In April 2005, a change of procedure for prescription charge declarations by Age Exempt patients was announced by the Department of Health. Prescriptions submitted in the exempt from charges group, but which do not bear a proper patient/representative exemption declaration/signature (and which would therefore otherwise be 'switched') will not now be switched, provided that the computer printed age or date of birth on the front of the prescription shows the patient to be under 16 or 60 and over.

Further information regarding this change to procedure can be found at
here

Further information on Prescription Switching in general can be found at
here