Prescription exemption rules are “overly complex” and cause genuine mistakes, says watchdog

Rules on prescription exemptions set by the Department of Health and Social Care are too complicated, causing patients to make genuine mistakes, the National Audit Office has said.1

The spending watchdog investigated penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued to patients who claim free prescriptions or dental treatment fraudulently or in error, and it found a significant increase in exemption checks and the fines issued.

In February The BMJ reported that the number of PCNs issued to patients in England had risen by a third last year and by 60% in the past three …