Our New Prescription Ordering Process

The Hicks Group Practice have recently changed the way we manage Repeat Prescription requests and would like to share the reasoning behind this move and to reassure our patients that the change has been made to improve our overall service to you.

Why have you stopped patients using email to order Repeat Prescriptions?

As more and more of our patients use mobile phones and the internet to carry out many routine tasks, we are keen to take advantage of the NHS App / NHS Login to cut down on the administration time needed for routine tasks.

Email requests can be unreliable, unfocused and time consuming to deal with. Emailing can also be difficult for you, as it requires you to remember your exact medications, keep track of what you currently have and when you last ordered a prescription.

NHS mail has high levels of security, as a result we found that some patient’s emails were being blocked and we did not receive patient’s medication requests.  This left patients frustrated that their medications were not issued when they had ordered them, but also led to patient complaints as it wasn’t ready for them to collect. Email was no longer a user friendly process in which to order medication, so we had to look at alternatives. 

All of these issues are solved by using the NHS App / NHS Login which remembers your medication, when you last had it and where it will be dispensed to.

Why wasn’t I made aware of the change?

Changing our communication methods and website has been a rapid transformation on top of an extremely busy December.  We have tried to keep our patients informed, by putting our intentions on our website and sending messages, but we also understand not all patients have been reached.

As we modernise our communications keeping you informed will become easier in the future.

Why is the NHS App / NHS Login better for me to use?

Using the NHS App you can…

• order repeat prescriptions – see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to.
• check your symptoms – search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments, and get instant advice or medical help near you.
• register your organ donation decision – choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision.
• find out how the NHS uses your data – choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning.
• view parts of your GP record – including information about medication, allergies, vaccinations, previous illnesses and test results.

How will using the NHS App / NHS Login help staff?

The NHS App is designed to link seamlessly with the clinical system (the computer system that we use to manage medical records).  This means there is far less administration work needed when routine tasks are carried out on the NHS App / NHS Login. 

For example, with Repeat Prescriptions submitted by email, staff would need to have the email program open, manually link the medical record and then manually administer the script for the GP to complete. 

However, when using the NHS App / NHS Login, the request comes through instantly to the clinical system with a direct connection to the patient’s record. 

This process can save our team a huge amount of time over the course of a year which we can then use on other less routine tasks.

I don’t have a smartphone

If you don’t have a smartphone or can’t download apps, you can use NHS login to access the same services through a web browser on your tablet, computer or laptop.

https://www.nhsapp.service.nhs.uk/login

I don’t have an email address

You may already use an email for your home shopping, library or social groups. 

You may also have an email address from your Internet Provider, such as BT, Talk Talk or Sky.

If not, you can create a free secure email address using services such as Google Gmail, Microsoft Outlook or Apple iCloud Mail.

Health reasons prevent me from using this method of ordering prescriptions.

Even with our focus on the NHS App / NHS Login, we will never leave our patients unable to access our services.  If you are unable to use this new method of requesting Repeat Prescriptions, we will work with you to ensure you have a method of requesting that works for you. If you feel you are in this category please contact the Practice to discuss the matter to allow us to arrange a way that will help you the best.  We will still have an online form on our website for housebound patients and for ordering medication for the under 16’s.  This form can also be used for ordering non-repeat acute medication.