Prepayment Certificates for care leavers in Lincolnshire to be funded by ICB from 1st August 2023.

From 1 August 2023, NHS Lincolnshire ICB will fund prepayment prescription certificates for care leavers aged 18 to 25 years who are not entitled to free prescriptions under current exemptions

Research provides extensive evidence of the negative mental and physical health issues, in both the short and long-term, for those who have experienced care when compared to their non-care experienced peers. Challenge in accessing appropriate healthcare and treatment can be compounded by the financial struggles experienced as young people leaving care face additional inequalities such as the financial constraints which may result as they move into independent living. Many of these young people do not have access to funds from extended family, supporting them with daily living costs; the additional cost of a prescription may cause further financial hardship and may result in the prescription not being collected and health needs not being met.

If you have a young person accessing your pharmacy for a prescription, and you know they are a care leaver aged between 18 and 25 years, please can you promote that pre-payment prescriptions are available The young person can apply for themselves by accessing the ICB website where the application form can be found: Safeguarding – Lincolnshire ICB  Alternatively, please signpost the young person back to their Barnardo’s Leaving Care Worker/ Leaving Care Service who will help them to identify whether they are already entitled to free prescriptions and support in the completion of the relevant application form – if they are eligible for free prescriptions under one of the national criteria, they may be exempt from other charges such as for dental treatment.