Repeat Prescription - 48 hours notice & have to be re-authorised? NHS lost the plot?

[bottomburp]

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[Bookworm]

Absolutely.

 

Many medications are at risk of being over-abused, and it would extremely easy for an addict to get refilled more than necessary. The system is in place to prevent precisely this, and I would imagine that if it wasn't, there'd be an outcry the day an addict dies from an o/dose, and the system didn't protect him because it was all automated, no-one cared about checking...

 

We are talking about medication. Drugs, most of them potent enough that they can make us better or kill us.

 

I'd rather see you occasionally inconvenienced than a suicidal dperessive dead because their prescription got automatically filled in.

[bottomburp]

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[demon_x_slash]

It inconveniences me as well - I have prescribed medication, and live a fair way away from my doc at the moment. The easiest way for me to get my repeat prescription is to send the repeat, along with an SAE, by post to the doc. He prints out the collection prescription and the next repeat form, and posts it back to me. Until I move back into the area (not long now) it's the easiest way to do it. I'm too young to remember the stamping system, burp

[Bookworm]

I am not an addict nor are most of the other inhabitants. It should not be possible for anyone to get their prescription over filled and if the stamping system I described was still in force it would be impossible for them to do so. I thoroughly resent being shoved into the same basket as a small minority - let them be inconvenienced if you must insist on nannying them the whole time but for heavens sake treat the rest of us with respect and acknowledge that most of us are responsible adults quite capable of looking after ourselves.

 

Resent all you like. The responsability of handling and dealing medication lies squarely with the medical body, and the same people who howl "nanny state" would sue without a second thought if one of their loved ones were to become a victim of the automated system.

 

Incidentally, in the 20+ years I have lived both in Scotland and England, I have never once come across the stamping system you describe, I always have had to get my prescription repeats from my surgery.

[bottomburp]

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[Bookworm]

You seem intent on concentrating on addicts. I don't know why, I only gave them as ONE of the reasons why strict control of drugs, ANY drugs, is necessary. I notice you do not respond to the point about the medical body's liability.

 

So, having to see your GP means no respect now? What an odd concept...:-?

 

Why would I want to patronise you? You are making a very good job of demolishing your own argument all by yourself, with your throwaway comments about addicts and lack of respect by your GP, frankly.

 

Your rant was about whether the way the repeat prescription system works, and you asked for comments. I didn't realise that "comments" meant "only if you agree with me".

 

I'll leave you to get on with it then. Have fun.

[Janet-M]

when you request a repeat prescription from my doctor he checks up on how long you have been on it and all other factors that may affect him repeating the prescription.I like the way it's done now and feel it's a safer way.It can't be that hard to check how much medicine / tablets are left when you take some so that you can get more and not run out .

Even though I am a responsible adult I realise that there are many vunrable people and they should be protected , not just a case of 'I'm alright jack ', if everyone had that attitude this site wouldn't exist for us to be debating this .

[bottomburp]

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[bottomburp]

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[bottomburp]

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[bogwart]

I guess I'm lucky because I can request repeat prescriptions via the internet. I have about a dozen different items including some very heavy-duty painkillers, and I have never had any problems with repeats.

 

Now that GP practices have become so well remunerated maybe this will become more widespread.

[bottomburp]

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[bogwart]

I think the 'repeat' in repeat prescription just means, these days, that you don't have to see the GP every month and go through all the BS of being diagnosed etc.

 

My situation is subject to a periodic review, but as I have three incurable condititions they don't seem to worry too much about the review.

 

I am diabetic, which means I have a thorough check-up every six months.

 

Bookworm has to be absolutely correct. One of my drugs is dihydrocodeine tartrate, and I get 84 a month, which is far more than needed for a lethal overdose. What would happen if I got 6*84 tablets and took them all? I think any reasonable person would agree that there would be a major s**tstorm directed at the practice.

 

I agree with your basic point, that you *are* having to be re-diagnosed all the time. Maybe you should discuss this with your GP?

 

Incidentally the 48 hours notice is normal these days. I'd also like to suggest that using the phone is a lot cheaper than driving around the countryside.

[bottomburp]

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[denver]

and I, for one, would very much like to able able to "opt-out".

 

I wish you would

[T4NKG1RL]

Whilst I empathise with the apparent pen pushing to which reference was made, I respectfully suggest that bureaucracy and nannying is not the premis upon which the re issuing of prescriptions are made.

Patient safety is.

Reissuing prescriptions means at very least that a G.P. has considered a variety of factors involved in your care. For example, that you have requested the same drugs again indicates that you are satisfied that they are doing what they are supposed to, eg controlling your pain (or you wouldnt be repeating the request for a prescription).

No responsible clinician would or should prescribe a plan of care and treatment without regularly evaluating its efficacy.

Repeating a prescription request is a compromise between clinician and patient which enables you to continue treatment without having to book a face to face consultation every time you need more drugs.

(The issue of number of items and amounts of drugs allowed to be entered on each prescription is a separate issue).

[MrShed]

I happen to agree with BB here, although I accept the other points that have been made. But, this system does seem to make a repeat prescription rather pointless. What is the point in issuing a repeat prescription if you cannot repeat it without going back to the doctor? If for that specific patient safety with the drugs could be an issue, why give a repeat prescription at all? Why not just give a normal prescription, which will be issued again after the next visit? If the safety of ALL and any patients is in question, then why have repeat prescriptions full stop? And this may be the case, which I could see the reasoning, but if so then I fail to see why we still have repeat prescriptions.

[T4NKG1RL]

You dont always have to go back to the doctor to get the prescription reissued. It is usually a matter of dropping the request back in to the surgery.

 

The point of repeat prescriptions is to enable G.P.s to give due consideration to considerably more patients and their care than they will physically be able to see.

 

For example, a GP doesnt need to see Mr Smith in person to realise that he's been on drugs which may impact his health in other ways over a period of time and so needs to monitor how long they have been taken, in what dose, etc.

 

Also, say I have a prescription for painkillers which I use regularly and have on repeat prescription, how else will my GP be able to prevent me continuing to use a drug which new evidence released shows is now contraindicated for me than by checking my prescription every time?

 

Repeat prescriptions have evolved into this check system because of past mistakes and practices which have caused harm and expense to patients and GPs (and not just financially).

 

On the plus side, usually you dont have to wait an inordinately long time for a prescription to be repeated unless you or your GP deems a review necessary so are not therefore getting caught in the appointment system which is frequently less prompt for non-urgent consultation.

[MrShed]

But if I dont have to see my doctor, then my GP is not going to be able to see me to assess how these drugs have affected my health!!

[T4NKG1RL]

He doesnt necessarily need to see you physically!

He's assessing the treatment, its rationale, its efficacy, its appropriateness, its long term implications for you and your health. By you repeating the request for the drug it suggests that you are happy with the treatment and its effects.

[T4NKG1RL]

Also, if there is a problem with the repeat prescription being issued for any of the previous reasons, you will be usually be contacted by the surgery to make an appointment to discuss options with your GP.

[MrShed]

Yet that then puts the assessment back in the hands of patient! Therefore removing the doctor again!

 

Sorry I know I'm being stubborn I just do not agree with what you say! A doctor cannot assess the effect of a drug on me without at least speaking to me, and preferably physically seeing me. It is simply not possible. Therefore I see no benefit in returning to the surgery to renew my prescription over and above just going to the pharmacy. The suggestion that repeating the request suggests you are "happy" with the drug is not really true - if I notice no change, I will still go and get the drug - after all, doctors orders! I suspect 90% of the population are the same. And also, on the flip side, are you saying that if you do NOT come in to renew the prescription, the doctor is going to go "ah, hang on, I'd better call in Mr Shed"? Of course he isnt!

[T4NKG1RL]

Hang on, didnt I read somewhere up on this board that there was too much nannying? How can that be when patients are central in determining their treatment?

 

Also on a simpler note, as rational adults, who here in their right mind continues taking any medication which apparently has no benefit?

 

To quote an old favourite 'pain is whatever the patient says it is'

(McCafrrey 1979). It's your illness/condition but your GP can only act on feedback from you. Doctors orders is a concept which went out of vogue circa 1950 imho

 

It is not only possible but also commonplace to successfully assess a patient and their treatment in their absence. It happens in every ward, clinic and hospital at this very minute and usually with no difficulties or problems.

[MrShed]

But how can you do that assessment? I do not understand.

 

If a doctor tells me to take something, I do it. I don't neccessarily question it, even if it does not have an effect in the short term, as maybe it does in the long term. Even if most of the general population do not do this, then I guarantee the majority of OAPs do.