When do you get your nhs exemption card?

[zippyswife]

I'm 10 weeks and my first booking in appointment with midwife is next week. When can I expect to get the nhs card? (Half of my tooth has come away and I was hoping I might get treatment for free- desperately trying to save for baby at the moment!!)

You'll get a form you need to send off- but I told the pharmacy I was pregnant but didn't have my card through and then just took my details and said no worries so if you tell the dentist your still waiting for card that might be ok?

I got the form at my booking in appointment. I had to post it off and wait for it to come back, took about a week from posting.

I had to fill out a form to get mine but I think it's after 12 weeks your entitled to it

Thanks all!

I filled mine out and it was signed at my booking in appointment, then took a week or so to arrive.

I had a few prescriptions and the dentist before it arrived and they all took my word for it that it was on the way and didn't charge me.

But you can also ask for a receipt if they do make you pay and claim it back.

i didn't get this form at my booking in - can I download it from somewhere? or will my GP surgery have them?

You need to get the form from GP or midwife. You fill it out and they stamp it. I had mine by 7 weeks. Only takes a week

thanks brummiegirl

I got the form at my booking in, and sent it off.

I had a dentist appointment before I had the card though, I explained and they let me have the appointment for free pending the card arriving, so you could ring up and ask what the situation is or if you need to wait for the card.

My dentist has just accepted me saying I'm pregnant from about 7 weeks, they did the same with my last pregnancy which ended in miscarriage at 8 weeks.

I'm 27 weeks now and don't have a card though! I'm in Scotland so I don't know if that makes a difference because we don't pay for prescriptions anyway.

Thanks for posting this, I'm 17 weeks and no-one has even mentioned it at any of my appointments!

It might be a bit late now but I will ask the midwife next time I see her.

You don't get a card in Scotland. I've had toothache and always just took my notes with me but never needed them.

I think you can get it at any time from 12 weeks. I didn't get mine until a month before I gave birth as no-one had ever mentioned it to me!

Yeh ask your MW for it as mine never bothered to tell me/ give me the form until I asked about 26 weeks!! The dentist just took my word for it though so you should be fine if your needing treatment before it comes through!

I had my booking app early, at 6+4 (GP got date of lmp wrong, put 8th instead of 18th!). The MW had me sign the form and took it, sent it off, and I had my card about a week later which was useful as I then ended up with a UTI, so at least the prescription was free.

I got mine at 8 weeks booking appointment with mw. She signs and stamps it and you have to fill in your details and post it off mine took less then 2 weeks to come through.

Make sure you're with an NHS dentist though - I got a shock when I was told I had to pay full price for my appointment last week, as my dentist is private.

I needed antibiotics in early pregnancy and found out later I could have claimed the money back if I had kept the receipts :( maybe it's the same with the dentist?