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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Prescription penalty charge notice

108 replies

Penaltycharge · 13/02/2019 17:38

Sorry if this is long.

Recently I was in a car accident and following that unable to drive / walk with ease for a short period due to injuries sustained. I take regular medication and this ran out during the period I was immobilised for. I phoned my doctors and explained the situation who were happy for a third party to collect my prescription for me.

A neighbour kindly agreed to collect it for me. I gave her £20, told her that I pay for my prescriptions (2 items) and she went to collect it. She returned with my medication and thought it was all sorted.

Today (3 months later) I receive a prescription penalty charge notice for the prescription that my neighbour collected. It seems she didn’t pay for it and now I am being fined. I contacted the neighbour first of all who is absolutely adamant that she paid for the prescription as I said, although she no longer has a receipt as it has been 3 months.

I then contacted the phone number on the letter to state that I did not collect the prescription and explained why, explained that I asked my neighbour to collect and pay for the prescription and gave her the money to do so and that as far I was aware until today this had been paid for. I was told this does not matter and it is my responsibility to make sure it is paid for.

AIBU I’m thinking this

a) punishes people for deception that was not their own. If my neighbour has indeed pocketed my money then I am basically being fined for being the victim of theft and deception.

b) directly discriminates against those who cannot collect their own prescriptions, the physically disabled etc.

c) cannot be legal! If someone stole my car I wouldn’t be liable for the parking or speeding tickets so why am I liable for this fine when I had no knowledge of my neighbours assumed theft from me.

Has anyone had any chance in appealing this. They are telling me there is no right to appeal unless I believe I should not have paid it (which is not the case as I do pay for prescriptions and thought I had paid for this one) and if I don’t pay it in 14 days it doubles.

OP posts:
wigglypiggly · 13/02/2019 17:43

I always have to pay st the time, can you ask them to send you a copy of the prescription to check it was signed by your neighbour and if they have ticked the paid for box. I would also ask how it has taken 3 months for them to take any action.

havingtochangeusernameagain · 13/02/2019 17:43

Surely they have to prove you/your representative didn't pay? Doesn't someone have to sign the form and tick a category for free prescriptions? Where is the evidence?

havingtochangeusernameagain · 13/02/2019 17:45

I'd be inclined to send a strongly worded letter saying that not allowing appeals is a breach of natural justice, and you won't be paying anything until you see evidence.

I'm not sure what the legal position is, but I think any court would require evidence of wrongdoing.

NaturalBornWoman · 13/02/2019 17:52

Doesn't someone have to sign the form and tick a category for free prescriptions? Where is the evidence?

This surely? In order to walk away with the drugs she either paid or signed the no payment part.

PookieDo · 13/02/2019 18:01

You need to find out from the pharmacy what happened - what box your neighbour ticked

She wouldn’t have been able to walk out with it unless she ticked an exemption box. So likely this is the issue. If neighbour has committed fraud on your behalf I would think it’s a civil matter between you

Unfortunately you will have to pay I think. I just got a letter from A&E asking for £8.80 for a box of clexane they gave me - no one told me I needed to pay at the time, I just didn’t realise

Jamiefraserskilt · 13/02/2019 18:03

The surgery should have a payment record on the till roll for the time it was collected. You need their payment record plus the prescription to see what was ticked. Tell your neighbour what you are doing as she may have a memory recovery!

PolarBearDisguisedAsAPenguin · 13/02/2019 18:05

I’d call back and ask for evidence that it wasn’t paid. As said above, your neighbour will have needed to tick the exemption box and sign to say you do not pay. A copy of the prescription with signature and tick box will have been kept.

TescoValue · 13/02/2019 18:07

My dad collected his partners prescription and ticked the box saying she didn't pay because she was under 16! Clearly a mistake, she got a fine and when she called up they were having none of it so she paid up (luckily they can afford this, but many can't). What's worse is that I work in pharmacy and see this all too often!

redzebra10 · 13/02/2019 18:10

sounds like your neighbour as ripped you off, its her arse you should be chasing.
the nhs are not going to believe "it wasn't me it was her excuse" else everyone would try it.
tell your neighbour she as a bill to pay, how much was it. about £120?

CaptainCallisto · 13/02/2019 18:10

I work in a pharmacy. At the end of the month prescriptions are sorted and filed into paid and exempt before being sent off to the PPC. For them to be fining you it sounds as though it's been filled in as if you were exempt and filed accordingly by the pharmacy staff. Once it's been sent off to the PPC they've no way of knowing if it was paid for or not - if it was filled in as paid they assume it has been.

Obviously if your friend has filled the back in incorrectly and pocketed the money then that's not your fault, but it's also money owed to the NHS which needs paying. I would second a request for a scan of the back of the prescription (they send us copies of stuff all the time so I can't see why they couldn't for you) so you can see exactly what she's filled in and get the money from her.

redzebra10 · 13/02/2019 18:11

how much was the fine i meant, around £120?

Original poster
Penaltycharge · 13/02/2019 18:14

They have told me the exemption box was ticked. Neighbour can’t remember what she ticked except she said she ticked patients representive and signed her own name so I can prove it wasn’t me. Apparently that doesn’t mean I’m not liable however. I cannot understand how I can possibly be liable for someone else’s mistake / fraud. Granted the prescription needs paying for if it hadn’t been and I’ve said I’m happy to pay the prescription cost. It’s the £100 fine I’m disputing as I can’t see how that’s my responsibility. How can I be legally responsible for the actions of another adult?

OP posts:
Walkingdeadfangirl · 13/02/2019 18:16

It is your responsibility to check it is paid for. All you had to do was ask your neighbour for a receipt. You could have even rang the pharmacy to check.

Did you get the change from the £20 off your neighbour at the time?

Ring the police and accuse your neighbours of theft, and then take them to small claims court for the cost of the fine.

minionsrule · 13/02/2019 18:21

Ok so your neighbour says she may have ticked the wrong box but what did she say about payment....surely she must have noticed they didn't take payment.... this is the bit that makes me wonder if she did it on purpose

PettyContractor · 13/02/2019 18:23

My dad collected his partners prescription and ticked the box saying she didn't pay because she was under 16!

Surely he must have noticed them not asking for any money though?

RussellSprout · 13/02/2019 18:24

I don't understand how the neighbour can think she paid if she didn't. Wouldn't she have an extra £20 in her pocket?

I reckon she's tried to diddle you.

Original poster
Penaltycharge · 13/02/2019 18:26

She insists she paid it. With hindsight yes I should have asked for a receipt but at the time I was in bed immobile, very out of it on sedatives and painkillers and was so grateful that she was willing to help me out that I didn’t think for one second she would do anything other than what I asked her.

OP posts:
AngelaStorm73 · 13/02/2019 18:28

If you are house bond most pharmacists can drop it to your house. Just in case you need to do that in future (I wouldn't be trusting your neighbour to get it again if I was you!)

ImNotKitten · 13/02/2019 18:32

Sorry OP, sounds rubbish and like your neighbour has ripped you off too. You have nothing to lose by putting in an appeal so try that first, outlining everything you’ve said on here. Include a cheque for the cost of the prescriptions. You never know, they might waive it out of goodwill.

PookieDo · 13/02/2019 18:35

She has totally ripped you off. I’m sorry. Really horrible thing to do to someone. I just can’t see how you will get round it - but ask for the scanned copy of proof so you will at least know

Even if she ticked the wrong box she still kept your £20!

PookieDo · 13/02/2019 18:36

I have learnt a lesson with receipts lately - always get one!

Walkingdeadfangirl · 13/02/2019 18:37

I am sure you know that if you need regular medications then you can get 3 month prepaid prescription certificate. So would be no need to give anyone cash.

Original poster
Penaltycharge · 13/02/2019 18:37

I’m not housebound I was temporarily housebound following an accident. I rang the GP and they never offered to drop the prescription off so I assume this is for permanently housebound people.

I have tried to appeal and they say I can’t. They have said the only grounds for appeal is if you do not think you should have to pay prescription charges. I’m not disputing that I have to pay I know I pay for them and have paid for them every time without fail for over 30 years.

The fact that someone else had defrauded them and me is my responsibility apparantly and I have to pay it it doubles.

Can you imagine if your car was stolen and the theif got a speeding ticket. And then the police said you have to pay the fine, even though you can prove it wasn’t you, as it’s your car and then you can try and get it back from the theif yourself. It would be illegal to do this so why is it ok for prescription charges?

OP posts:
PookieDo · 13/02/2019 18:38

It is worth getting the evidence and confronting her with it. I can only hope she has an attack of concience over it and feels guilty enough to pay it back to you

pineapplebryanbrown · 13/02/2019 18:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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