Prescription Charges: New Arrangements for Issuing Certificates
(last updated 8th August 2002)

This information is for NHS staff who currently administer Prescription Pre-payment Certificates, Medical Exemption Certificates and Maternity Exemption Certificates. If you are a patient currently in receipt of one of these certificates please note that there are no changes in the administrative arrangements for obtaining these until 1 October 2002.

As previously notified in March, responsibility for issuing prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs), medical (MedEx) and maternity (MatEx) exemption certificates in England will transfer to the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA) from 1 October 2002. All applications received by Health Authorities (HAs) up to and including 30 September 2002, irrespective of start date, should be dealt with by HAs (or their agencies) in accordance with existing arrangements. Applications received on or after 1 October will be processed by the PPA. Applications received by HAs (or their agencies) or PCTs from 1 October should be date stamped (to preserve entitlement) and sent with the payment to the PPA.

We have now collected and analysed the data from the questionnaires completed by HAs/Agencies in order to obtain an overview of the current arrangements. (Thanks to those who responded.) This has enabled best practice to be adopted in implementing the new national arrangements. We have sent a letter to all Health Authorities/PCTs/Agencies outlining the service improvements to be implemented. Click here to view the HA letter.

Some HAs have arrangements whereby pharmacists sell PPCs on their behalf. Pharmacists currently selling PPCs are being invited to register with the PPA to continue to do so for a temporary period, initially until 31 March 2003. Click here to view the letter to pharmacists currently selling PPCs, which is being sent shortly.

It is the intention that eventually pharmacists not currently selling PPCs will also be invited to do so. In the meantime, we have written to pharmacists who have not been invited to register to inform them of the new arrangements. Click here to view the General letter to pharmacists, which is being sent shortly.

The PPA has also sent out a letter to all GPs explaining the new arrangements. Click here to view the letter to GPs.

The PPA has set up call centre arrangements for patients to purchase PPCs by telephone using a credit or debit card. This will be operational from 1 October 2002. The orderline number will be posted on this section of our Web site shortly.

We have redesigned the application forms for PPCs, MedEx and MatEx in consultation with DH and practitioners. In the meantime current forms are available from your usual NHS forms supplier.

It would be most helpful if those of you who send PPC renewal reminders to patients could include a note telling them that applications for PPCs to start on or after 1 October 2002 should be sent to the Prescription Pricing Authority at:

PPC Issue Office
PO Box 854
Sandyford House
Archbold Terrace
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE99 2DE

The full address will appear on new PPC application forms which will be made available for 1 October. Applications for maternity and medical exemption certificates to start on or after 1 October 2002 should also be sent to the Prescription Pricing Authority at either:

Maternity Exemption Issue Office
PO Box 462
Sandyford House
Archbold Terrace
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE99 2DD

or

Medical Exemption Issue Office
PO BOX 463
Sandyford House
Archbold Terrace
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE99 2DF

A If anyone has any queries they can contact a member of the Project Team on 0191 203 5653, or email us () marking your email PPC Enquiry.

We will continue to update this section of our Web site as further information is available.