Really panicking and spiralling about expired prescription certificate

[Anonymousemouses]

I made a HUGE mistake! I buy the prepayment prescription certificates for my DD and I. I don't buy by DD, I buy every year - this was FINE until my husband had a couple of times where he collected his early, now our renewal dates differ.

DH collected his prescription yesterday and I suddenly had a feeling tonight his must be due, I looked, and it had run out!

I did not get a reminder - because I stupidly sent it to his email address last time, and I didn't have a copy to check.

I've gone online and bought a new one and backdated it to Friday (so the day before he collected it).

It allowed me to backdate to 24th April (day his last one run out), but he was covered last month, I checked before he went.

There is NO excuse, I am not trying to deflect. I have bad MH at the moment, and have been spiralling (staying up all night worried the school had the wrong timings for DD's GCSE, wanting to email the headteacher, HOY and Maths teacher, as I was worried they gave DD foundation maths and not higher - DH had to physically stop me), I have not slept, am catastrophising everything and this just slipped my mind - every month I CHECK before we get our prescriptions, but I just wasn't with it.

I thought that by backdating it would be fine, as the system allowed it, but I have read on Reddit that you have to have paid for the prescription and then claim it back after you have backdated the prescription - but this makes no sense, as you would only pay if you knew your certificate had expired, and if you did, why wouldn't you just pay whilst in the pharmacy.

I am so stressed and worried about this, I don't know what to do, and I can't change it now I've bought a new one. I've also realised that you are supposed to be covered for when the meds are dispensed, but I have ALWAYS bought a new one (when due), on the day I have collected, I am scared to ring them as I will get in so much trouble

Hi. I'm sorry if I've misunderstood but why the angst over your husbands prescription? Can he not take ownership of his own medication?

You will probably get a fine. My dd did when she didn’t realise hers had run out. Think it was a couple of hundred.

I think you are overthinking this. You've covered yourself by backdating. Surely you can just explain what you have here if anyone asks?

I have retrospectively backdated before and it was all fine.

Worst you'll get is a snotty letter with a fine. Phone up and say the pic is from x date and they'll either remove it or say unfortunately, that doesn't apply so you'll need to pay the charge.

It's a lot easier to set it up as direct debit, though - no needing to remember, less money to find at once, no panic striken searching to make sure the dates align, which would make next year's renewal far less stressful.

Did she backdate it so she was covered? That is my dilemma, I have bought a new one and backdated it to the day before the prescription was collected, I am just so unsure if that is OK though?

Why is this so panic inducing op? Are there other issues compounding this?

Thanks, did you have to pay for the prescription and claim it back, or just backdate and were covered?

Thanks, it makes no sense that they allow you to backdate, as it actually says he is covered by that date, so it is so confusing

I don't understand this ? Is this a long term medical prescription from the pharmacy .

Look at my OP, I have not been doing well the last couple of weeks, nearly emailing the school telling them that they gave DD a foundation maths paper instead of a higher, even though she checked it, as it was in my head there was a mistake.

This happened to me. The NHS sent me a letter few months later asking for proof of pre payment certificate and I did. It was cancelled there and then and no issues occured

No it's just an ordinary monthly prescription for medication.

He had one, but collected it before I realised it had run out (he got it yesterday), I realised tonight my error, bought a new one tonight online, and backdated it to Friday.

It is a prepayment certificate that allows you to collect as many prescriptions as you want, for the PPC fee

I would get worried by something like this also. Which is why I have mine setup as a DD.

I would try not to worry about it unless they send you a letter.

This is picture of it (when it is allowed to be uploaded), it says that it is valid from 15th May, which is the day before he collected it.

I only bought a three month one this time as I was scared of getting in trouble and them invalidating it

Thanks, I will do that in future, as I cannot believe I forgot! I have done this for years and never forgotten before.

The certificate definitely says valid from 15th May, but Reddit says that doesn't matter

Is there a reason your DH is incapable of checking his emails/taking responsibility for his own certificate? I don’t understand your anxiety?

Same thing - you bought it after you had collected the prescription? That is good to know, thank you

He pays most things, I pay for the prescriptions and water, it is just how we do things, and it works well and has for years - until now.

You sound like you get easily over whelmed in which case can your husband not manage his own certificates and prescriptions?

what’s done is done. Don’t spiral about it. You realised, you paid, the end. Put it all to bed and move on

I have mine as a dd for this reason!

Thanks, what worried me is someone above said it happened to her daughter and she got a huge fine, I'm not sure if her daughter bought a new one and backdated or not.

He literally collected it yesterday and I paid and backdated it today

Given you have backdated this you have done everything possible. You are only human, we all forget things. For what it is worth, I forgot a few years ago missed a payment paid a small fine and reactivated it. I think the fine was small and that was it.
I realize you will see this as failure / annoying etc but the reality is if you normally pay for the certificate, even with the fine you are still better off than someone who pays as they go and unexpectedly need a lot of prescriptions within a given year.
I think this is one of those moments you have to acknowledge it is incredibly frustrating etc but you need to move on and just focus on ensuring direct debit etc is all in place.

You've got that screenshot - if they do write to you just send that and they should cancel it - I've found them a lot more human and flexible than some fine-issuing authorities!

When i spiral i break it down on a note on my phone.
Something like this.
Mistakenly thought DH had cert but it expired.
Bought back dated cert.
Most likely outcome, nothing.
Worst outcome, fine of about £70.
Put £70 in the idiot tax box just in case.