Request

‘Between April 2018 and April 2022 (or the latest quarter for which the data is available):

1) How many Penalty Charge Notices have been issued for the non-payment of prescription charges? Please supply all figures broken down by year. 2) How many of these Penalty Charge Notices issued in this period are (a) paid in full, (b) not paid and not appealed, (c) unsuccessfully appealed and (d) appealed successfully? Please supply all figures as numbers and percentages broken down by year.

3) Of those successful appeals, how many were on the basis of (a) existing entitlement at the time, (b) an exceptional reason? Please supply all figures as numbers and percentages broken down by year.

4) How many Penalty Charge Notices were escalated to Country Court? Please supply all figures as numbers and percentages broken down by year. 5) How many of these cases have been resolved by (a) benefit or wage recovery or bailiffs, (b) registered on credit files, (c) given a community sentence, (d) sent to prison. Please supply all figures as numbers and percentages broken down by year.’

Response

Question 1 and 2a

A copy of the information is attached.

Question 2 b, c and d, and Question 3

Although there is no formal appeal mechanism patients are advised clearly in the penalty notice to contact the NHSBSA to resolve the matter; staff are trained to recognise when an easement of the penalty charge is appropriate for the individual circumstances.

Question 4 and 5

As yet, no patients have faced court action or recovery by bailiffs etc.

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing the data please contact nhsbsa.foirequests@nhs.net ensuring you quote the above reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact nhsbsa.communicationsteam@nhs.net. 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 2022” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence:

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

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.