Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2022 to Question 71350 on Prescriptions: Miscarriage, whether a maternity exemption certificate can be backdated by one month in the situation whereby a woman has already miscarried when the application is submitted to cover the period in which she was pregnant.

The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2015 provide that a maternity exemption certificate must be backdated one month before the date on which the application is received by the NHS Business Services Authority. The application process requires that a health care professional, such as a midwife or a general practitioner, must authorise the application to confirm the patient’s pregnancy and expected due date. The NHS Business Services Authority must then issue the certificate on this basis.