Boultham Park Medical Practice
Important Changes to the Ordering of Repeat Prescriptions
Dear Patient
For important safety reasons we need to change the process for how patients order repeat medication. We have an ever increasing numbers of patients requesting repeat medication verbally with the reception team, either face to face or via the telephone, who cannot remember the names or types of the medication they require. This results in many difficulties for the reception team in trying to safely understand from the patients what it is they are trying to request. For example, we have patients not sure about which inhaler they need to order, or whether it is the ‘white or pink tablets’ they need, or which eye drops they need! They then try to ask the reception staff to decide for them. Clearly this is not safe and is against the advice of the medical defence providers.
The reception team are not medically trained and therefore are not be able to give advice on the types of medicines patients need, their names or their use.
With effect from Monday 11 September, we will only be able to accept repeat prescription requests using the repeat medication slip that is attached to prescriptions or online using our online system. We will require patients to tick against the medication they require in order to confirm the correct prescription is then produced.
By far the easiest and safest way to order repeat medicines is to register for our online service which, once registered, is available 24/7 without having to call or come into the surgery. This enables the ordering of prescribed medicines but also has the additional benefits of being able book/cancel appointments with the GP and access elements of your medical records, including some test results. We strongly advise all patients to register for this service.
Parents/guardians of young children (under 13) can register for proxy access. Additionally, those with either lasting power of attorney relating to health and welfare or those who have been provided with written permission to access the records of nominated adults can also register for proxy access.
An online services application form is attached, please complete and hand to reception with some recognised form of ID and you will then be sent your log-in details. If you are not using the online service to order your repeat medicines it is important that you keep the white part of your prescriptions from now on, to be used to order your next issue of medicines.
‘Urgent Prescriptions’
We also have increasing numbers of ‘urgent prescription requests’ caused by patients not ordering in sufficient time before they are about to run out. These urgent requests are disruptive to the doctors’ surgeries and increasingly put undue pressure on the GPs. Therefore we will no longer be accepting ‘Urgent Requests’. ALL requests for repeat medication will need to allow for 2 full working days (not including Sat /Sun).
The hospital has a responsibility to issue prescriptions for any ‘urgent’ medication they prescribe. We will require 1 week to process medication requests from the hospital.
We understand that these measures and changes will require some planning but hope that you understand that these are important safety measures.
In summary
· For safety reasons - Verbal requests for medication can no longer be accepted after 11 September 2017.
· The preferred and safest way of ordering is via online at your convenience from home or elsewhere 24/7 – please complete attached form and bring to reception with photo ID.
· If not ordering online, please retain the white part of your prescription which lists the items you can request when you need to order.
· When you need to order medicines, please tick against the medication you require and place in the outside letter box marked ‘Prescriptions only’ or in the Prescription Request box at reception or (no need to queue).
· Always allow 48 hrs (working days) for your prescription to be ready.
· We can and would like to send your prescriptions directly to the pharmacy. If you are happy for us to do this, you don’t need to come to the surgery to collect it and we can process it more easily.
· We can no longer accept ‘urgent’ medication request for routine repeat prescriptions.
Continued over page