How long before your prescription exemption card arrived?

[Sleepyhoglet]

I sent mine off about 4 weeks ago but haven't heard anything back yet. There is no rush but just wondering if I should chase it up.

[Teaandtoast1]

Mine was about 4 weeks. If you keep the receipts though for anything it can be back dated apparently.

[WorkingBling]

I never got one. Just told them I was pregnant and they let me get free prescriptions.

[beccajoh]

About a month I think. Was a while!

[RedPony]

I got mine about three weeks ago and I'm now 33 weeks! I had to send in the form 3 times before I eventually got it

[GingerRodgers]

Where do I get the form from for this? Can't remember from last time but stupidly thought it just happened automatically!

[RAFWife12]

Ginger - your midwife should give you the form at booking appointment.

Mine took ages! Well over a month. Then when it did finally come, they had spelled my surname wrong so I had to send it back! Some pharmacies will still give you prescriptions for free. If you have to pay then just get a claim form to get a refund when card does come through.

[LisaC2611]

I got mine really quickly. I sent it off on a Friday and got it back 2 weeks later.

[GingerRodgers]

Great. Another thing she's missed! Thanks, will ask for it next time I see her.

[Excitedmumtobe007]

I never got a form either at booking in. Will chase :-)

[magichandles]

I chased mine after about 3 weeks and it turned out they had received the form but not issued it as there was a problem with my address. I then got it about 10 days after that.

[Lula2515]

Mine took about 10 days. Had a photocopy of the original form that I sent off and the pharmacist accepted that whilst I was waiting x

[NewJobNewLife]

I saw GP at 8 weeks and midwife at 9 weeks. I'm 11 weeks now and card just arrived. I don't know which of GP or midwife sent the form off though.

I hope it cones soon. In the meantime, pharmacists have let me tick the exempt box because the form is in process.

[Darksideofthemoon88]

Mine was very quick - less than a fortnight I think. I used to work for NHS BSA who deal with them though, and the backlog can be horrendous at times.

Workingbling: Being pregnant does NOT entitle you to free prescriptions - only having a Maternity Exemption Certificate does. You don't necessarily have to have it on you, but you need one that's in date. If you don't have one, speak to your midwife asap and see what you can do. The NHS BSA perform regular checks to see who's claiming for free prescriptions when they shouldn't be - if you have been and don't have the card, you could become liable to pay back the costs.

[Foxeym]

I've never had one, DC3 is now 7 months and I just tell them I'm exempt from paying etc and have never been questioned?

[Darksideofthemoon88]

You won't be by the pharmacist unless they're particularly arsey/on the ball - the bit you sign on the back of the prescription says quite clearly that you are responsible for ensuring you're covered by a valid exemption, so normally they don't bother and leave it to the BSA to catch you out if you're not. And believe me, it does happen.

[eurochick]

Good point! I filled in the form in January! It has never arrived.

[ohthegoats]

Still not arrived, I filled the form in in February.

Luckily I get all my prescriptions from the hospital, and go straight to their pharmacy where the 'unit' I've come from means they don't question it.

[Firstpregnancy2014]

I had my first midwife appointment at 6 weeks when I rung to tell them I was pregnant- didn't have to fill out a form midwife said shed sort it and it came the following week!

[DebH1975]

It's not always the midwife who you gives you the form - I had to go to my GP clinic to get my form

[Poycastle]

Got my form from midwife at GP practice - sent it off and got the exemption card back about 2 weeks later.

[ViviPru]

About a week for me. Amazed how efficient everything has been so far in the process here.

[eastmidswarwicknightnanny]

Midwife sent mine off at 8wks n took less than 2wks to arrive