NEWS
Stuck on repeat
Our survey shows that getting repeat prescriptions fulfilled can
cause frustrations. Report by Angela Coffey.
The recent reader survey that was sent
out to the Desang readership base has
discovered that 19.3% of people with
diabetes struggle to get their medication
via GPs and pharmacists, with 34.6%
stating their 'prescription needed
validating by a GP' - even when it's for the
same medication they have had for years,
causing frustrations and, sometimes,
anger and distress.
While around 23% respondents said
they were happy with the local service,
further findings from the survey, conducted
in conjunction with digital prescription app
Now Patient, 28.7% said prescriptions
took a long time to be processed by a
GP, 27.3% said that the prescription was
inaccurately filled, a similar figure - 27.2%
- stated difficulties making changes to a
repeat prescription. As many as 54.7% of
respondents needed a prescription to be
filled once a month, while 20.2% needed
one every two or three months.
These findings highlight the need
for more awareness around digital
pharmacies and the role they can play in
helping people access their medication
more easily. Despite needing repeat
medications, fewer than 10% of people
who responded to the survey have tried
an online pharmacy, and 26.9% were
not sure how it would work with their GP
surgery. Concerns were also raised about
the service, with 21.5% respondents
saying they wanted to be able to speak to
someone if they have an issue with their
prescription, and 19.7% worrying about
the wrong item being delivered.
Repeat action
Sue Marshall, Editor of Desang Diabetes
Magazine, says of the findings, "It was
good to hear that many readers were
happy with their local services, but with
a changing NHS, and inevitably endless
changes to the repeat prescriptions
system, people with diabetes are often
very frustrated in trying to get their
medications. For some people with
diabetes an app, plus free-delivery-toyour-home
- such as the Now Patient
service - presents a huge improvement
in how they get their drugs and other
supplies delivered. This service also