Prescription Ordering and Improvements in Services

Over the past few years we have experienced a significant increase in the number of telephone calls received into surgery.  Since April last year the average number of phone calls into surgery has increased dramatically to almost 9000 per month.  A large proportion of these calls are for prescription requests.  From comments we have received we understand that this is causing frustration for patients who need to contact us as our telephone lines are always busy.

In order to improve our patients’ experience of contacting the surgery we have made the decision to reinstate our earlier restriction of not taking prescription requests over the telephone.  Patients who have been registered at Patience Lane for longer will recall that the restriction was only lowered when the Covid pandemic forced us to change our way of working. 

NHS England is encouraging practices to stop taking prescription requests over the telephone and to provide other options which are safer, more efficient and lead to fewer errors in processing.  Other surgeries in our area stopped taking requests over the telephone a while ago.

Going forward, alongside the existing alternative options for ordering prescriptions (online via the website or NHS app or dropping the repeat slip into reception for patients wishing to order in person) we will also be offering a new service, Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) for patients who take regular medication.  We have also opened a dedicated email account for the use of patients who prefer to email in their prescription requests.  Family members or carers will also be able to order medications on a patient’s behalf with their consent.  This email address is [email protected]

It is also possible for patients to request prescriptions via our messaging system, PATCHS.  We are planning to receive all our Sick Note/Fit Note requests via PATCHs in the future.  This will also reduce the call volume coming into surgery, and will result in patients being able to get through more quickly to access surgery reception for other issues.   Please use the link on our website or download the NHS app to link PATCHs on your smartphone or tablet.

For further information on these improvements, including Frequently Asked Questions please see below.

Electronic Repeat Dispensing FAQs

• What are the benefits to me as a patient using eRD?

When you use eRD, the doctor will send a series of repeat prescriptions direct to your pharmacy.  The benefits of eRD are

• Your regular medicines can be prescribed for up to a year at a time
• Your prescriptions are stored securely on the NHS database, so they’re ready at the pharmacy each time you need them
• There is no need to visit or call the surgery every time you need to order a repeat prescription – you can go direct to the pharmacy
• you don’t need to call or visit your practice to order your repeat prescription
• Your pharmacy will let you know when they have issued you your last batch of prescriptions and you will be reviewed to assess that the medications you are taking are still beneficial to you.
• Will I be able to use eRD to get my prescriptions?

Most patients who are taking regular medication can use eRD, however there are a few exceptions. Patients on certain types of medication which need monitoring more frequently than 6 monthly may not be suitable for this service. Your Doctor and Clinical Pharmacist at surgery can decide which patients are suitable for eRD.

• What if I don’t need every item on my prescription every time?

Your prescriptions will be set up as Repeat Dispensing and Variable Repeat Dispensing. It will usually be the variable ones that you will not need every time. Tell your pharmacist if you do not need every item when you go to collect your monthly prescription; only take what you need until your next collection.

• What if there have been changes that may affect my medications?

Each time you collect your next supply of medicines from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will ask you a selection of questions to ensure that your medications remain current and suitable. If you know or feel that there is a reason why your medicines may need reviewing, e.g. you have been in hospital and your medicines have changed. Please let your community pharmacist know if this is the case. Some medication changes may mean that you need to cease using eRD for a while or permanently, Your GP and Clinical pharmacist will keep an eye on this.

• What happens at the end of the batches?

Your pharmacy will let you and us know when they have issued you your last batch prescription.   At this point you may need a review to assess whether you are suitable to continue eRD, this will depend on how long it was since your latest review.  If you usually have an annual review for a long term condition (such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease etc) and have received an appointment, this will include your eRD review. If you have not yet received an appointment for an annual review, or you do not usually have an annual review, someone at the surgery will contact you to make an appointment. This will help to ensure that you stay on the repeat dispensing system and continue to take the medication safely.

• What if I don’t attend for a review?

If you choose not to attend for a review, you will be automatically classed as unsuitable to continue eRD, as it has not been possible to assess your stability on your medications. In one way staying on eRD will ensure your reviews are done on timely manner and that you are taking correct medication.

• What if I want to change my nominated pharmacy?

You can choose to change your nominated pharmacy at any point during the eRD period. Simply ask your new pharmacy to register you and they can access any remaining prescriptions that have not yet been dispensed.

• What if I leave the surgery?

If you decide to leave the surgery, we are obligated to cancel any remaining prescriptions that we have issued and you will need to arrange for a new supply of medication to be given by your new surgery. The process is the same as how you would arrange a first prescription at a new surgery if you were not on eRD.

• What if I’m going on holiday?

If you are going on holiday and will run out of medication whilst away, your pharmacy can access your next prescription early and dispense it for you. The prescription due after that will be ready at the normal time in the future.

We will be starting to put patients on eRD soon. Please do not be concerned as it will only be beneficial for you in the future. Transferring all the suitable patients on to eRD will take time as we will be reviewing batch of patients at a time. In the meantime, you can continue requesting medication via the other options described in this document.

Further information on eRD can be by accessing https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pharmacies-gp-practices-and-appliance-contractors/prescribing-and-dispensing/electronic-repeat-dispensing-erd/erd-information-patients

PATCHS

What are the benefits of PATCHS to patients?

PATCHS provides lots of benefits to you and the GP practice. These include:

• Fit note (sick note) ordering
• Medication ordering
• Being able to make requests in your own time
• Avoiding telephone and waiting room queues.
• Access to health advice

PATCHS helps patients who struggle to contact their GP practice using the telephone or in-person. This includes patients who are busy at work during surgery opening hours, who have hearing or speaking impairments, anxiety, and who speak English as a second language. Visit our website to access PATCHs

Further information on PATCHs can be found at https://www.patchs.ai/

More information on ordering prescriptions using the NHS app can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/

Please note that we will be stopping taking prescription orders over the telephone on 29^th April 2024.

The new email account is already open and can now be used for ordering  [email protected]. 

To order all you need to include in the e-mail is your name, date of birth and the list of medication items you want to order.