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In the year to May there were over 200,000 incorrect claims for items under a prepayment scheme intended only for hormone replacement therapy medicines, Community Pharmacy England has said as it warned that some patients could face prosecution. 

CPE revealed on Monday (August 11) that the NHS Business Services Authority had seen a rise in the number of prescriptions incorrectly using the prescription charge exemption category for products not covered by the HRT prescription prepayment certificate, which was first introduced in 2023 and in the current financial year covers a year’s supply of HRT medicines for £19.80. 

“Sertraline is the most common medicines for which patients are incorrectly claiming a prescription charge exemption using the HRT PPC category,” said CPE. 

Other medicines have included methadone, testosterone gel sachets, fluoxetine, citalopram and atorvastatin. 

The negotiator reminded contractors that drugs used to manage menopause symptoms such as clonidine, black cohosh and venlafaxine are not covered by the PPC.

While it is the patient’s responsibility to check if they can claim free NHS prescriptions when signing the declaration on the prescription form, pharmacies are required to advise those claiming exemption without providing evidence that the NHS may carry out eligibility checks, said CPE.

CPE added: “The NHSBSA will continue to process the prescription in accordance with the exemption or charge status declared by the patient. 

“However, NHSBSA’s Exemption Checking Services (ECS) carry out checks on patient claims and if they cannot confirm that a patient was entitled to claim free NHS prescriptions, the patient will be sent an enquiry letter asking them to confirm their entitlement.

“The Department of Health and Social Care advises that patients found to have wrongly claimed help from the NHS with the cost of their NHS prescriptions will face a penalty charge and, in some cases, prosecution.”

Over three million patients received PPC exemptions in 2023-24, the NHSBSA revealed earlier this year. 

Related: Three HRT medicines today removed from prescription prepayment certificate

Number of HRT drugs prescribed in England on the rise, according to latest figures