From November 1, patients in England who evade the prescription charge by making false exemption declarations will be liable to pay penalty charges of up to £100.
Patients who are found by health authorities to have avoided prescription charges will be sent penalty notices demanding payment of the lesser of £100 or five times the prescription charges due. Anyone who fails to pay the penalty charge will be subject to a 50 per cent surcharge as well.
Because the surcharge is a civil penalty, HAs will have to take anyone who continues to refuse to pay to court to recover the debt.
The National Health Service (Penalty Charge) Regulations 1999, SI 1999 No 2794. The Stationery Office, ISBN 0-11-085371-1, price £1.50.
Legislation for Scotland and Wales had not been published as The Journal went to press.