Medical Exemption Certificates (Medex)

People with specified medical conditions can get free NHS prescriptions if:

• they suffer from any of the medical conditions listed below and
• they hold a valid Medical Exemption Certificate

The Authority's Medical Exemption Issue Office is responsible for issuing Medical Exemption Certificates on behalf of the Department of Health for England to patients who suffer from one of the specified medical conditions.

The specified medical conditions are:

• a permanent fistula (for example caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or requiring an appliance
• forms of hypoadrenalism (for example Addison's disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential
• diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituitarism
• diabetes mellitus except where treatment is by diet alone
• hypoparathyroidism
• myasthenia gravis
• myxoedema
• epilepsy requiring continuous anticonvulsive therapy
• a continuing physical disability which means the person cannot go out without the help of another person. Temporary disabilities do not count even if they last for several months.

The Medex Application Process

If you suffer from one of the specified medical conditions, to obtain a Medical Exemption Certificate, you must complete application form FP92A, available from doctor's surgeries. You are required to complete parts 1 and 2 and your doctor (or an authorised member of the practice staff) is asked to sign to confirm the information given by you is correct.

Practitioners send the completed application forms for medical exemption directly to:

NHS Business Services Authority
Patient Services
Maternity Exemption
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 1ZL

Our Medical Exemption Office aim to process applications within 21 days of receiving the application.

If you have an

We will send a Medical Exemption Certificate to patients, where it has been confirmed they suffer from one of the specified medical conditions. The certificate, an example of which is shown on the right, will be valid for 5 years starting one month before the date on which the application is received.

If you have any queries, you can call our enquiry line on 0845 601 8076. . Alternatively, complete our query form.

A full list of the ways in which people may obtain help with health costs, including those which the Authority does not administer, is available here.

People Resident in Scotland and Wales

We can only issue Medical Exemption Certificates to people resident in England. If you are resident outside England the action you need to take to apply for a Medical Exemption Certificate depends upon the country you are resident in. For further information if you are resident in:

• Scotland, please click here.
• Wales, please click here.

Drivers

If you have a medical condition which may entitle you to a Medical Exemption Certificate, you must also inform the DVLA Drivers Medical Group of your condition, as it may affect your fitness to drive. For more information click here.

Refunds

If you need to pay for prescriptions before you receive your exemption certificate you may be able to claim a refund, providing you obtain the official NHS receipt, form FP57 (WP57 in Wales), from you pharmacist at the time you pay. For more information click here.

Frequently Asked Questions