Pharmacists seek time-saving powers to alter prescriptions
PHARMACISTS have called for powers to change prescriptions as part of an effort to “reduce time wasting” in cases of medication shortages.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society said community pharmacists should be able to make changes to quantities, strength and formulation of the medicine dispensed.
The proposed shake-up would also allow pharmacists to dispense another generic version of a medicine on prescription without having to contact the prescriber every time.
The industry body has claimed that the current regime is a “waste of everyone’s time” and labours the process of providing medicines to patients if the item prescribed happens to be in short supply or out of stock.
Pharmacists believe this would speed up access to medicines for patients, reduce the workload of GPS and give pharmacists more face-to-face time with patients.
The call for changes comes after one of the busiest periods in recent years as patients rushed to secure medication at the start of the pandemic. In May, The Daily Telegraph revealed that a record of nearly 93million prescribed medicines were dispensed in March as Britain entered lockdown, as patients sought to stockpile.
Robbie Turner, the RPS director of pharmacy, said pharmacists have experienced “plenty” of difficulties supplying medicines during the pandemic and in the run-up to Brexit, and they needed more flexibility under the law to make simple changes to prescriptions that help patients.
Mr Turner said: “At present, if a patient arrives with a prescription for one pack of 400mg strength tablets which is out of stock, we’re not allowed to alter the prescription so we can provide them with two packets of the 200mg version, which are in stock. Neither are we allowed to change the formulation, so if they’re prescribed capsules which are unavailable, we can’t provide them with tablets or a liquid version of the same medicine.”
Pharmacists have to tell the patient they cannot have what has been prescribed, causing delays.
“This is a waste of everyone’s time when the answer is already sitting there on the shelf,” said Mr Turner.
“Pharmacists in hospital, and in community pharmacies in Scotland, already routinely alter prescriptions.”