Community Pharmacy Repeat Prescription Ordering Service – Frequently asked questions
What is a repeat prescription ordering service?
Many patients in Warrington are on regular medication for long term conditions. This medication can be ordered as a repeat prescription without seeing the doctor. Some people order these repeat prescriptions themselves and others choose to use a pharmacy to order the medicines on their behalf. If they use a pharmacy, then we say that they use a community pharmacy repeat prescription ordering service (this is different to the service where the pharmacy picks up the prescription when it is ready).
What has changed?
Warrington CCG is withdrawing the current Warrington community pharmacy repeat prescription ordering service in pilot areas.
Following the lead of other CCGs in our footprint area, a staged pilot programme will commence involving seven GP practices. These are Padgate, Culcheth Health Centre, Appleton, Chapelford, Holes Lane, Greenbank and Westbrook surgeries. The pilot will be introduced in phases, with Padgate being the first to go live from 1st March with the other practices following. The go live dates for the other pilot sites will be announced shortly and patients will be encouraged to contact their practice for further information or visit the CCG’s website.
We have a duty to obtain good quality, safe, and cost effective services for the people of Warrington.
What does this mean to me?
A staged pilot programme will commence involving seven GP practices.
The pilot will be introduced in phases, with Padgate being the first to go live from 1st March.
The go live dates for the other pilot sites will be announced shortly and patients will be encouraged to contact their practice for further information or visit the CCG’s website.
This will mean that pharmacies that dispense for the pilot sites will not be able to reorder repeat prescriptions for patients and patients will be required to order them directly from their GP practice. Patients are advised to speak to their pharmacy about collection and delivery options.
Vulnerable patients, such as the elderly, or those with learning difficulties/disabilities or additional medical needs will be supported through these changes by their GP practice.
If you already order from your GP directly, this project will not affect you.
Your prescription will need to be ordered using one of the following options:
- Ordering online - it is easier than you think and we at the practice will help you to set this up, meaning you can order 24/7. For further details on how to access online ordering please speak to your practice
- Drop off or post to us the tick slip – this is the right-hand side of your prescription, selecting only the items you need. If you don’t have your slip please put your request in writing listing the medications you require.
Why are we doing this?
This is safer and more efficient. This change will mean that your GP has a better ability to monitor and control what medicines you do or do not use. This will help your discussions about choosing the right medication.
The change will also help address a serious safety concern, under the old system, some patients found that they began to build up a stock of unused medicine, which had to be stored safely and used within date. The new system, will give more control.
Finally, it is important that NHS money is used as efficiently as possible. We aim to save a large amount of money on used medicines to reduce waste and reinvest this for the benefit of the people of Warrington.
What is not changing?
- Ordering of appliances direct from suppliers will not be changing i.e. stoma bags, catheters NB: aside from Holes Lane where patients already have to order these items directly from their practice
- If your alreadyorder repeatprescriptions directly fromyour GP themselves then you need to continue to do this
- If you would like your nominated pharmacy to collect your prescriptions from the practice then you need to discuss this with your pharmacy
- Pharmacies will still deliver medicines and other items to patient’s homes where appropriate