GP surgeries stop taking repeat prescriptions from pharmacies

by Lisa Reeves

Thursday 12^th January 2017

Thu 12^th Jan 2017

Two doctors surgeries in Wilmslow are no longer accepting repeat prescription requests directly from pharmacies for most patients.

NHS Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which plans and buys health services for 204,000 people in East Cheshire, has joined forces with GP practices and local pharmacies to encourage people to take charge of ordering their own repeat prescriptions in a bid to reduce waste.

Kenmore Medical Centre and Wilmslow Health Centre, along with fourteen other GP practices across Cheshire, are no longer accepting repeat prescription requests directly from pharmacies. Other local GP practices that are currently making this change to the way that repeat prescriptions are ordered include Alderley Edge Medical Centre and Chelford Surgery, who will be writing to those patients identified as suitable to order their own repeat prescription.

Many people already manage their own repeat prescriptions by placing their requests with their GP surgery or ordering them online. However, the CCG is encouraging more people to follow suit and do the same, rather than community pharmacies ordering repeat prescriptions on their behalf.

The reason they're promoting this change is because experience around the country suggests that it can be safer and reduce medicines waste because when a pharmacy orders for a patient, especially when ordering in advance, it may not always know if medicines have been changed or how much stock a patient already has. This can sometimes mean that medicines are being ordered that are not needed, which can lead to some patients building up a stockpile of medicines at home.

Dr Mark Dickinson, head of prescribing and medicines optimisation, said: "We believe that patients are best placed to know of any changes that have been made to their medicines by their doctor, and what medicines they have used in the past month, and can therefore order what they need.

"We expect that patients taking control of the medicines they order will improve safety and also reduce medicines waste at a time of significant financial pressure for the NHS."

Patients at Kenmore Medical Centre and Wilmslow Health Centre are recommended to order their own medicines either online - via the Patient Access system - or by dropping off or posting your repeat prescription form to your GP surgery.

Tags:: Kenmore Medical Centre, Wilmslow Health Centre

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Richard Burgess

Thursday 12^th January 2017 at 5:21 pm

I don't know why they are doing this,it is so easy for me to ring the pharmacy and order what I need I've never been allowed to order more than I need the pharmacy just don't let me,
I have tried to do it on line but it is to hard to do,just one quick phone call job done

Kate Branagan

Thursday 12^th January 2017 at 8:14 pm

Apparently this is due to government legislation as some pharmacies are deliberately over ordering as they get paid by medication. There've been cases of people querying with their GP as they've been given medication that's either been changed or they've not been on for a long time. Dangerous for people who may be confused and could end up taking incorrect medication. The minority spoiling it for the majority as usual.

Peter Evans

Friday 13^th January 2017 at 12:23 pm

I just don't understand the issue here. I make one request to the doctor (allows my preference as it simple), pharmacy, independent medication broker/call centre... who cares, and then one episode of collecting from the pharmacy. I use phone, on line, pop in to make the request - whatever is most convenient.
My gripe is the inefficiency of the pharmacy I use who won't pre-process the prescription meaning needless waiting queuing and wasted time when I collect the stuff.

Simon Worthington

Monday 16^th January 2017 at 1:50 pm

I deal with my mothers medication requirements and it is not possible for her to visit the health centre without assistance, obviously on-line ordering for her is not an option and the phone line.......
To be fair the pharmacist jumped to when I mentioned mum might croak if they didn't pull their finger out!!!!!!
If the problem is over ordering etc surely a monthly audit of prescriptions would spot the problem

Sandra Cox

Monday 16^th January 2017 at 4:35 pm

May I suggest a prescription request is posted to the surgery and if one is lucky enough to be registered with a Practice that has a pharmacy attached (as do Kenmore and the Health Centre in Alderley Edge) the staff there will pass the prescription through to the pharmacy. When this is dispensed it can be collected which takes only one visit as it did under the old system. I know this won't be the answer for everyone but it could help some people. My Mother used to do this and when a stroke ended her happy driving days, the pharmacy delivered the pills to her.

Barry Stafford

Wednesday 18^th January 2017 at 4:56 pm

This is about time,you can still fill in your green pescription for items you need.and hand in to the surgery. Leaving it to Well or Boots etc. They were repeating items each month.Which is crazy,whether you needed items or not. My brother had 6 packs of eye drops.what a waste.

Jane Middleton

Wednesday 18^th January 2017 at 5:14 pm

This is a good move to potentially save lot of money. My husband who takes several pills found he had been given 5 months supply of two of the pills he was taking which is excessive.

Lynne Prescott

Wednesday 18^th January 2017 at 6:53 pm

My pharmacy always ask when I pick up prescriptions whether I will need all medicines on my repeat prescription to be ordered for the next time, which gives me the option to put stuff on hold if I have a stockpile at home, or am no longer using that drug. I also don't come into the pharmacy until i need the stock, which might be a week or so later than prescription has been filled - which means I can then move the next months drugs back a week to avoid stockpiling. Rather than address specific issues of misuse, they are opting to remove a service which is of benefit to many of us ( especially those of us who travel frequently and 'outsource' the task of asking for prescription refills).
It strikes me that a better solution would be for medical practices to put systems in place to 'clean-up' patients repeat prescription notes, perhaps by dropping off anything that has"t been ordered in more than 3 months

Barbara Hughson

Wednesday 18^th January 2017 at 7:25 pm

I can partly see the point of this. Ordering prescriptions is easy. Several trips to the pharmacy because not all items are in stock, and long waits each time makes the process a real pain. Perhaps order from the pharmacy, and allow them to get doctor's approval. That way, the pharmacy would know what you need, make sure the prescriptions are fully made up, then let you know when they're ready.

Anne Greenhalgh

Thursday 19^th January 2017 at 1:04 am

This is nonsense, our pharmacy does not order ahead of time, my husband was stock piling through no fault of his or the pharmacy. The surgery know what each patient is due & when so why then do they not object when the pharmacy orders a new order, it does not make sense! :(

Michael Wooldridge

Thursday 19^th January 2017 at 11:17 am

I think too many people have got a high resistance to change, once the online account has been set up and saved on your computer it takes seconds to re order with just a click or two. A bit of a palaver to set up I suppose but not complicated and once it's done you're off! Easy!