Repeat prescription reminder services

[johnep]

Prescription Collection Service.
johnep

[LeftArm]

In theory prescription repeats can only be ordered by the patient or their carer. The pharmacy can order the script from the surgery only at the patients request.
The Lloyds system gets round this as you say by encouraging the patient to order a script a month in advance. Most other services rely on a "reminder" where the pharmacy contact the patient to ask if they want to order their next script.

Are pharmacists "pushing" their services to an extreme in this instance?

In the past it has been the doctors surgery who are responsible for taking prescription requests. Some surgeries will not take requests over the phone so in these cases pharmacy has stood in and in general the pharmacy acts only as a messenger in these instances.
With the Electronic Prescription Service the idea of nomination means that each patient will be registered to s specific pharmacy. Also, the specifications for EPS provided by connecting for health do not provide any means for the patient to order their next prescription. These two facts put together mean that pharmacies are scrambling to register patients for their own collection and delivery services now in preparation for the relaese of EPS release 2. It is an advantage for pharmacies to try to manage the repeat service that would traditionally have been run by the surgery. There is no standard for this so it's every pharmacy for themselves while surgeries seem to be (in most cases) happy to be relieved of the burden of actually talking with patients.
This is bad for the image of pharmacy in general as it reinforces the notion that pharmacists are only motivated by business goals and profits rather than patient care.

A repeat reminder system is easily set up. A calender is kept that indicates which date a patient will run out of a medicine if they take them acording to the prescription. This is filled in when the first script arrives. The patient is "reminded" that their tablets are due and they need to make a request. As you suggest some people will just tick all the boxes.

[johnep]

Pharmacy Manager has compliance reports which look at pattern of repeats for a patient and judges if compliant with dosage etc. Believe PM will also generate a reminder list for you and also text can be sent to a mobile.
johnep

[vlman]

In the past it has been the doctors surgery who are responsible for taking prescription requests. Some surgeries will not take requests over the phone so in these cases pharmacy has stood in and in general the pharmacy acts only as a messenger in these instances.
With the Electronic Prescription Service the idea of nomination means that each patient will be registered to s specific pharmacy. Also, the specifications for EPS provided by connecting for health do not provide any means for the patient to order their next prescription. These two facts put together mean that pharmacies are scrambling to register patients for their own collection and delivery services now in preparation for the relaese of EPS release 2. It is an advantage for pharmacies to try to manage the repeat service that would traditionally have been run by the surgery. There is no standard for this so it's every pharmacy for themselves while surgeries seem to be (in most cases) happy to be relieved of the burden of actually talking with patients.
This is bad for the image of pharmacy in general as it reinforces the notion that pharmacists are only motivated by business goals and profits rather than patient care.

I fully understand the necessity to bind patients to your business by offering a collection and delivery service in preparation for implementation of EPS2. What concerns me is the extra step now being taken to order the repeatable items for the patient, sometimes well in advance of their next supply.

I still wonder how you can order repeat prescriptions for patients without actually verbally confirming their requirements at the time of ordering their items. For example, they may well have had a change of medication at a hospital since their last supply. they may have had a reaction to one of their medications and so on.

The repeat script guidance issued by the RPSGB states that you must "establish, at the time of each request, which items the patient or carer considers are required and ensure that unnecessary supplies are not made!

I also understand that software is capable of producing compliance reports which look at pattern of repeats for a patient and judges if compliant with dosage etc. However, if the pharmacist orders those items for the patient regularly, it is a self fullfilling prophecy that compliance will appear to be excellent and it could also mean that the patient has a cupboard full of stock that has not been taken as no one has ever visited or actually spoken to them about the repeats they require.

Repeat Medication Services seems to be an area that needs more guidance from the RPSGB to protect pharmacists from possible allegations of unprofessional practices.

Vlman

[ap1]

I think in this situation , it really comes down to commercial reasons and convenience reasons for the patient.

Commercially it makes sense for us to take the process over to ensure the patient comes back to us but i understand there is risks for us in doing this. I guess it comes down to benefits outweighing the risks. if you have sufficient protocols in place you should be ok.

patient convenience - this service is much needed and appreciated by the housebound and elderly. Practice staff also recognise this and will recommend this service for the needy patients.