Why does scotland have free prescriptions

This is available Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. NHS Helpline on will be able to provide both these services. This is not a definitive guide to the help available. For more detailed information go to the following websites to access the booklet HCS 1, 'Are you entitled to help with health costs?

Home Publications. Help with health costs HCS2 : quick guide - November Supporting documents. Contents Close. Young People Are you aged 16, 17 or 18 and in qualifying full-time education? If the answer is YES, then you are entitled to the following NHS items and services free of charge: NHS Dental Treatment young people under 18 do not have to be in education to qualify Voucher towards the costs of glasses or contact lenses.

Universal Credit? Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance? Pension Credit Guarantee Credit? If the answer is YES to any of the above then you are entitled to the following: Free NHS Dental Treatment Vouchers towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses A refund of any reasonable amount spent on travel to receive treatment at an NHS hospital.

What About Prescription Charges? From 1 April prescription charges have been abolished in Scotland, therefore you do not have to pay for NHS prescriptions if you: Present a Scottish prescription at a pharmacy in Scotland; Present an English prescription, with a valid Entitlement Card, at a pharmacy in Scotland; or Present an English prescription form at a pharmacy in Scotland and you qualify under exemption arrangements detailed in the NHS Free Prescriptions and Charges for Drugs and Appliances Scotland Regulations Entitlement Cards will be issued free of charge to eligible applicants.

How can I get one? Medical Exemption Certificates If you have one of the following medical conditions, you may wish to apply for an NHS Medical Exemption Certificate that will entitle you to receive NHS prescriptions free of charge if presenting your prescription in England.

Addison's Disease diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism diabetes mellitus except where treatment is by diet alone myasthenia gravis myxoedema that is, hypothyroidism requiring thyroid hormone replacement epilepsy requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy or if you have a permanent fistula requiring continuous surgical dressing or requiring an appliance also referred to as a stoma.

This is currently zero. The only exceptions are for Entitlement Card holders or those who qualify for exemption. Patients presenting prescription written in Wales or Northern Ireland for dispensing in Scotland will not be charged under current arrangements. Scottish students studying elsewhere in the UK are expected to register with a GP practice in that country.

Prescriptions dispensed in Wales and Northern Ireland will be charged the rate in force at the time. They will receive a Scottish prescription form GP10 and will be eligible to collect their prescription free of charge unless they present their prescription for dispensing in England and do not qualify for exemption.

Visitors to Scotland who qualify to register with a Scottish GP practice as a temporary resident will receive a Scottish prescription form GP10 and so benefit from the abolition of prescription charges, assuming their prescription is dispensed in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales. However, if they present an NHS prescription from elsewhere in the UK they will be charged the rate in force at the time. We use cookies on this site to analyse traffic and optimise the user experience. Ok Cookie Information.

You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Prescription forms from Wales, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man will be dispensed free of charge under current arrangements when presented for dispensing in Scotland.

The exception being if the patient is exempt from paying charges as listed in Regulation 4 of the National Health Service Free Prescriptions and Charges for Drugs and Appliances Scotland Regulations or the prescription form is accompanied by a valid entitlement card. The exception being if the patient is exempt from paying charges as listed as listed below. If you are entitled to any of the above the Pharmacy may ask you to show evidence that your entitled to your free NHS prescriptions.

Patients suffering from any of the conditions listed below will continue to be eligible to apply for a medical exemption certificate and receive free NHS prescriptions in England. If you do have one of these conditions and require a prescription to be dispensed in England you will benefit from holding a Medical Exemption Certificate. For patients who do not have these requirements, there is no need to apply for a Medical Exemption Certificate.

If your medical exemption certificate expires and you are under the age of 60 contact your GP surgery and ask them to complete an EC92A form.

You and your GP must sign the form and the appropriate medical condition must be ticked. After the form has been completed, send the form to the appropriate Exemption department, according to your NHS Board area as listed below: -.

Patients who are age 60 and over are not required to renew their medical exemptions certificates.