IMPORTANT: Repeat Prescriptions - changes from April 2020

TinaL said:
The really sad thing is that when TinaL's meds are changed, having had a neurologist review, the first thing we do is take any surplus meds if any,back to the chemist, so wastage here folks. (y) ?
And a Big smile & Thank You from Errol The Pharmacist.(y)
LES
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I think you'll find that they are 'supposed' to be properly dispose of and not re-issued or given to others to use so if Errol is doing that he is very naughty!
 
We've had to order direct for a number of years but as we always did it anyway it made no difference to us.

Different makes of the same basic drug do and can have difference whether it's in any coating the tablets have or otherwise. We (this is Sedge) insured a large vitamin manufacturer who ONLY use natural ingredients and unable to source any 'coating' ingredient which did not contain cellulose of some sort, all their tablets were uncoated. As some of them were quite large this alone caused some problems for some people.

If Bloggs & Co version of whatever drug a person is on does cause them problems, then it is always perfectly possible to get their GP to change the prescription to include the Brand name even though the reason they were changed to the generic one is to save the NHS a few coppers.

There is eg a commonly prescribed T2 drug, Metformin, which can cause ongoing gastric probs for some patients (ie. dreadful wind and diarrhoea which is extremely common initially but usually subsides after about 3 weeks) When it doesn't, the GP can change it to 'Metformin SR' (ie slow release) which they never prescribe straight off simply because it IS more expensive. They don't really cause a fuss and bother if anyone does need to change it though as long as they are sure the person has tried their hardest to get used to the 'normal' kind.
 
Minxy Girl said:
I think you'll find that they are 'supposed' to be properly dispose of and not re-issued or given to others to use so if Errol is doing that he is very naughty!
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Interesting,I didn't even consider that point.
The returned drugs were not loose ones, they came in sealed blister packs of 10/12 per packet, and were well in date.
It would be a shame, and a total waste in my view, if they were not given to someone that needed them, especially if they were very expensive or special order, hence why I returned them.
However I had not considered that they could be, and probably would be, charged out twice to the NHS or paid for privately by some unsuspecting patient. :eek:
I also dont like the idea of putting them in our general waste bin, flushing them down the toilet would be even worse, so what to do with them, will have to find out, not that its a regular occurrence.
Tough one.
LES
 
Lenny HB said:
Never knew you could do that. I've always ordered mine online from the doctors & they send it to the pharmacy.
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The Boots service is smooth.

My phone beeps, a text message tells me that my prescription is ready for collection.

Go to the store, tick and sign the prescription, collect the package and that's it for another month.

Except about once a year the pharmacist conducts a review to ensure that I still need all the drugs and enquiries if I've had a review with my doctor.
 
If your pharmacist is re using sealed packs he is definitely breaking the law. There is nothing in my local pharmacy and they haven’t heard anything yet so perhaps it is a local PCT initiative to reduce waste. Boots etc would hate it as they get a fee per item dispensed so don’t care a jot about waste waste whereas your dispensing GP practice will hate waste as it gets penalised indirectly for waste.
Interesting as it was a big government initiative that no GPs wanted as we knew it would cause more waste and confusion to the elderly and those whose medication was being changed around. I know it’s convenient for some on here but we’re a minority and don’t fall into the confused and bewildered brigade!

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I had to return some med's some time ago, unsuitable for me. When I asked what would happen to them, out of interest, they said they have an incinerator for the disposal of all returned drugs, they were and are not allowed to reissue and charge again. So if this is happening, it is out of order, the only problem is how to prove it happening!!
 
nomadic said:
I had to return some med's some time ago, unsuitable for me. When I asked what would happen to them, out of interest, they said they have an incinerator for the disposal of all returned drugs, they were and are not allowed to reissue and charge again. So if this is happening, it is out of order, the only problem is how to prove it happening!!
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It is a safety issue so they do the right thing I know it may not seem right. But how do people store them have the seals been tampered with etc etc.
 
I thought I’d make a few inquiries Minxy Girl as I was curious, apparrently at the moment it looks like it it down to individual CCGs (community commisioning groups) and over the past year or so quite a few have done it including Buckinghamshire. It is about reducing waste as the 3rd party ordering schemes do reorder everything every month even the PRN stuff leading to inadvertent stockpiling, not the patients fault. Also to try to stop medication reviews slipping through the net.
I will try to find out more.
 
Just a thought about the SystemOnline post from yesterday, pappajohn I think.
My surgery uses SystemOnline, it is not possible to request a repeat online when ordering from outside the UK. The software used by SystemOnline recognises that the request is being made from abroad and prevents access to the site. So it only possible to request a repeat with the surgery within 7 days of the due date, and impossible to order with system online so that a repeat is available on return from a trip outside of the UK. Regarding the 12 month prescription issue and monthly dispensing by a preffered pharmacy. I retired from pharmacy in 2015 but was aware of this repeat facility for certain long term and stable conditions where the patient was unlikely to need a review. The pharmacist would monitor the patient at each dispensing cycle and report back any concerns or compliance issues. The system seemed to work well, saving the patient time and the surgery administration. There was even a facility for the pharmacist to issue a supply of longer duration to cover holiday periods. I am not sure if this scheme still exists, or whether this is what the posts were referring to?

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That’s interesting about not being able to reorder on SystemOne when out of the country. I’d planned on doing that from Bangladesh as we have a quick turnaround before our tour of Eastern Europe. Daughter does have a VPN so hopefully that will get round it. I must admit that hadn’t crossed my mind. I thought I’d reordered from Spain before Christmas but presumably not.
 
If using a uk sim in phone or mifi I think you will be seen as ordering from uk even if abroad. I ordered online from spain using uk sim, all went through ok using the surgery sytem one.
 
Do not wish to alarm anybody so will contact SystemOnline and post their reply...
Their reply was "We cannot give any information about using SystemOnline, you will have to ask your GP surgery to phone our helpline"....
 
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Minxy Girl said:
If you currently use a 'third party' company/supplier to order repeat prescriptions on your behalf you need to read the below as it will likely affect you.

From 1 April 2020, you (or a person you've nominated) will have to order your repeats prescriptions directly from your own GP practice. You will no longer be able to order repeat prescriptions through your pharmacy, an online pharmacy or other dispensing contractor.
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That's a bummer for some then, I use p2u and nothing is changing with them so my surgery told me, not that they know of anyway. I have also just been asked to send my repeat prescription to p2u for April.
 
Beemobile said:
That's a bummer for some then, I use p2u and nothing is changing with them so my surgery told me, not that they know of anyway. I have also just been asked to send my repeat prescription to p2u for April.
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If YOU are requesting your prescriptions direct from your GP and forwarding them on to p2u I don't think that would be affected, it's where p2u would be doing the request instead of you that's being stopped, at least round these parts.

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Well not with me yet, as far as I know, I have sent an email to p2u for further info which can take over 24hrs.
 
Beemobile said:
Well not with me yet, as far as I know, I have sent an email to p2u for further info which can take over 24hrs.
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It's your local NHS authority that will decide not the supplier, so might be an idea to contact them.
 
I use Pharmacy2U and my GP is happy to use this system. I know a lot of other 3rd parties may be a bit iffy and some GP's are not so tech savvy, I only order what I need online and very simple to use, I get a reminder to reorder monthly. I order what I need then GP checks over order and then Pharmacy2u process and send out. Even get the tablets sent directly to my door by post rather than queueing forever at local boots or cannot get pills as pharmacist is on a lunch break which has happened in the past.
 
Restricting repeat prescriptions to gp/ system online requests has been inplace here for a couple of years. New restrictions were imposed 3 months ago where no prescriptions are given for any over the counter medicines. The range covered is incredible. An example is paracetamol, i used to have paracetamol and codeine prescribed seperately for dosage control now both in same tablet. The mother in law (Lincolnshire) still has paracetamol prescribed. Some sensible ideas but looks like a post code lottery.
On recycling medicines the chemist wont accept returns without removing from original boxes and as a mixed lot.
Juxt to add to confuzion english doctors cant talk to welsh chemists. In england prescriptions are transferred to pharmacies by internet means in wales they still use fax.
Last year i had to wait 4 days for the prescription by post. Appointment on phone 150miles away prescriptions by snail mail. I was advised by pharmacy (when fax hadn't come after 6 hrs) to go to a local doctor, done sorted in 24hrs.
Not really a national health service.
 
Mr porky said:
That’s a bit annoying as boots have been doing mine for 3 months at a time so it’s been easy for travelling, although I am 3 months ahead.
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Me too, going to get tricky now we are
Mr porky said:
That’s a bit annoying as boots have been doing mine for 3 months at a time so it’s been easy for travelling, although I am 3 months ahead.
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dragonck said:
I use Pharmacy2U and my GP is happy to use this system. I know a lot of other 3rd parties may be a bit iffy and some GP's are not so tech savvy, I only order what I need online and very simple to use, I get a reminder to reorder monthly. I order what I need then GP checks over order and then Pharmacy2u process and send out. Even get the tablets sent directly to my door by post rather than queueing forever at local boots or cannot get pills as pharmacist is on a lunch break which has happened in the past.
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I'm not sure if there's some confusion going on ... the use of third party suppliers (eg P2U) isn't an issue at all in order to dispense meds. What IS being stopped in some areas is allowing the supplier to automatically order repeats on behalf of the patient which can mean that they are ordered unnecessarily when the patient actually doesn't need them, creating wastage and, as it is in the supplier's interest to do this as they have a regular 'income stream' from it, they're not gonna stop unless they have to. Some suppliers may be better than others at checking if meds are really needed but I suspect most don't.

So to recap, if you are in an area where this ordering restriction is being brought in AFAIK you can still use online suppliers for your meds but YOU will have to request the prescription from you GP yourself and not just leave it to the supplier to do it for you. It will of course depend on the particular 'policy' the local authority is implementing.

www.nhs.uk

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www.nhs.uk www.nhs.uk

If you are out of the country and need a repeat prescription ordering there's nothing difficult to allow someone to order them for you who is in the UK (family, friend etc) to get round the VPN issue if it affects you.
 
will be an interesting experiment last year I ordered my meds via patient access when in Spain France and this year Germany in Spain soon and will be ordering meds if it won't allow it I will make a quick text to my dearly beloved daughter who can order them for me but will never let me forget the massive favour she's doing me ;)(y)
 
Just been to my local boots at trafford retail park and spoke to the pharmacist and he said it is coming and will be nationwide luckily for me it might be awhile yet as my next script is due on the 7th April.
 
olley said:
No pills at the moment but statins have been advised.
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Statins are the biggest con in the world at the moment, they produce 98000000dollars profit for the world pharmaceutical industry, pfizer exist on the profit they make from them.there is NO benefit from having lowered cholesterol except joint pain, low testosterone and Alzheimer's disease . Cholesterol is the basic building blocks of all cell in the body. Without it cells are reduced including the neurones in the brain. Do you pay out and want to cause self harm. No member of the medical profession that I know will take them

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The Wino said:
I might be wrong but if you take any unopened meds back they still just get thrown away as they can't be certain they haven't been tampered with. I think it's a good thing to be stricter on the supply its convenient for patients to have a supply up front but if they change treatment or pop their cloggs it's all wasted. Must add up to a big cost over the whole of the NHS. Maybe there ought to be an option to buy a forward supply at cost if anyone wants the convenience.
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Agree. When Mr Evans died, i returned about a dozen well-in-date unopened meds, and they threw them away - I was surprised at The willingness to waste, but I suppose it makes sense.
 
GWAYGWAY said:
Statins are the biggest con in the world at the moment, they produce 98000000dollars profit for the world pharmaceutical industry, pfizer exist on the profit they make from them.there is NO benefit from having lowered cholesterol except joint pain, low testosterone and Alzheimer's disease . Cholesterol is the basic building blocks of all cell in the body. Without it cells are reduced including the neurones in the brain. Do you pay out and want to cause self harm. No member of the medical profession that I know will take them
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Carolyn a retired doctor on here in a previous post said she took them.
 
GWAYGWAY said:
Statins are the biggest con in the world at the moment, they produce 98000000dollars profit for the world pharmaceutical industry, pfizer exist on the profit they make from them.there is NO benefit from having lowered cholesterol except joint pain, low testosterone and Alzheimer's disease . Cholesterol is the basic building blocks of all cell in the body. Without it cells are reduced including the neurones in the brain. Do you pay out and want to cause self harm. No member of the medical profession that I know will take them
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Are you a qualified Dr as what you say may have some truth in it with younger people being prescribed as a preventive measure but for others who have already had heart attacks and strokes it is a life extender.
Funny that Statins were used to help hold back Alzheimers in my mother, worked quite well to start with but as we had been warned when they stopped being as effective the drop off was very quick
 
olley said:
No pills at the moment but statins have been advised.
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I`ve recently had a similar "conversation" with my Doctor. I`m resisting as I have heard some bad tales from other users.

The Wino said:
I might be wrong but if you take any unopened meds back they still just get thrown away as they can't be certain they haven't been tampered with. I think it's a good thing to be stricter on the supply its convenient for patients to have a supply up front but if they change treatment or pop their cloggs it's all wasted. Must add up to a big cost over the whole of the NHS. Maybe there ought to be an option to buy a forward supply at cost if anyone wants the convenience.
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That is quite correct, Pure waste of money IMV. But then it`s only Taxpayers Money (again). It cannot be beyond the "wit of man" to find a proper way of recycling them

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