NHS Penalty Charge Notice

waist.it said

Chantastic said

Never seen a doctor for over 40 years but a few months  ago I went and was prescribed a course of medicine, at no time was question of payment or exemption was mentioned. Anyway months later I was sent a letter that I claimed free medicine, that I have not produce an exemption and that I should either pay or challenge. There were online links they said I could process my challenge but not payment. Due to my status I most likely not entitled to free medicine but because they have not given me any details to process payment or even provide me with the invoice for the cost of medicine there is no way I could process payment so I just followed what the NHS online ask about why I did not pay and explained. I also explained that I want to pay and there is no option on their online link for me to process the payments and explicetley said the delay might result in them issuing me with a Penalty Charge, I mentioned it at least twice each time they just resend me the same link with the usual blah blah about challenging for exemption. And now my fear has been realised and they want to charge me £99 plus cost of medicine and details how to pay. Are the NHS run by bandits?

BTW any help much appreciated.

 

Edited by Chantastic

No, the NHS isn't run by bandits. lol.  It's run by bureaucrats, working within a system that is seriously underfunded and under-resourced. Consequently silly mistakes happen and resolving them can seem like trying to sprint whilst knee-deep in treacle. My advice would be to write a brief, polite, carefully worded letter to the Chief Executive of whatever NHS trust is sending you these letters. Briefly explain the situation and request his or her intervention. Enclose copies of all correspondence and request a response within 14 days. Send the letter by recorded delivery.

The letters are not sent from any trust.  It's a central NHS unit responsible for all prescriptions.  May be it's the old prescription pricing authority I'm not sure

MarkGerrardPhotography said

indemnity said

The Pharmacy at the Doctors surgery have a procedure and it is usual practice to ask those under retirement age whether they have to pay or not. Interesting that you say you've not attended for 40yrs, which might suggest you are or close to exemption age. Could it be the Pharmacy wrongly assumed you were not obliged to pay, that may provide some grounds for the situation to have happened providing you did not sign exempt status on collection....just sayin'

No chance of that.  It does say on the letter and the website that a doctor or pharmacy error is not accepted as an excuse

I had two earlier this year because my exemption had run out.  I renewed the exemption and phoned them.  They waived the penalty but I still had to pay for the prescriptions

Well it does matter, because if there's no signature on declaration or he's over 60yrs and not realised his entitlement, then he will be successful in a challenge.

Edited by indemnity

indemnity said

MarkGerrardPhotography said

indemnity said

The Pharmacy at the Doctors surgery have a procedure and it is usual practice to ask those under retirement age whether they have to pay or not. Interesting that you say you've not attended for 40yrs, which might suggest you are or close to exemption age. Could it be the Pharmacy wrongly assumed you were not obliged to pay, that may provide some grounds for the situation to have happened providing you did not sign exempt status on collection....just sayin'

No chance of that.  It does say on the letter and the website that a doctor or pharmacy error is not accepted as an excuse

I had two earlier this year because my exemption had run out.  I renewed the exemption and phoned them.  They waived the penalty but I still had to pay for the prescriptions

Well it does matter, because if there's no signature on declaration or he's over 60yrs and not realised his entitlement, then he will be successful in a challenge.

Edited by indemnity

Most of the pharmacies around here don't ask for a signature they just put a squiggle in the signature box not sure what it's like in other areas

MarkGerrardPhotography said

waist.it said

Chantastic said

Never seen a doctor for over 40 years but a few months  ago I went and was prescribed a course of medicine, at no time was question of payment or exemption was mentioned. Anyway months later I was sent a letter that I claimed free medicine, that I have not produce an exemption and that I should either pay or challenge. There were online links they said I could process my challenge but not payment. Due to my status I most likely not entitled to free medicine but because they have not given me any details to process payment or even provide me with the invoice for the cost of medicine there is no way I could process payment so I just followed what the NHS online ask about why I did not pay and explained. I also explained that I want to pay and there is no option on their online link for me to process the payments and explicetley said the delay might result in them issuing me with a Penalty Charge, I mentioned it at least twice each time they just resend me the same link with the usual blah blah about challenging for exemption. And now my fear has been realised and they want to charge me £99 plus cost of medicine and details how to pay. Are the NHS run by bandits?

BTW any help much appreciated.

 

Edited by Chantastic

No, the NHS isn't run by bandits. lol.  It's run by bureaucrats, working within a system that is seriously underfunded and under-resourced. Consequently silly mistakes happen and resolving them can seem like trying to sprint whilst knee-deep in treacle. My advice would be to write a brief, polite, carefully worded letter to the Chief Executive of whatever NHS trust is sending you these letters. Briefly explain the situation and request his or her intervention. Enclose copies of all correspondence and request a response within 14 days. Send the letter by recorded delivery.

The letters are not sent from any trust.  It's a central NHS unit responsible for all prescriptions.  May be it's the old prescription pricing authority I'm not sure

OK fine. Write to the Chief Executive Officer of NHS England, who is currently Amanda Pritchard. :-)

• https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/whos-who-at-nhs-england/

Amanda Pritchard

Chief Executive Officer, NHS England

PO Box 16738

Redditch

B97 9PT

:-)

MarkGerrardPhotography said

indemnity said

MarkGerrardPhotography said

indemnity said

The Pharmacy at the Doctors surgery have a procedure and it is usual practice to ask those under retirement age whether they have to pay or not. Interesting that you say you've not attended for 40yrs, which might suggest you are or close to exemption age. Could it be the Pharmacy wrongly assumed you were not obliged to pay, that may provide some grounds for the situation to have happened providing you did not sign exempt status on collection....just sayin'

No chance of that.  It does say on the letter and the website that a doctor or pharmacy error is not accepted as an excuse

I had two earlier this year because my exemption had run out.  I renewed the exemption and phoned them.  They waived the penalty but I still had to pay for the prescriptions

Well it does matter, because if there's no signature on declaration or he's over 60yrs and not realised his entitlement, then he will be successful in a challenge.

Edited by indemnity

Most of the pharmacies around here don't ask for a signature they just put a squiggle in the signature box not sure what it's like in other areas

There you go, if all the scripts have the same squiggle then it's down to the Pharmacy for falsifying the documents. Sounds like a valid defence to me that the opportunity to make the declaration was not presented.

ClickMore 📷 said

Sounds like the fault of the Pharmacy. You get charged before they hand over the medication, unless it is a private prescription given to you at the Medical Practice. Are you sure this isn't a scam?

It certaianly felt like a scam with the NHS being major part of it. Not allowing me to process payment until they issue a Penalty Charge and only then did they reveal how much the medicine is along with the £99 fine and only then did it allow me to process payment is too much a bare face scam.

Edited by Chantastic

I’d suggest you call / visit your local Citizens Advice. This is exactly the sort of problem I’d deal with when I used to volunteer there. I can’t currently see anything relevant on their public facing website, but they have a ton of resources and contacts

Come live in Wales where all prescriptions are free…although we do have a 20mph speed limit so not all good 😂

sounds like a scam to me.  an actual scam, they want you to panic then click a link.

if you can, without using the link, try to verify either through your GP or pharmacy or hospital by contacting them directly.

BC2024 said

sounds like a scam to me.  an actual scam, they want you to panic then click a link.

if you can, without using the link, try to verify either through your GP or pharmacy or hospital by contacting them directly.

I wondered about that as well. 

Chantastic said

ClickMore 📷 said

Sounds like the fault of the Pharmacy. You get charged before they hand over the medication, unless it is a private prescription given to you at the Medical Practice. Are you sure this isn't a scam?

It certaianly felt like a scam with the NHS being major part of it. Not allowing me to process payment until they issue a Penalty Charge and only then did they reveal how much the medicine is along with the £99 fine and only then did it allow me to process payment is too much a bare face scam.

 

Edited by Chantastic

Anyway how much was the Viagra.....asking for a friend. ;)

Chantastic said

ClickMore 📷 said

Sounds like the fault of the Pharmacy. You get charged before they hand over the medication, unless it is a private prescription given to you at the Medical Practice. Are you sure this isn't a scam?

It certaianly felt like a scam with the NHS being major part of it. Not allowing me to process payment until they issue a Penalty Charge and only then did they reveal how much the medicine is along with the £99 fine and only then did it allow me to process payment is too much a bare face scam.

 

Edited by Chantastic

How old are you?

Orson Carter said

BC2024 said

sounds like a scam to me.  an actual scam, they want you to panic then click a link.

if you can, without using the link, try to verify either through your GP or pharmacy or hospital by contacting them directly.

I wondered about that as well. 

I had a similar-ish message a few days ago, Penalty Charge Notice because my vehicle was clocked by a camera in a London borough, illegal parking or some such and since I haven't made a prompt payment of the fine, they were going to fine me via the PCN and report me to the DVSA.

My first thought was, hang on, I don't have vehicle, and DVSA??  Not DVLA?

I reported it as spam and blocked the number.

How exactly did you get hold of the medicine ?  As far as I am aware it is not possible to be given out a prescription of actual pills without either actually paying the Pharmacy or when asked you telling them exactly how you are going to pay.  You cant just be given a course of medicine without any attempt to get payment.  You are given a prescription by the GP or A&E but not actual pills (or other medicine)

We need some more specific details to come to a proper conclusion of events and how to proceed.