Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

‘Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I request the following information relating to the administration of NHS prescription penalty charge notices:

The average, median, and maximum time (in days) between the date a prescription is dispensed and the date an initial enquiry or penalty letter is issued to a patient, for each of the last three full financial years.

A copy of any internal policy, guidance, or standard operating procedure that describes how prescription data is matched and verified prior to issuing enquiry or penalty letters.

Details of any automated systems, databases, or third-party contractors involved in this process, including the frequency and timing of automated data checks.

Any internal review, audit, or performance report from 2022–2025 that addresses the timeliness or efficiency of issuing enquiry or penalty letters.’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 6 November 2025.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested.

Question 1 - The average, median, and maximum time (in days) between the date a prescription is dispensed and the date an initial enquiry or penalty letter is issued to a patient, for each of the last three full financial years.

Financial Year 2022/23

Average = 79

Median = 78

Maximum = 127

Financial Year 2023/24

Average = 73

Median = 73

Maximum = 103

Financial Year 2024/25

Average = 70

Median = 70

Maximum = 103

Question 2 - A copy of any internal policy, guidance, or standard operating procedure that describes how prescription data is matched and verified prior to issuing enquiry or penalty letters.

We follow the below penalty charge regulations:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/2794/contents/made

Before Enquiry letters are issued, checks are carried out to verify the validity of the claim. We match the details on the prescription form against our database of NHSBSA Exemptions and then pass to DWP to check against qualifying benefits. If NHS numbers are present, we will try to match against those first. If not, we will try to match against name, date of birth and address/postcode. Where no match can be found the Enquiry letter is issued.

Question 3 - Details of any automated systems, databases, or third-party contractors involved in this process, including the frequency and timing of automated data checks.

The checking process is an automated process. We receive the file from Prescription Services. The file is then run through NHSBSA exemption checking before being sent to DWP to check against any qualifying benefits. As above where no match is found the Enquiry letter is issued. These checks are carried out daily.

Question 4 - Any internal review, audit, or performance report from 2022–2025 that addresses the timeliness or efficiency of issuing enquiry or penalty letters.

I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the NHSBSA.

Prescription claims are checked at the earliest opportunity. Pharmacists have a certain amount of time to submit their prescriptions to the NHSBSA. These then need to be processed for payments to the pharmacies for the medications dispensed. Once that process is completed the claims for free prescriptions are passed to Exemption Checking Services to check the validity of those claims.

Data Queries

Please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.

Reusing the data and copyright

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2025”. Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.