Just got the result and i am diabetic.

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Sanaowais

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Type 2
I had just received my result from my GP upon request and it turns out i am Diabetic. Was discussing Ozempic with my doctor a week ago and was told that if the test comes back and i am Diabetic i will be eligible for it as my BMI is already in the eligibility range. I am just wondering will i be given the the medication (ozepmic/ metformin) and the devices to check my suger levels for free as i was pre diabetic for a long time and also suffering from PCOS and was on metformin and was paying for it as my GP said they cant offer me a exception certificate on pre diabetic. I have diabetic in my family so know about the general infotmation about cutting the carbs and adding exercises ( have been doing it since i was diagnosed ore diabetic). Just worried now abou thte cost of medication.
 
You have diabetes, you need medication, therefore NP in obtaining a medical exemption certificate so the prescriptions are free.

I thought that PCOS was also a chronic condition so if you needed metformin to treat that, it would also qualify for exemption? Your GP surgery will submit the relevant application for you, anyway. The certificate will be valid for 10 years, you may be asked to produce it by the pharmacy and it is up to you to remember to renew it when the time comes - they don't send a reminder.
 
trophywench said:
You have diabetes, you need medication, therefore NP in obtaining a medical exemption certificate so the prescriptions are free.

I thought that PCOS was also a chronic condition so if you needed metformin to treat that, it would also qualify for exemption? Your GP surgery will submit the relevant application for you, anyway. The certificate will be valid for 10 years, you may be asked to produce it by the pharmacy and it is up to you to remember to renew it when the time comes - they don't send a reminder.
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Thankyou for replying. I told them thats PCOS is chronic but they refused i have been paying for it for 1.5 years now. I am also wondering if the give out ozempic to newly diagnosed patients ?
 
Bruce Stephens said:
The details are https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/exemption-certificates/medical-exemption-certificates but as @trophywench says your GP surgery should give you a form which you fill in and return to them.

The "certificate" is a card, and has the expiry date printed on it which should be a reasonable reminder. (I thought they emailed or posted a reminder, but maybe not. Or maybe not any more.)
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They didnt even think it was something urgent to see the doctor. I was told i will get a call from the GP if anything is wrong. But upon asking today i was told nothing is urgent but i asked them to send me a copy of the result. And Viola it was quite high HBA1C (7.3) but according to the GP it wasnt urgent and i could wait a few more weeks to get an appointment.
 
Chronic conditions do not automatically qualify for exemption. My partner has both asthma and severe eczema and has done since he was a child and he has to pay for his prescriptions.... He buys prepayment certificates to reduce the cost but it is still a significant sum or money.
 
I often wonder why we get exemption as diabetics and when they recently started talking about OAPs losing their free prescriptions, I half expected that we diabetics might lose ours too.
After all asthma is surely as life threatening as diabetes, so I am not sure why I get mine free but my partner doesn't.
 
rebrascora said:
Chronic conditions do not automatically qualify for exemption. My partner has both asthma and severe eczema and has done since he was a child and he has to pay for his prescriptions.... He buys prepayment certificates to reduce the cost but it is still a significant sum or money.
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Ahan okay. I didnt knew about that. I Thought if you have Chronic Condition you can get the medication for free.
 
rebrascora said:
I often wonder why we get exemption as diabetics and when they recently started talking about OAPs losing their free prescriptions, I half expected that we diabetics might lose ours too.
After all asthma is surely as life threatening as diabetes, so I am not sure why I get mine free but my partner doesn't.
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Yeah sure Asthma is also life threatening. I seriously dont know how the NHS works in regards to free prescriptions.
 
Mmmm - you're right about asthma - my friend's mom always had to buy a prepayment certificate until she reitired.
 
Sanaowais said:
I Thought if you have Chronic Condition you can get the medication for free.
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It's only some. (The link I gave above has the list.)
Sanaowais said:
They didnt even think it was something urgent to see the doctor. I was told i will get a call from the GP if anything is wrong.
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It's possible it hasn't occurred to them. But if you're now registered as diabetic and you're talking medication on that basis then I'd have thought you should be exempt from the charges (even if you were previously taking the same medication).

I doubt it needs an actual meeting with the GP: for renewals I just get the form from reception, so provided your diagnosis is on their computer just asking reception for the relevant form ought to work. (Then fill it in and return it to them and your GP will do whatever's necessary.)
 
I saw a TV programme only recently which said the list of exemptions for prescriptions had not been updated since the 60's except to add cancer medications. England are now looking to re-coup funds to the NHS by charging OAP's (who surely have more medications than anyone) and certain chronic conditions like diabetes, or putting the age limit up to tie in with the retirement age. Don't know if it will happen though, as Scotland, Wales and Ireland don't charge, and the NHS is supposed to be free.
 
Indeed, England is the only country in the UK to charge for prescriptions. It’s essentially a tax on sick people, especially with chronic illnesses. The other countries have worked out that it costs more to monitor those who are exempt than to just make prescriptions for free.

The vast majority of prescriptions in England are for medications - eg antibiotics- that cost far less than the actual prescription charge. The result of this in England is that many people have to choose between taking their medicine or eating, or feeding their kids.

And the cost keeps going up. It’s criminal, and I don’t understand why there isn’t more of a protest in England.
 
Diabetes alone does not get an exemption, you have to be on medication for it.
 
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