Change to the Way Repeat Prescriptions Are ordered
Change to the Way Repeat Prescriptions Are Ordered Set to Improve Safety and Reduce Waste
In the July Issue we featured an advert about the changes affecting repeat prescriptions but not this article due to lack of space in that issue – so to clarify the changes here is the article we received with the advert.
Please not that our clinical commissioning group has changed to the one in this article.
A change announced in May 2019 by West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) means that people in West Leicestershire will need to order their repeat prescriptions through their GP practice, and not through pharmacies as they might previously have done.
From 30th June 2019, GP practices in West Leicestershire will no longer accept repeat prescriptions from pharmacies or appliance contractors. The change will apply to people living in Charnwood (north and south), Loughborough, Hinckley and Bosworth, Coalville, and Ashby.
Although the change will apply to the vast majority of people, support is available for any patients or carers that may have difficulties with the change.
For most people, being in charge of ordering their own repeat prescriptions ensures they only get the medicine they need at the time they need it. This can help prevent the build-up of unused or old medicines at home which improves safety and saves medicines waste and valuable NHS resources.
Estimates suggest that unused or partially used medication costs the NHS £300million each year, a figure which could pay for over 11,000 more community nurses or nearly 20,000 more drug treatment courses for breast cancer. In West Leicestershire medicines waste is estimated to cost the NHS at least £1 million each year.
Following public consultation in 2018, West Leicestershire CCG have announced this change to the way repeat prescriptions are ordered to help tackle this problem, and to empower people to take control of their own medicines management.
There are two routes people can choose to order their repeat prescriptions through their GP practice: online (via websites or apps) and a paper form.
The online route – through the NHS GP online service – is quick and easy to set up and enables patients to book GP appointments and view some of their medical records, as well as manage their prescriptions. People simply need to speak to staff at their GP practice, who will talk them through the process. Once set up to access GP services online, people can download a number of NHS-approved apps so they can order repeat prescriptions from their mobile phones.
Research carried out by NHS England reveals that 85% of people who use the service say that ordering prescriptions online is straightforward. This figure rises to 90% of people with a long-term condition.
To help improve the ordering of repeat prescriptions, the CCG have contacted all affected GP practices and pharmacies to make them aware of the benefits of giving patients the responsibility to manage their own medicines where they are able to do so. Leaflets and posters have been distributed and are available for patients to take away from their GP practice.
Further details of the change can be found on the West Leicestershire CCG website: http://bit.ly/Repeat_Meds