PATIENTS of the White Horse Health Centre have expressed their frustration at the new service for ordering repeat prescriptions, with many complaining about long wait times to speak to an adviser and difficulty getting through.
The new service has been branded “dreadfully inadequate” by patients and concern has been raised about the difficulties in getting through, especially for those needing medication over the Christmas period.
From the beginning of August, patients of the health centre have not been able to make repeat prescription requests via post, phone or in person at the surgery. Instead, they have to use the Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) service or register online to order their repeat prescriptions.
However, the new service has come under fire. Local man Alan Clegg said, “I am having to use the dreadfully inadequate service to request repeat prescriptions. Having been trying to contact them since Monday I am now at 4pm on Wednesday, still struggling to contact them and being kicked out due to the high level of demand. How many people are running out of their prescriptions whilst trying to use this wholly inadequate service who are totally under staffed?
“With Christmas too close for comfort, I can see people going without vital medications and being in extreme pain or discomfort due to this terrible service.”
Many other patients have taken to social media to vent their frustrations. “Sorry don’t mean to moan but grrrr the newish way to get a repeat prescription is so annoying. First I register online to do it and now my password won’t work, been up the doctors for another one and that one got rejected as well, so phoned to do it on and off all day today and can’t get through as busy ahhhhh! Bring back the good old fashioned paper and pen!!” said one patient on the Spotted Westbury Facebook page, sparking off the debate.
In agreement, Anne Marshall said, “I completely agree with you. It took me nearly the whole afternoon to get through to those people. Does not help the phone bill.”
Sarah Pike added, “I too have tried the repeat prescription phone number and was not able to get through yesterday, the message said it was cutting me off due to high volume of calls and then today the wait time was 25 minutes so…..try again tomorrow! Not good service!”
Wendy Boxall said, “I have only used it once so far and it took me many calls to get through, then I had to wait for ages before it was answered, when eventually they answered they said I could not order on behalf of my son (he is disabled and cannot order it himself) as I was not a named person, I have been getting repeats on his behalf for years, they eventually allowed me to order but what a blinking hassle it was!”
Whilst the service has come under fire from many patients, others have expressed their satisfaction, praising staff on the phone line as “helpful” and “friendly”.
Jen Faulks said, “I have never had any problems. Not long ago I ran out of medication and I found the POD service very helpful. I feel that the service is an added extra and it is reassuring to know that I can call for help.”
Ali Huntley added, “I find the new phone line works very well. Pleasant and friendly staff. Never had a problem getting through.”
The service launched in April in Wiltshire and is being rolled out to GP practices on a town-by-town basis, with the aim to roll it out to all of the county’s practices over the next couple of years. With unused prescription medicines costing the NHS £2.7million every year in Wiltshire, the new service is intended to help reduce wastage, saving the NHS money.
On behalf of the White Horse Health Centre, Tracy Torr, communications and engagement officer for NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said, “The Prescription Ordering Direct service is new and we completely understand that people are concerned when they can’t get through to the service. We also apologise for the deep frustration people feel.
“We are taking extraordinarily high numbers of calls currently – up to 900 calls a day, and we ask people to please be patient while they are waiting to talk to a trained prescription coordinator. Orders are currently taking longer than usual to process because people are ringing to order their medication to cover the Christmas period. Your call WILL be dealt with, so please do keep trying. We are currently training more coordinators so that we are able to manage the high levels of calls and to help cut the time that people are waiting.
“The prescription ordering direct service was introduced in April this year, as a way to help patients order only the repeat medication that they need. The service is currently being provided from seven surgeries in Wiltshire.
“There is no need to register to use the service. Patients just call the POD when they have 7 days of medication left. For those patients who are unable to ring to use this service, they can order their repeat medication using the online service offered by their GP practice, or alternatively they can speak to a member of staff at their GP practice who will discuss with them other ways they can order their medication.”
