Hi ladies,
Diagnosed Nov 07, I believe free perscription charges came in for people diagnosed with cancer April 09. I have been on Tamox since Dec 07 but take an assortment of other drugs for asthma.
I’ve been buying a prepayment card (@£104/yr) for ever and no one has ever told me Im exempt - doctor, pharmisist, surgeon.
Just contacted the docs and they said sure, fill in an exemption form. Perscriptions say you can only clain back 3 months. I never clain anything therefore never enquire anywhere re benefits…how was I meant to find out?
Thoughts ladies?
Blessing
Blessing that’s really annoying for you and I’m surprised nobody in clinic mentioned it to you. Really though the end stop should have been the pharmacist, since so far as I can see, nobody (okay a very small group of very high risk patients who are taking it for primary BC prevention, rather than as follow up treatment to prevent recurrences, okay those people would not be exempt) with that exception, nobody who takes tamoxifen should be paying for it or for anything else, so with every box issued they should be saying “You don’t pay charges, do you?” rather than expecting you to be psychic.
I’m not quite sure whose job it is to help you find out, although lots of people will help once you ask. Trouble is, you don’t know to ask!
It might be worth raising this question with someone at the hospital where you had your diagnosis, someone like the complaints manager - I think they are called PALS now (patient advocay liason support or something,) to suggest to them that the exemption (and how to claim it) should be advertised more explicitly in future; that doesn’t help you financially though. The outpatients clinic is the point where you become a cancer patient and therefore become eligible, so I think that’s they point they should be telling us what help we are or may be entitled to. Do seriously consider giving them this feedback, even though you can’t claim money back past the three months. If that’s the national rule then you can’t get round it, but you can change how much it upsets you and what you let that adrenaline do to your body. So much of our progress has been made by people who didn’t directly benefit for themselves but have wanted to use their bad experience to help the generation coming behind and it is a constructive and therapeutic thing to do with your justified emotions.
I think some other long-term conditions are also being brought under this scheme, i’m not sure if ashtma is one of them, but it would be worth your while to ask.
Blessings if you have an annual thing it says on the nhs prescription charges website you maybe able to claim for a full refund… I’ll try and find the link… You would have thought the pharmacy would have realised if you were getting tamoxifen that you had previously had cancer… Does however also say on thatvsame website that it’s up to parents to find out about the Medex certificate. 
Lx
Blessing
Don’t know if it will help but I found these links:
dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_104837.pdf
Quote: “It is crucial that all clinicians ensure they are well informed about this new exemption and that they pass this information on to their patients.”
nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/2132.aspx
Perhaps a letter explaining that you weren’t advised by your Practice of the changes will help although it does look like 3 months backdated is the max for a refund. Yes you may have bought one after the change but nearly 3 yrs and your still paying shows that you were not informed. I also think you should take it up with your Drs as there could be others who are in the same position as you.
You may also be interested in the Minor Ailments Scheme which is administered by some pharmacys.
nhs.uk/Livewell/Pharmacy/Pages/Commonconditions.aspx
Good luck
L4W
I would have thought your pharmacist would have told you when she filled out the script I think she or he is as much to blame I really think that all medical and nursing people should be aware I know breast care nurses at my hospital were
Many many thanks ladies,
Start the fight Monday! If not for me but others in prac…
Blessing
Guess what…
Doc blamed the pharmacy…(who didn’t know when the ruling had come in…thought it was this year). The pharmacist then blamed the doc. The practice manager then rang me at home to say it would be discussed at the monthly pow wow, under concerns and they would put up some posters. After mentioning I was over £280s out of pocket (2 years 8 mths paying for something I was entitled to)she then said she thought it was the consultants fault. I did say I saw him only once a year (Nov) so that couldn’t be right as I would have been paying for 7 mths before the opportunity came for him to tell me back in 09!
Prescriptions, well, they just didn’t know but told me I could only back claim 3 mths. Guess what, yet another hot potato left with the person who had the c**p diagnosis and gets to pay for the treatment needlessly.
Can the forum staff share any light?
Blessing
Hi Blessing
I have passed this on for further clarification from BCC
Best wishes
Lucy
Dear All
We are aware that some women are, unfortunately, still paying prescription charges for the drugs being used to treat breast cancer. We are continuing to make health care professionals aware that people with cancer are exempt from prescription charges throughout the UK.
For more information about prescription charges you may want to take at look at:
macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinfor … tions.aspx
Macmillan Support Line 0808 808 00 00
With best wishes
Poppy
Hi Blessing
It is rediculous that you have been paying for scripts for all this time. I’m coming up 6 years from diagnosis and at first I had to pay for scripts. My friend (A Nurse Practitioner) told me that we could get free scripts when it first came in and I was given a form by the Doc who knew all about it.
When I was given the all clear at the beginning of the year I expected it to stop but my certificate was valid for another 3 years. A total of 5 years , which makes up for the 3years I paid.
Your Doctor and Pharmasist should be ashamed they are so behind the times. I just hope they keep up to other changes better.
Watch out for jars labelled leaches!lol
What about taking them to small claims court?
Regards
Chinook
Many thanks for the responses and support, team. Have gone back to perscription people, spoke to yet another (very nice/helpful) staff member who told me to put it all in writing to see what could be done.
Lost 4 words… your links have been great. Produced the letter (to GP practices) at the Docs… I dont have to say anything!
I will keep people posted as others may come across this posting in the same position as me. Concerning my prac. I might just be the tip of an iceberg
Wishing everyone the best Christmas possible,
Love and empathy
Blessing