"Not everybody has access to a computer "

Dear 'Old Duffer'

Thank you for your communication regarding the cessation of our repeat prescription telephone request line.

We have reached the decision to stop this service, to bring us into line with the guidelines produced by the Commission for Quality Care. All General Practices will shortly be required to register and submit their policies for review by the Commission.

Due to the high rate of error in verbal requests, it is no longer felt acceptable to take requests for repeat prescriptions over the telephone. Our receptionists are often asked for little blue tablets, or the brown inhaler etc. It is also difficult for patients to pronounce the complex names of many medications and it can be difficult to interpret what they are saying, especially over the telephone. We need to ensure that errors cannot be made by assuming which tablets/medicines our patients are requesting, due to not having a written record of what has been requested.

Requests can still be made by :-

Post enclosing an SAE,

Email using our website requiring a password and email address.

Fax

In person (24 hour letter box)

Repeat Dispensing – this is the system by which, in suitable cases, up to 12 prescriptions can be issued in advance to a pharmacy of the patient’s choice and collected without the need for pre-ordering.

We do have misgivings about this decision and realise it inconveniences some of our patients. However given the CQC guidelines and our recent survey of neighboring practices, the majority of which have ceased routine telephone requests, we feel we are left with no option in the matter.

We will always try to help our patients who are confused, or patients who have run into an urgent problem with their medication. We will also make exception for those patients on our palliative care register.

Yours sincerely

Drs Parkes, Pycock, Beckett and Hodges