Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is the Schedule V document?
The Schedule V document was also known as the yellow card as it was previously issued as the name implies as a yellow card. It contains the information related to the patient and his/her entitlement to free medication so that this can be presented to the POYC chosen by the patient to receive the required free medication.
2. What should I do when my Schedule V document Expires?
In general for most conditions new applications must be made by consultants. However health centre doctors can apply for hypertension treatment as well as cholesterol treatment as per the Government formulary list. Private doctors who are specialists in family medicine (as per Specialist Medical Doctor register) can only apply for renewal of such treatment.
Your family doctor will issue a referral ticket for an appointment with your caring Consultant. The Consultant will then fill in an application for a new Yellow Document to be issued.
3. My Consultant added treatment to my current valid SCHV document in ink. Is this enough to collect the new treatment?
A new SCHV document needs to be issued with your newly added treatment. The Yellow Card needs to be sent to our office and processed. The newly added medicine will only be approved if it corresponds to the Schedule V condition on your original application.
4. I already have a SCHV document. What should I do if I need treatment for another condition?
If you are diagnosed with a new condition, your consultant will need to apply for a new Yellow Document. With the previous system a Yellow Document was issued for each condition. Now one yellow document is issued for all your conditions with all the treatment listed as a complete list.
5. My Yellow Document is still valid, but it is full. Will I need to apply for a new Yellow Document?
No. Your pharmacist at the POYC or Government Pharmacy will attach a Continuation sheet to your full Yellow Document. The Continuation sheet is not valid without the original Yellow Document.
6. What should I do with the Yellow Document/Permit Application?
The Yellow Document application together with your old document, can be left at Mater Dei Hospital Pharmacy or sent directly to the Medicines Approval Section by post or can be brought personally to our offices 8.00-1.00pm after hours it can be posted in the Medicines Approval Section letter box situated outside the office or processed directly by the MEU staff during Customer Care opening hours. The same applies for the Yellow Document with the treatment added in ink, or the signed permit to be renewed. Do not take the application to the pharmacy.
7. I want to come personally to your office, what documents do I need to have with me?
It is important to bring the following items with you:
Your ID card and Patient’s ID card (if you are coming on behalf of another person)
Old Yellow document (if you have one)
New application signed by consultant.
Parents of patients under 18 years of age are to bring their ID card
Make sure to check that the application forms are duly signed by applying Consultant.
8. In case of being a foreign patient the following is required:
a) If you are working in Malta and paying N.I. Contributions, please bring with you last month’s pay slip. If you are self-employed you are requested to present the most recent (not older than 6 months) receipt of N.I. contributions.
b) If you are married to a Maltese citizen, please bring a photocopy of your spouse’s I.D. Card and a photocopy of the marriage certificate.
c) If you are in receipt of a Maltese state pension, you are requested to present the notice of pension payment (not older than 6 months) issued by Social Security Department.
d) If you are an EU citizen residing in Malta on a permanent basis, you are requested to present a Certificate of Entitlement issued by the Entitlement Unit within the Ministry for Energy and Health, as well as proof of identity. Kindly
NOTE that the Entitlement Unit may only issue a Certificate of Entitlement upon presentation of any of the following forms: E106, E109 and E121 or form S1. These forms are issued by the competent authorities of your country of origin, if you are in receipt of a state pension from that country or you are working in Malta and paying social contributions in your country of origin.
e) If patients have a refugee status a Schedule V document is issued till the validity of their refugee card. Patients who have subsidiary protection or are asylum seekers are not entitled for the schedule V document. However they are still entitled for free medications from the health centres in case of protocol regulated items, the MAS permits will be issued just the same.
9. Who can benefit from the POYC Scheme?
The POYC Scheme is open only to those patients who are entitled to benefit from the Government’s free pharmaceutical service in terms of Government’s policy or legislation regulating the entitlement for free pharmaceutical services, That is all patients who have been issued either a yellow document or are Pink card beneficiaries. Patients must register with a pharmacy of their own choice within their locality to become eligible and start benefiting from the Scheme.
10. How can patients register with the POYC Scheme?
To register with the POYC Scheme, patients must observe the following steps:
1. Patients must choose a pharmacy from within their locality that is participating in the POYC Scheme
2. Inform the Pharmacist in the particular pharmacy that she wishes to register with the POYC Scheme
3. Obtain the POYC Scheme Registration Form from that Pharmacy
11. How do patients fill-in the POYC Scheme Registration Form?
The POYC Scheme Registration Form is divided into 3 Sections. Each Section must be duly filled-in as follows:
1. Section 'A' must be filled-in by the patient. Each patient must have one Registration Form.
2. Section 'B' must be filled-in by the managing pharmacist of the particular pharmacy.
3. Section 'C' must be filled-in by the medical practitioner / family doctor, and this Section, must reflect the patient's pharmaceutical entitlement according to the patient's valid entitlement documents.
12. Which documents must be submitted with the POYC Scheme ‘Registration Form’?
After the Registration Form is duly filled-in, the patient must also attach photocopies of the following documents:
1. The Entitlement Documents [Schedule V – Yellow, Schedule II – Pink]. Please, make sure that the Documents are valid and carry the rubber stamp of the medical consultant.
2. The special medicine entitlement permit [where applicable] together with the photocopy of the letter from MEU showing permission for the specific medication.
3. MDH 145, SLH 145, DH 75 “To Whom It May Concern” note which lists the medications that accompanies either the Pink Card or a Yellow document with a “treatment as prescribed” clause for conditions such as: Malignant Disease, Psychiatric condition and Psoriasis.
4. Copy of the patient’s ID Card
13. What should patients do with the Registration Form once it has been filled-in?
Once the Registration Form is completed and the necessary photocopies made and attached, it must be either returned together with the supporting documents to the Managing Pharmacist of the particular local pharmacy or posted to the POYC Unit, or personally delivered to the POYC Unit.
In the event that, upon receipt at POYC Unit, any of the above requested documents is missing, the POYC Unit would return the Registration Form to the patient together with a letter indicating the missing information / documents required.
NOTE: The POYC Unit will not be in a position to process the Registration Form unless all the required information is available.
14. When will it be possible for patients to collect the medicines / pharmaceuticals from the local Pharmacy?
In order to collect the medicines you must register for the pharmacy of your choice. If you have not yet registered for the pharmacy of your choice it is not possible to collect any medicines/pharmaceuticals yet.
Patients will be able to collect their medicines/pharmaceuticals from their chosen pharmacy on the same day as long as the pharmacy has the item in stock. Speak to your pharmacist straight away so that an order can be placed for your medicines/pharmaceuticals.
NOTE:
1. Patients will not be able to collect any medicines / pharmaceuticals before their current stock is finished.
2. Pateints will only be able to redeem their medicines / pharmaceuticals from the chosen pharmacy
15. What about the SCHEME CARD?
The POYC Unit will no longer be issuing or replacing membership cards, thus over time the system will migrate to the exclusive use of the ID card and date of birth.
16. How often will patients need to go to the local pharmacy to collect the medicines/pharmaceuticals?
Patients are to collect their medicines / pharmaceuticals from their local pharmacy every 56 days (2 months).
NOTE: Controlled Drugs [GREEN prescriptions] are to dispensed every 28 days
17. What do patients need to take with them to collect their medicines / pharmaceuticals from their local pharmacy?
To be able to collect medicines / pharmaceuticals from their local pharmacy, patients need to present the following documents/ permits to the pharmacist:
1. The ID card
2. A valid prescription by a medical practitioner
3. Schedule V document (stating your entitlement)
4. The relevant Permits
NOTE: When collecting Controlled Drugs, together with the above patients are also required to present:
1. A valid GREEN prescription [which is valid for only ONE month from issue date]
2. A valid Control Card duly filled-in by the medical practitioner.
18. What do patients need to do when they have a change in their treatment?
When patients have a change in their treatment / medication they must immediately notify the managing pharmacist of their local pharmacy. The pharmacist, then, will make the necessary arrangements so that their entitlement will be adjusted accordingly.
Changes in treatment can include:
1. Change in present dose and / or medication
2. Suspension and/ or replacement of present treatment
3. Introduction of new treatment /medication
NOTE: Patients must also:
• Ensure that the additional medicines / pharmaceuticals have been endorsed by a medical consultant
• Update their Schedule V [Yellow] Document at the one stop shops.
• Present the updated documents for any new medicines / pharmaceuticals to the managing pharmacist of their local pharmacy.
19. Is it possible for patients to CHANGE the pharmacy that they will be registered with?
A Change in pharmacy will only be accepted when:
1. A new Registration Form is forwarded to the POYC Unit, with Section A – Patient, Section B – Person of trust, if applicable, Section C – Pharmacist duly filled-in.
NOTE: The PHARMACY will no longer be receiving a new scheme card.