How to get maternity prescription exemption form - I am being sent round in circles!

[CanAnyoneSmellGarlic]

I contacted my GP surgery to ask for a maternity prescription exemption form. They said they don't do it and to contact maternity at the hospital.

I contacted the midwife department at the hospital. She said they only do MatB forms and I should apply for the prescription exemption online.

But I've checked online and you can't apply yourself - it says your GP, doctor or midwife can do it!

How can I get one please?!

I had my booking appointment yesterday with my midwife, and she did the prescription exception there and then. It was emailed to me as I left the appointment.

I also got mine at my booking in appointment, how far along are you? If you have a midwife appointment soon I'd ask her in person

I got emailed one from the midwife after my booking appointment at 8/9 weeks

I got mine through my midwife at my first appointment this was after i was told i need a higher dose of folic acid, she daid she would fill out a mat exemp form and send it over via email and it canr through straight away.

Speak to your midwife at your next appointment if possible, if not just ring your maternity unit and tell them according to the nhs website midwifes can do it, if they refuse ask them why and ask them to document why you arent allowed to have it.

As above, your midwife should sort this at your first appointment.

I had problems with this.

Midwifes kept telling me to apply online through gov website.

Obviously that's not possible and can only be if you have an nhs log in, midwife,gp etc.

So went back around my 20 week appointment and told them, and they went and got this poster with a QR code on and told me to scan it, and of course it brought up the page I already had found saying it had to be an nhs log in!
(They've clearly not had training and it's been miscommunicated how the new online exemption works)
She said "oh I don't know anything about that" so goodness knows how many people they've been telling to apply online when they can't 🤦🏼‍♀️

Anyway long story short, when they accepted I couldn't do it she went and filled in a paper one for me, I then had to post that off and it took about 3 weeks to come back.

Had about 3 prescriptions and 2 fillings in the time I didn't have the certificate for, of course since I've had it haven't needed it at all

I asked for mine at my booking in appointment at 9 weeks and the midwife did it then and there. It was just emailed to me straight away.

Have you had your booking in yet? If so, I would ask that the midwife sorts your cert now and if not, I'd ask when you have your booking in.

I have a Pre Payment Certificate (I have a lot of prescriptions amounting to around £2.5k a year if I had to pay full price) and I was then able to get a refund on that for the period after I got my maternity exemption certificate. They also auto cancelled the PPC renewal once my maternity cert was issued.

My midwife gave me mine and then when I lost it after baby was born my health visitor got me a new one.

Thanks all. Is there any way of getting it before the booking in appointment? That’s not for a couple of weeks but I will need to get some prescriptions before then.

I've just checked mine and it was only valid from the day of my booking appointment, I assume because a midwife or doctor has to confirm your pregnancy or at least enter it onto the system. It also uses the due date calculated by the system so I wouldn't have thought so.

Mine was backdated to the end of Spetember I think (booking in was at Hallowe'en). So, you might be able to get a refund once you have the certificate - might be worth asking the pharmacist.

Just double checked and it was issued on 31 October and valid from 30 September.

I’ve had a problem with this. Midwife told me she had done it!! I thought nothing more of it and ticked the boxes at the pharmacy. I received a charge in the post last week and a fine. Sent them off my Mat B1 form as proof of pregnancy (IM 39 weeks). Have been told they won’t accept that. I need a midwife or doctor to complete the form. They’ll cancel the fines (over £100) BUT they’ve said the prescription charges still stand.

Which seems entirely unfair given that I could not have completed the forms in the first place and AM legally exempt.

Just so others are cautious too.

Midwife applies for it at booking appointment, as this is the time they apparently 'confirm' they have seen the pregnant woman. The NHS backdate it to a month before the application. So prescriptions dated a month might be able to be refunded. There's a form the pharmacist can give to apply for the refund.