Why waste so much of everyone’s time and energy to such little return?*

Here endeth the rant.

*yes I fully appreciate my good fortune in living in a country with healthcare and generally good care from the NHS I just find the waste of time and pointless administrivia such as above very wearing
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“Administrivia”:rofl: As a retired administrator, just love that word!
 
In 20 years I have never been asked to renew my exemption certificate. Perhaps due to my (older) age?
 
I'm about ready to loose it with my GPs too.

Online the repeat ordering system has available repeats then a number that ticks down every time you order. When it is at 0 its just shows as unavailable.
(just to be clear I can order insulin and supplies when I want/need to with no silly time restrictions)

My basal insulin got down to 0 and a few other items are in the 1s and 2s
I went in today to sort out the abasaglar which was done.

As for the others with 1-3 orders left on them, they cant reset the number until it reaches 0 meaning rather than doing it in one go today and saving everyone time (and stress) I need to call them to sort it out for every item when it becomes unavailable.
The tried to fix my hydrocortisone cream (which hadn't been ordered since about April so it was unavailable due to that) and have issued a script by accident for it and said oh well you'll have extra.
Doesn't that defeat the whole point of their gatekeeping to stop items being over-ordered or no longer needed?
I specifically said since having some other creams and washes my psoriasis is better managed and flairs are less severe most of the time hence needing the steroid cream less often - but still need it to be replaced as I use it. I have 4 unopened tubes in the fridge already 🙄

Cant win with them

Saoirse said:
Here endeth the rant.
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^^ same

I'm glad to be in Scotland where scripts are free for everyone so no cert needed 😉
 
DaveB said:
In 20 years I have never been asked to renew my exemption certificate. Perhaps due to my (older) age?
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A few years back I was asked for my card, eventually found it and discovered it had lapsed some years previously. No one had asked for it in quite a while!

I actually have no idea where mine is now, hopefully no-one will ask for it before I get the letter asking me to renew it 🙂
 
SimonP said:
A few years back I was asked for my card, eventually found it and discovered it had lapsed some years previously. No one had asked for it in quite a while!

I actually have no idea where mine is now, hopefully no-one will ask for it before I get the letter asking me to renew it 🙂
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I would recommend getting a replacement. The fine for claiming “free” prescriptions without exemption can be significant.
A few years ago they had a blitz which was pretty costly for some people which seems unnecessary for a card that costs nothing.
 
helli said:
I would recommend getting a replacement. The fine for claiming “free” prescriptions without exemption can be significant.
A few years ago they had a blitz which was pretty costly for some people which seems unnecessary for a card that costs nothing.
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Perhaps you're right, though presumably if it is still valid I should be ok, and if it's not is it my responsibility to keep track of its expiry date? - I certainly didn't receive a renewal letter the first time round, though I'm sure I have since then.

Perhaps I should also do some digging in my filing cabinet....

In any case I think the court case would be an interesting PR experiment for the NHS
 
SimonP said:
Perhaps you're right, though presumably if it is still valid I should be ok, and if it's not is it my responsibility to keep track of its expiry date?
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It is your (our) responsibility. I think the place to do that is here: https://services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check-my-nhs-exemption/start

They should contact you in good time to get it renewed but I seem to remember there being some issues with that in the recent past. Like many services, I think they much prefer to do it by email or text message or something rather than by post.
 
I don't think I ever got a letter it was my local pharmacy that said it was due to be renewed when checking there system.
 
Saoirse said:
Yesterday I get a letter to say my exemption certificate is about to expire and I need to get a form from the GP for it to continue. So I go to the GP today, queue up, get the form which needs to be filled in in black ink within the lines, and hand write in the **exact same** information the NHS **already holds** so that the GP can look it up on their computer and then tick a box on the same paper form. In the name of all that is good and holy what is the point of this?
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It took me 2 minutes recently and it’s once every 5 years. It’s hardly a big deal. If you don’t want to do it, fill in the application form for a prepayment certificate instead. It will take the same length of time but you’ll have to pay.
 
SimonP said:
Perhaps you're right, though presumably if it is still valid I should be ok, and if it's not is it my responsibility to keep track of its expiry date?
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Yes it’s your responsibility. You can check online if it’s valid and show that page instead of the actual card though.
 
Hello, I keep my exemption card in my wallet. I flash it every time. Sometimes a pharmacist can’t pronounce my sir name & it helps with “visualisation” with the label on the prescription bag?

Here is some info on what you would be expected to pay per item if your exemption card is not valid?
Though there is also a sign down my local by the till saying the same thing. https://www.gov.uk/government/speec...nflation,each medicine or appliance dispensed.
 
I noticed recently that my Fiasp was unavailable to reorder due to needing a review, but Levemir was still available. I had had a "diabetes review" with the DN at the practice in March so couldn't understand why I needed another review for the Fiasp. It turns out that because my Fiasp was introduced later (I originally started on NR and Levemir) the Fiasp renewal date is different and so the nurse wasn't able to review that in March because it wasn't "due" They had to put a request through to the GP to review it for me last week. I appreciate they need checks and balances with medication but as others have said these systems don't seem to have any common sense work arounds, to make them practical and efficient. Having to have multiple reviews on different medications because they are not all due at once, just seems crazy. No wonder people can't get appointments with doctors if they are constantly having to review medication.
 
Lucyr said:
No one because you’d pay if the certificate isn’t valid
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I thought you get fined if you don't pay claiming you have a valid certificate (my pharmacy have not checked mine since covid) but do not.
 
helli said:
I thought you get fined if you don't pay claiming you have a valid certificate (my pharmacy have not checked mine since covid) but do not.
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You were talking about who would get fined if the GP didn’t send your certificate off. No one would because you would know you hadn’t received the new card and that the old one expired so you wouldn’t claim you had one. You would pay and get a receipt.
 
Lucyr said:
You were talking about who would get fined if the GP didn’t send your certificate off. No one would because you would know you hadn’t received the new card and that the old one expired so you wouldn’t claim you had one. You would pay and get a receipt.
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Not everyone is as honest as you or could afford to pay for all their diabetes prescriptions.
I think many would take the chance.
 
helli said:
Not everyone is as honest as you or could afford to pay for all their diabetes prescriptions.
I think many would take the chance.
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If they take a chance, knowing it’s wrong, then they’d deserve to get fined. Especially when they’ve had 5 years warning of the expiry date.
 
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