Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the number of diabetic patients fined by the NHS Business Services Authority since that authority started checking eligbility for free prescriptions.

The Prescription Exemption Checking Service is delivered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) as commissioned by NHS England. NHSBSA assumed the responsibility for this service from 17 September 2014.

From 17 September 2014 to 20 February 2015 a total of 13,779 patients have paid a penalty charge in full for claiming free prescriptions without a valid exemption certificate with a further 5,504 patients opting to pay the penalty charge in instalments.

From 17 September 2014 to 20 February 2015 a total of 610 patients have paid a penalty charge in full for claiming free prescriptions without a valid maternity exemption certificate with a further 474 patients opting to pay the penalty charge in instalments.

Data is not available to indicate the number of diabetic patients who have been fined.