General Information

Patients can get free National Health Service Prescriptions if they are in one of the groups listed below when their prescription is dispensed. They should mark the appropriate box on the back of the prescription form to say why they do not have to pay and then sign and date the form. If the patient is not going to the pharmacy, the person collecting the prescription should mark the box, sign and date the form and put their own name and address where indicated.

Patients who can get free prescriptions

• Children under 16.
• Young people 16 or over but under 19 and in full time education or approved training.
• People aged 60 or over.
• People who hold an exemption certificate (FP92).
• People in receipt of income-related employment and support allowance, income support, income-based job seekers allowance  pension credit (guarantee credit), or universal credit.
• People getting child tax credit, or working tax credit and in receipt of a tax credit exemption certificate.
• People able to qualify under the low income scheme (see below).
• Asylum seekers or their partners or dependent children, if supported by the National Asylum Support Services (NASS).

Women who are pregnant should apply for an exemption certificate using form (FW8) which is available from their General Practitioner, Midwife, or Health Visitor. After they have filled it in they should ask the General Practitioner, Midwife, or Health Visitor to sign it and send it to:
The Health Authority
White Rose House
Ten Pound Walk
Doncaster
DN4 5DJ

Women who have had a baby during the last 12 months who didn't get an exemption certificate when they were pregnant, should use form (FW8) as above.

People who have one or more of the conditions as listed below should apply for an exemption certificate using form (FP 92A) which is available from their General Practitioner, Hospital or Pharmacist.

• A continuing physical disability which prevents you from leaving your home except with the help of another person (this does not mean a temporary disability).
• Permanent fistula, (including caelcostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy), requiring continuous surgical dressing or an appliance.
• Diabetes mellitus (but not if treatment is by diet alone), myxoedema, hypoparathyroidism, diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituritarism, forms of hypoadrenalism, including addisons disease for which specific substitution therapy is essential or other conditions where supplemental thyroid hormone is necessary.
• Myasthenia Gravis.
• Epilepsy, requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy.

As from the 1st of April 2009, prescription charges for Cancer patients were abolished. The law was changed to add Cancer to the list of conditions that give exemption from prescription charges. Eligible patients will be able to apply for a certificate that will give them exemption.

If your exemption certificate is due to expire you should receive notification about 3 weeks before hand. If you have not received this then telephone 0845 601 8076 giving your Postcode and Date Of Birth.

Pre-Payment Certificate

If none of these apply to you, you may still be able to get your prescription costs reduced by buying a prepayment certificate. From April 2011, a 3 month certificate costs £29.10 and a years certificate costs £104.00. It saves money if you need over 14 items a year or over 3 items in 3 months on prescription.

The pre-payment system is administered by the Prescription Pricing Authority. To buy a prepayment you can either post your request to:

PPC Issue Office
P.O. Box 854
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE99 2DE

or you can purchase over the phone with credit/debit cards, call: 0845 850 0030.

You can now order your repeat prescriptions electronically via the NHS Doncaster website. Log onto the NHS Doncaster website (www.doncaster.nhs.uk), go to GP details, select your Group Practice, depending which one you usually attend, then select request repeat prescription. After reading the terms and conditions register with the system filling in all details carefully and adding all your regular repeat and as required medicines.

Low Income Scheme

The Low Income Scheme for help with National Health Charges, is operated by the the NHS Business Services Authority. Requirements are made up in the same way as the Income Support (IS) applicable amount, including premiums but with some changes.

If your income is low enough you will be sent a certificate HC2 for full help or HC3 for partial help with NHS charges.

Prescription charges in 2013/2014 are £7.85 for each item.

DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this fact sheet was correct at the time of going to press,
DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.