Advice on NHS Fraud charge pls

bigmike20vt · 6 Jun 2019 at 19:29

I got a £105 NHS fine due to a fraudulent claim made 5 days after my prepayment card ran out. I was (almost) certain I had not claimed as I knew it was due to run out. I chose not to renew as I had 5 months backlog of meds (all correctly dated I just checked).

I phoned them they said they had proof which they could send me but if I did not pay they would up my fine by £50. I paid due to their threats but asked for a copy of their evidence which finally arrived today. I just got a copy of my prescription.. I dunno who signed it but it was not me! Nothing like my sig. I actually do not care if they have some scam going on in un collected meds at the pharmacy but I ain't paying the fine
Will go to pharmacy torrow and if no joy gonna phone the fraud NHS line and ask for my money back and tell them I will go to court if they want. I am so angry

Any ideas what to do as despite me telling them I was almost sure I had not collected them, and the fact they could have checked the sigs they were quite forceful on not letting it go. I am however aware that even tho the Sig aint mine it is still my word against theirs I did not have a mate collect it

Thanks

Destination · 6 Jun 2019 at 19:31

Someone signing a prescription for the receipt of medicines who doesn't have authority to do so it a serious offence.
I know here not only the pharmacies overseers but the police take notice and care regarding such breaches.
England might be different.

BUDFORCE · 6 Jun 2019 at 19:35

Ask them the check any CCTV they might have that will prove you were not there.

peterwalkley · 6 Jun 2019 at 19:37

Are these regular prescription medications ? 5 months' backlog is an awful lot. My surgery is incredibly anal and tracks when things are due to run out. If I want anything more than about a week "early" I need to put a note on the repeat saying I'm going on holiday before they will pass the prescription on to the pharmacy.

bigmike20vt · 6 Jun 2019 at 19:45

It's just athsma meds and allergy meds. My illness is seasonal. I have had it for 40 years generally every couple of years I build up a 6 month backlog so I stop claiming and use them up before starting again. We are not talking methadone or strong pain killers or anything

.
I suspect it is a mistake somewhere but I don't want to carry the can for meds I did not clam

coolsurfer · 8 Jun 2019 at 11:38

Are you on some automatic repeat prescription service with scripts ordered monthly on your behalf?

Or did you order this script even though you didn’t need it?

Quartz · 8 Jun 2019 at 12:04

bigmike20vt said:
I paid due to their threats but asked for a copy of their evidence which finally arrived today.

I hope it's changed since I worked in the NHS but you admitted guilt by paying so they'll consider the matter closed.

Dis86 · 8 Jun 2019 at 12:45

So what happened when you went to the pharmacy?

A2Z · 8 Jun 2019 at 12:47

So you know you didn't get the prescription but you paid the fine anyway, basically admitting your guilt? :confused:

Why on earth would you pay the fine, then start trying to get your money back, instead of refusing to pay it in the first place if you know it wasn't you.

scotty365 · 8 Jun 2019 at 13:08

yeah I would look into a refund, I doubt they are draconian especially if its essential meds - my mum used her disabled badge recently not realising it was just out of date it took some faffing but got done in the end.

eviled · 9 Jun 2019 at 19:02

All pharmacists in my area have been banned from ordering medication on people’s behalf and the saving has been in the millions in not a lot of time.

Malevolence · 9 Jun 2019 at 19:42

bigmike20vt said:
but I ain't paying the fine

bigmike20vt said:
I paid due to their threats

Hades · 9 Jun 2019 at 21:01

I would be not only calling them but reporting the matter to the police.

Diagro · 9 Jun 2019 at 23:32

Malevolence said:

Yea, he needs them meds

Angilion · 9 Jun 2019 at 23:35

A2Z said:
So you know you didn't get the prescription but you paid the fine anyway, basically admitting your guilt?

Why on earth would you pay the fine, then start trying to get your money back, instead of refusing to pay it in the first place if you know it wasn't you.

That's obvious - he was presumed guilty, coerced into accepting punishment by being threatened with a greater punishment and couldn't know for sure in advance if he could prove his innocence or if it would matter if he could. Which he still doesn't know.

Jean-F · 9 Jun 2019 at 23:43

Angilion said:
That's obvious - he was presumed guilty, coerced into accepting punishment by being threatened with a greater punishment and couldn't know for sure in advance if he could prove his innocence or if it would matter if he could. Which he still doesn't know.

Summed up in a precise and eloquent manner, as I have come
to expect from you Angilion, go to the top of the class.

bigmike20vt · 10 Jun 2019 at 11:45

Diagro said:
Yea, he needs them meds

Wow you are a jerk!.
I paid the fine because they told me they had irrefutable evidence against me which they would send me but by the time I got it the fine would go up by £50. I was 90% sure I had not claimed but when I am told they have the evidence in front of them it made me think I had made a mistake.
I think it has changed now but speeding offences used to have a similar scam going.... You got the fine but if you wanted to see the photo evidence by the time you got it the early payment discount would pass

bigmike20vt · 10 Jun 2019 at 11:47

Angilion said:
That's obvious - he was presumed guilty, coerced into accepting punishment by being threatened with a greater punishment and couldn't know for sure in advance if he could prove his innocence or if it would matter if he could. Which he still doesn't know.

Thanks

wolfie138 · 10 Jun 2019 at 14:46

how did someone else know your meds were there to pick up? i'm not tracking this story properly. when I get prescripts you give your name and they look, then if they find something they ask your address to confirm.

demonix · 10 Jun 2019 at 17:38

eviled said:
All pharmacists in my area have been banned from ordering medication on people’s behalf and the saving has been in the millions in not a lot of time.

No pharmacy can order medication themselves as the whole process was changed a while ago that repeats can only be requested by either handing in the provided form to the persons registered GP or online if that person is registered for online services and online repeat prescription ordering is available.