Prescription size/duration

[KevinJH]

I was wondering if anyone else has seen this; starting this month, I've just noticed that my GP has reduced the amount/duration of prescribed tablets being issued down from 56 to 28 days' worth. This is across the board for all six different types that I'm having to take.

I can understand the lower amount should the patient be on a short-term prescribed regime but for those of us who are on them for life, wouldn't it make more sense to stick with 56 days ? Saves them (and the chemist) a job and saves me having to increase my carbon footprint by having to drive to the pharmacy twice as much (well, more in fact as my tablets are out of sync).

Anyway, just curious.....

[Swede]

Hi, Yes I have experienced the same. We go away quite often, so for us it is very unpractical all this new palaver. I can get three out of four medicines for 56 days but not Hydroxycarbamide. New policy maybe, who knows.

[mhos61]

New changes!

Maybe your GPs Practice have employed their own ‘in house’ Pharmacist, they’re being financially encouraged to do this. They’ll set their own rules. Worth asking is this the case!

We couldn’t understand all the odd ‘changes’ at our GPs until we found out they now had there own in house Pharmacist.

[KevinJH in reply to mhos61]

Quite probably - they're a growing medical centre and as you intimate, it'll no doubt all come back to money but I thought I'd throw this out there to see if there was a noticeable overall change of practice before putting it to them.

Appreciate the replies 👍

[mhos61]

High priority is saving money, regardless of what they tell you. I could go on, but I won’t!!!

[Tico in reply to mhos61]

🤣🤣🤫🤐

[Wyebird]

Are you in the Uk. I’ve questioned why I only get 1 months supply . Apparently in my area it’s the norm.

[KevinJH in reply to Wyebird]

Yes I am and that's what was a little surprising about the change in order size after seven years of having 2 months' worth per order. I'll give 'em a call but not holding my breath as after checking my wife's orders they too have changed to 28 days.

[Wyebird in reply to KevinJH]

To think it’s more like- ‘you’ve been lucky for the last 7years’ Good luck

[Edinburgh1953]

I am in Edinburgh Scotland and my Hydroxycarbamide because it is a controlled drug is given to by hospital pharmacy only. GP practice not involved in anyway with prescription and I get 3 months supply at a time from hospital

[KevinJH in reply to Edinburgh1953]

When originally diagnosed seven years ago, the hospital dispensed an initial 28 days' worth of all required drugs but went to great pains to ensure I was aware it would then be down to my GP to dispense everything, which made sense then as it does now by keeping everything under one roof so to speak.

[DJK12 in reply to KevinJH]

Must be a north/south divide as I'm also in Edinburgh and for the whole 35 years I've had ET and now post ET MF the hospital has dispensed the MPN drugs. Prior to covid a pharmacist came to clinic and we got our drugs after seeing the consultant - it had been worked out before when we were coming back and what we were likely to need - very efficient. Unfortunately now it means a long trek across a spread out hospital campus to an oncology satellite pharmacy but as Edinburgh1953 said we get 3 months worth ( plus some exercise!).

[Little-friend-Susan]

My Hydroxyurea is prescribed by the specialist according to the results of the blood test and how long till the next appointment. I do get it from my local pharmacy.

[Turfbeg]

Hi, I'm in Wales and have a telephone consultation with a specialist haematologist pharmacist from the oncology/haematology dept - every 2 to 3 months dependent on my blood levels. Each time she posts a hydroxycarbamide prescription to last until the next scheduled consultation - no problems with having this drug from my local doctors' in house pharmacy.

[Jynx93]

Hello, I’m on 8 tablets a day for life and my GP’s are still giving me 2 months worth at a time

[Borage]

I had such a battle to try to get enough hydroxycarbamide. The pharmacist wanted to know exactly how many tablets I had left, (none) and how many doses I would need until the next appointment, when it still had to be made by the secretary. I was sent back and forth from pharmacy to clinic.

Appointment every three calendar months, prescription 3 x 28 days.

I used to have 4 monthly appointments but Boots the Chemist who run the out patients’ pharmacy will not allow more than 12 weeks of medicine, and I was told that the computer is programmed accordingly.

Having had angina when I tried to argue the point, if I don’t get enough tablets now I just miss a few days out.

I expect that someone is making a profit.

[Heidi-W]

Afraid local NHS clinical commissioning groups who are in charge of the local prescribing budgest given out to GP def encourage us to try and stick to monthly supplies to save on wastage especially if patients are on more than 4 regular prescriptions each month. It is done partly as a safety issues for certain drugs and financially to try and reduce waste too. Appreciate can be frustrating but hopefully if you are only on 1 or 2 items they may be able to tweak it back to 56 tablets. You'd be amazed at the stockpiling of drugs/inhalers that can happen at people's houses!

[KevinJH]

Apologies for not responding sooner, been side-tracked somewhat. I really appreciate the time taken to give feedback & comments. Although I received no response after leaving a message whilst ordering, I did actually (and thankfully) receive two months' supply on that last order. I'm hoping they took notice of my query but rather than hassle them now I'll have a chat with them when I go for my Covid booster in the next few weeks of any potential change of policy.

[Borage]

Progress. Boots the Chemist who run the Outpatients Pharmacy provided 13 weeks of Hydroxycarbamide to last the 3 months until my next telephone appointment.

All through lockdown their Pharmacist has said to telephone when my husband arrives at the hospital drop off point and one of them brings the medicine out to the car.