By the way . . . the issues with remote prescribing
THIS week I was asked to prescribe an antibiotic for a patient I didn’t physically see. I’m reluctant when it comes to remote prescribing because it is a frequent cause of negligence cases taken against GPs.
According to the Medical Defence Union our errors include prescriptions for penicillin when the patient is allergic, prescriptions of an incorrect medication because of similar sounding names and prescription of the wrong dose.
As practitioners we have clear prescribing guidelines and are strictly governed by our licensing medical councils. However, real life experience is not always reflected in these protocols. Every time you go the extra mile to convenience a patient you put your clinical good standing on the line.
Patients forgetting or running out of their regular medications is also a frequent ‘would you mind’ request. Often it’s a third party asking for a relative or friend. These scenarios are fraught with difficulty. In my experience the majority of patients know little more than ‘It’s the blue inhaler and the pink heart pill’. It’s a minefield.
The other side of the coin is our duty of care. Can we really decline to prescribe for a patient because we are more worried about being sued than their physical wellbeing? The overriding issue is one of safety. If we are confident our actions are safe and clinically necessary then we should fulfil the request. If there are concerns, it’s best to get the patient in rather than take a prescribing risk. Most patients can physically get to a surgery if needed.
Life is life, and especially in summer holiday season, we get distress calls from patients. Face to face consultations are best, but ultimately if we can help patients remotely we should do so, but ensure we are doing it safely, for the right reasons.
A pushy patient pressing you to do something you aren’t comfortable with will be the same patient who will happily see you in court if you mess up. A prescription is a legal document and if your signature is on it you are ultimately responsible for it, whatever the circumstances.