Free NHS prescriptions

Your GP, hospital doctor or clinical nurse specialist (CNS) will have to confirm that you qualify. The certificate is given if you are receiving treatment for:

• Diagnosed cancer
• The effects of cancer
• The effects of cancer treatment.

You don’t need to apply for an exemption certificate if you:

• Are 60 or over
• Are under 16
• Are 16 to 18 and in full-time education
• Already have a valid NHS prescription exemption certificate.

You will need an FP92A form to apply. You can collect it from:

• The pharmacy or the Macmillan Support and Information Service, both on the ground floor of the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre.
• Your GP surgery.

Complete the form and ask your hospital doctor, CNS or your GP to sign it. Then, post the signed form to the NHS Business Services Authority using the prepaid envelope.

The exemption certificate will be sent within 10 working days.

If you are getting your medicines from the Cancer Centre pharmacy, the staff may be able to check your hospital records to confirm that you qualify for free prescriptions.

If they are unable to confirm this, you might need to pay. If that happens, ask for a receipt so you can claim the money back once you receive your exemption certificate.

Please note: You can only get the receipt at the time of payment. The pharmacy will not be able to provide one later.

If you collect your prescription from a community pharmacy, you will likely need to pay until you receive your exemption certificate. Keep your receipts and follow the instructions on the FP92A form to claim your money back.

Once you have your certificate, you will need to show it as proof of exemption each time you collect your prescription.

Your certificate will cover all prescriptions and will be valid for five years. When it expires, you can apply for a new certificate following the same process.

Contact the Macmillan Support and Information Service if you need:

• More information about free prescriptions
• Support or advice about cancer or how treatment may affect you.

Telephone: 020 3447 8663 (general queries)

020 3447 3816 (support and information helpline)

Email: uclh.supportandinformation@nhs.net

Visit the NHS website to check if you can get free prescriptions.