Net no more as practice backtracks on plan

A medical practice has backtracked on their prescription switch to solely online - thanks to the Ayrshire Post.

Residents had sparked fury at McCulloch & Partners surgery in Girvan turning to the net to order prescriptions.

The NHS practice wanted to see the current telephone prescription line phased out, going completely online in June.

But the change came to a grinding halt when residents raised their concerns.

One Girvan resident and community council member thought the new online service would cause problems for elderly patients who can’t access the internet or have far to walk to hand in their prescription.

Molly McQuade said: “Not everyone’s online.

“I feel they’re pushing everyone to go online and what’s the reason for it?”

It was stated on their website to be ‘ for patient safety reasons and is in line with NHS Ayrshire & Arran guidelines’.

But now the medial practice have backtracked and will see the prescription phone line open for one hour between 10- 11am ‘ for the foreseeable future’.

Their website now states their reasoning for this is ‘ in order to increase the number of on- line and paper requests which will hopefully decrease any patient safety issues that may occur’.

McCulloch & Partners stated: “Following patient feedback the practice has decided to keep the prescription line open for an hour a day, primarily for patients who have difficulty in ordering their prescriptions on- line or by handing in their prescription slip.”

Pamela Milliken, Head of Primary Care and Out of Hours Community Response Services, East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership said: “NHS Ayrshire & Arran and our partners in the Health and Social Care Partnerships are committed to ensuring that people have high quality access to local health services which offer safe and efficient healthcare.

“National policy has asked that we assist local GP practices to offer their patients the ability to order their repeat medications online.

“This system is recognised at offering many benefits including freeing up telephone lines for patients who need to book appointments and for GP telephone assessments.

“It also helps ensure patient safety as there is no risk of medications being wrongly recorded.

“We have no guidelines or policy which requests that practices withdraw from offering telephone prescription ordering.”

The alternative ways to order regular medication are:

• on- line via Patient Access

• by handing in your repeat prescription ordering slip

• by filling in a repeat prescription slip at the front desk

• by post

• face to face at the front reception desk.