Prescription Exemption Idea

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nuck123

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My prescription exemption expired and I am a Type 1 diabetic since 1998. Regardless of the level of illness, the prescription expires after 5 years. No warning is posted and if found out you get a fine (something that has been talked about before).

A great deal of money was spent by the NHS on the NHS app (partly to show vaccination status). Would this app not be the ideal place to store the exemption status? It would be on my phone and the app could even tell you when it expires.

The NHS could also automatically remove the exemption (for other illnesses where you have been cured). This would save a great deal of double effort and cost and also empower the user to easily track). I would also mean that having to go the doctors to raise a form for you to sign would not be required).

For those that prefer the old method this could be done in parallel.

I am floating this idea with the NHS app team but very much doubt I would get anywhere. Any suggestions on how to move this forward?
 
nuck123 said:
Regardless of the level of illness, the prescription expires after 5 years. No warning is posted and if found out you get a fine (something that has been talked about before).
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Had you updated the address? You do get a letter to remind you. You should also keep the card so you can check when it expires, and if you aren’t sure when it expires you can check online whether you have a valid exemption.
 
Clearly states in that Link @Lucyr posted that the NHS send you a reminder - BUT I have to say that our GP surgery also had a reminder system and I never was ever asked to sign a form again, just told Oh we've done it for you, when I once asked after it first came about hence if anything needed signing they presumably forged it! LOL Not like I was going to complain, was it! so they (also presumably) correctly assumed I wouldn't - and I certainly didn't.

No idea what other GP surgeries do for their patients with incurable conditions, of course.
 
I certainly got a reminder that mine was due to expire in January this year, but as my 60th birthday was just a couple of weeks later. I didn't renew as all prescriptions are free at 60.
 
My dream would be to combine the medical exemption and driving license somehow so I only have to renew one thing every 5 years. Yes, I now the driving license is every 3 years but there have been discussions about extending it so why not make it a single form (and maybe app) for both as the reason is the same.

I say "may dream" but I mean one of my dreams. There are far bigger ones 😎
 
helli said:
My dream would be to combine the medical exemption and driving license somehow so I only have to renew one thing every 5 years. Yes, I now the driving license is every 3 years but there have been discussions about extending it so why not make it a single form (and maybe app) for both as the reason is the same.

I say "may dream" but I mean one of my dreams. There are far bigger ones 😎
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People in wales and Scotland need a driving licence but not a medical exemption for prescription though, so that may have to stay a dream!
 
Lucyr said:
Had you updated the address? You do get a letter to remind you. You should also keep the card so you can check when it expires, and if you aren’t sure when it expires you can check online whether you have a valid exemption.
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I have not moved, I had disappeared from the system. The card was in my wallet and got taken out because it was never used and forgotten about as I have never been challenged. I don't even get to tick the box and sign now the pharmacy does.
I was never given a certificate when I left the armed services but a card arrived in the post when I moved to my current address (this must have been triggered by the surgery). I was told I didn't need to do anything.

The NHS APP covers a whole load of areas including vaccinations, appointments and prescriptions, so why not add the exception status instead of having another website?

Yes, join it with your passport and driving license.
 
nuck123 said:
I have not moved, I had disappeared from the system. The card was in my wallet and got taken out because it was never used and forgotten about as I have never been challenged. I don't even get to tick the box and sign now the pharmacy does.
I was never given a certificate when I left the armed services but a card arrived in the post when I moved to my current address (this must have been triggered by the surgery). I was told I didn't need to do anything.

The NHS APP covers a whole load of areas including vaccinations, appointments and prescriptions, so why not add the exception status instead of having another website?

Yes, join it with your passport and driving license.
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There may be an issue of confidentiality with having medical records linked to other records for which they are not relevant.
 
nuck123 said:
My prescription exemption expired and I am a Type 1 diabetic since 1998. Regardless of the level of illness, the prescription expires after 5 years. No warning is posted and if found out you get a fine (something that has been talked about before).

A great deal of money was spent by the NHS on the NHS app (partly to show vaccination status). Would this app not be the ideal place to store the exemption status? It would be on my phone and the app could even tell you when it expires.

The NHS could also automatically remove the exemption (for other illnesses where you have been cured). This would save a great deal of double effort and cost and also empower the user to easily track). I would also mean that having to go the doctors to raise a form for you to sign would not be required).

For those that prefer the old method this could be done in parallel.

I am floating this idea with the NHS app team but very much doubt I would get anywhere. Any suggestions on how to move this forward?
Click to expand...
I have a medical exemption, but it has never related to diabetes.

A couple of things; I don't get a reminder if I need a vaccination top up (aside from the Covid programmes that were like rotwewielers. I don't get prescription reminders (how do that know what I need and how often I need it - especially as try as I might, one of my meds is recorded wrongly, by the pharmacist. Thankfully that hasn't impeded repeats.

Finally, once an exemption is awarded, it is valid for 5 years, irrespective of anything that might be cured or resolved.

I imagine the admin in what you propose would be a nightmare, and effectively abdicating your admin to some fallible algorythm.

In reality, you could just set a reminder in your phone for a month or two before expiry?
 
Sure my exemption ran out years ago, never get asked for proof as meds come from same pharmacy.

Think having a digital proof of exemption is a great idea mind, things like railcards can be stored on phone so why not.
 
nonethewiser said:
Sure my exemption ran out years ago, never get asked for proof as meds come from same pharmacy.
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Check whether it’s expired online and reapply if it’s run out before you get a fine?
 
nonethewiser said:
Sure my exemption ran out years ago, never get asked for proof as meds come from same pharmacy.

Think having a digital proof of exemption is a great idea mind, things like railcards can be stored on phone so why not.
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It would be best if you got it renewed ASAP. I never got an email or a letter. When they checked, I never existed despite having an exemption number. Like you, the pharmacy knows me and just gave me what I needed.
 
Might be worth contacting NHS BA @nuck123 ?

I think it would be handy for the app to remind you that the exemption needed renewing, but the NHSBA should also have sent you a form to complete and pass to your GP surgery once they have completed their section of it.

I always keep my exemption cards in my wallet as even though I am only very rarely asked for them it does happen occasionally.

TBH it’s a bit annoying that they need renewing, since T1 is never going anywhere. But I have just lumped it into the awkwardly shaped lumpy holdall of all the irritating things T1 requires of me :D
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
I think it would be handy for the app to remind you that the exemption needed renewing, but the NHSBA should also have sent you a form to complete and pass to your GP surgery once they have completed their section of it.
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Do they? I seem to remember only receiving a reminder and then I have to go to the GP surgery who give me the form which I fill in and return to them (or do in the waiting room if I remember to take a pen and all the information needed). (But it's been a while so maybe it's changed or I'm misremembering.)
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Do they? I seem to remember only receiving a reminder and then I have to go to the GP surgery who give me the form which I fill in and return to them (or do in the waiting room if I remember to take a pen and all the information needed). (But it's been a while so maybe it's changed or I'm misremembering.)
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Only going on my experience from a few weeks ago. They first sent me a letter to say they were sending a form… then a week or two later sent me the form 🙂
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Maybe it's changed. The website just says they'll send a reminder and you need to speak to your GP or doctor.
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Actually… Sorry! I am rethinking. I have a recollection now of completing the form in the reception of the GPs, so I think you are right. It was a reminder only, then the GP had the form.

My forgettery in full flow once again!
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Actually… Sorry! I am rethinking. I have a recollection now of completing the form in the reception of the GPs, so I think you are right. It was a reminder only, then the GP had the form.

My forgettery in full flow once again!
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Welcome to my world. Like Pete's mom told us when we were 50, old age doesn't come on its own and as I replied, Never mind mum, its being so cheerful about it that keeps you going!
 
trophywench said:
Welcome to my world. Like Pete's mom told us when we were 50, old age doesn't come on its own and as I replied, Never mind mum, its being so cheerful about it that keeps you going!
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I don't think anyone should expect to remember this kind of detail of something you do infrequently, especially since it really doesn't matter whether you remember (because the reminder letter tells you what to do).
 
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