Repeats: RD and RA

[little one]

Can somebody please clearly explain the difference between Repeat dispensing and Repeat authorisation? I keep getting them confused.
Thanks

[greenmonkey]

Hiya
In our pharmacy we get either 1 of 6, 1 of 12 or could be 1 of any other number scripts (which are called RD's) from the doctor if the patient has been on regular meds for over one year and attached to them is the RA which is the copy that the doctor has signed. These are called batch prescriptions and when the last of the batch is handed out the RA is filed in the relevant drawer and sent off at each month end to the PPA. Hope this helps x

[sleather1]

Repeat authorisation is the prescription that the doctor signs.
Repeat dispensing are the individual number of repeats allowed from the authorisation.

Dr. signs the authurisation once, which then allows for 1 of 6, 2 of 6 etc up until 6 of 6 to be dispensed without needing a signature on each individual script.

[DispenserJosh]

Ahh I remember the first RA/RD script I got to dispense. It was something my supervisor failed to teach me at the time... I dispensed both sets and was thinking to myself...."this patient is rather greedy...what does RA mean?"! All part of the training process...

Hopefully the introduction of EPS 2 nationwide will improve the administration side of repeat dispensing. Less paper at least

[tinx25388]

We had a patient who was prone to overdosing, so she was on daily collection only. Pharmacist insisted that we have daily scripts if we are to dispense daily, so we ended up with an RA and 30 RDs every month! Electronic prescriptions would certainly help reduce paper, although this particular patients PMR kept drashing our system!!

[little one]

Okay, I think I've got it now. Can someone please let me know if I'm right? or where I've gone wrong.

RA is the top page of the group (with RA written on it), but this is not a prescription, although it looks like one, so it is not filled. It is just a page that the Dr. signs so that the Dr. doesn't have to sign all the other RDs. The Dr. is not supposed to amend this RA, if they have we need a whole new batch.
The RDs are the prescriptions that we fill, in the same way we fill normal prescriptions. Although on the computer system we have to put them on an RD prescription. There can be any number of RDs. The pharmacy keeps hold of the RDs. ( can the patient keep them if they want? - but they can only return to the pharmacy with the RA?)

Are they sent off to the NHS individually or kept and then sent all together? :S

Is this correct?
anything else I should know?
thanks,

[shan]

If You are a pre-reg then the best thing to do is log in to the CPPE website and get the Repeat Dispensing module for free and you will get all the information for yourself. Repeat Dispensing is one of the essential services for which the pharmacy is paid on a monthly basis (around £ 125) It is expected that all the pharmacists are equipped with this knowleddge.
Shortly for your understanding.

If a patient is stable on some meds for chronic conditions (Hypertension, CVD, etc) that he need not see the doctor for a review for a priod of time ( say 3 months/ 6months etc. ) then it is more appropriate that he approac the pharmacy every month for his meds instead of visiting the surgery.

A batch (period like 3months/ 6months etc) is a set of prescription that will be issued according to the instructions of the GP, either open where no date is specified on the RD(repeat Dispense) or on a specific date each month, is created by the GP and the authorisation of this batch is signed on the RA (Repeat Authorisation)

The patient can chose any pharmacy for the dispensing of this batch. He need not give all the RDs to the pharmacy but needs to leave the RA at the pharmacy that cannot be returned. In essence if the patient decides to leave the pharmacy mid-way, then he needs to get a new batch with a new RA. So the pharmacy who has done the part batch will then file the RA at the end of the period to the PPA.

The RDs are filed in the month they were dispensed, to the PPA. The PPA can always verify if they want to do a fraud assessment, but seldom done.

This is actually a tool to reduce monthly visits at the surgery, and to benefit the pharmacy is they get monthly scripts instead of getting a 3 or six months worth meds on one script ( item count goes up)

SO if judiciously used this can benefit the surgery/ patient and most importantly the item counts of a Pharmacy. To acheive this you need a good supporting GP and a demanding patient if the GPs refuse.

I convert atleast 3 -4 patients a month to RD.

Shan