I AM writing about the crazy changes to the way we have to order repeat prescriptions made by Halton Clinical Commissioning Group.
I think these changes are about to cause chaos and make it extremely difficult for vulnerable and elderly people.
At the moment my chemist orders my prescriptions and all I have to do is collect them every month.
The CCG says this system led to people building up large stocks of unused medication and caused a waste of money.
I would suggest this was not the fault of the pharmacies ordering the prescriptions but the doctors issuing them.
Surely the doctor issuing the prescription should be able to see if a patient is receiving unnecessary medication and ask the patient to contact them for a review?
To get prescriptions I now have to go through a tortuous online registration procedure involving collecting a form from my GP, downloading an app and entering three long strings of numbers and letters into an online form to identify myself.
I am computer literate and fairly confident but it took me two goes.
The alternatives to this are to post the slip attached to my prescription or to take it in person to the doctors.
What about poorly, elderly or confused patients who do not have transport?
People with dementia might forget to order a prescription.
Doctors are going to be inundated with calls at the last minute from people who have forgotten to order things or with requests for unnecessary emergency appointments to issue prescriptions.
I feel sorry for the front line staff at surgeries who will have to deal with the chaos that is about to ensue.
I will be interested to see if the £700,000 saving that the CCG suggests will be made actually comes about.
I think the change will cost them money in the long run.
Who was consulted about these changes?
Name and address supplied
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