Prescription Exemptions for Patients Battling Cancer
The DOH has announced that the Charges Regulations will be amended to extend the medical exemptions to include cancer patients. Full but woolly DOH guidance document for doctors here.
No charges shall be payable by a person with a valid exemption certificate issued by the Secretary of State on the ground that the person is undergoing treatment for
- cancer
- the effects of cancer, or
- the effects of cancer treatment
The exemption starts 1st April 2009 although patients may apply from 9th February 2009
- use the FP92A forms (New forms should arrive soon)
- Destroy old forms
- New forms maybe reordered through the PCTs in the usual way
"Cancer" means any diagnosed cancer NOT suspected cancer or precancerous cells
"Undergoing" means continuing treatment not one off treatments e.g nitrogen freezing
"effects of cancer" might include pain relief or mental health problems (anything that did not exist before the cancer)
"effects of cancer treatment" might include late effects of radiation or cytotoxics,etc
FS Jan 09
