repeat prescriptions from supermarket etc?

repeat prescriptions from supermarket etc?

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steveo3002

Original Poster:

10,665 posts

181 months

Wednesday 12th April 2023
quotequote all
anyone getting their repeat prescriptions at the supermarket or delivered

elderly mother had been getting hers at tesco , all done ready with no input from her , now theyre bothering her about ordering it herself online and shes not an internet user

are there any services that require no input from her end or is this a new thing she has to order it herself ?

Aston Traveller

397 posts

155 months

Wednesday 12th April 2023
quotequote all
steveo3002 said:
anyone getting their repeat prescriptions at the supermarket or delivered

elderly mother had been getting hers at tesco , all done ready with no input from her , now theyre bothering her about ordering it herself online and shes not an internet user

are there any services that require no input from her end or is this a new thing she has to order it herself ?
A lot of surgeries now will not allow pharmacies to order prescriptions on behalf of patients and insist that patients order themselves.
It might be worth checking with her surgery if that is their policy. Other surgeries will now not allow patients to order prescriptions by telephone either. It does make it very difficult for those patients who are perhaps older, disabled, or not able to get to the surgery themselves or cannot do it online. Some surgeries suspected that the pharmacy was ordering too much or stuff the patient did not need. Other surgeries want patients to take responsibility for their own health/medications.
Extremely frustrating for both sides.
So definitely check with her surgery first then the pharmacy. Good luck

ar-em-en

254 posts

109 months

Wednesday 12th April 2023
quotequote all
In Derbyshire we have a medicines order line for the county. You call a number and can order any repeat prescriptions and nominate where you want them sending so its worth a check if there's something similar where your mum is.

PositronicRay

27,534 posts

190 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
We set up my MILs account, Mrs Ray had the login and would order as required. I believe you can add a nominated user.

NDA

22,343 posts

232 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
I imagine you could set up the Lloyds Direct app (for example) on your phone and do it for her? Lloyds post out the prescription - I use it.

You'd just need to set yourself a diary reminder to order the prescription once a month.

I don't think there are any automatic postal services - even if there were, I am not sure I'd want to rely on them.

steveo3002

Original Poster:

10,665 posts

181 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
NDA said:
I imagine you could set up the Lloyds Direct app (for example) on your phone and do it for her? Lloyds post out the prescription - I use it.
its looking that way , has the postal delivery been 100% for you , imagine thats the next hassle it going missing or taken back to sorting office 100 miles away

PositronicRay

27,534 posts

190 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
Our surgery use patient access, you nominate a convenient pharmacy. Other benefits too, appointments and test results appear online.

NDA

22,343 posts

232 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
steveo3002 said:
NDA said:
I imagine you could set up the Lloyds Direct app (for example) on your phone and do it for her? Lloyds post out the prescription - I use it.
its looking that way , has the postal delivery been 100% for you , imagine thats the next hassle it going missing or taken back to sorting office 100 miles away
I've used this service for a couple of years and I'd say close to 100% reliable. There was a brief period when the prescriptions were not complete and I had to go to a local pharmacy to pick up - but the app did say that the drugs were not available... so it wasn't unreasonable. But nowadays, I'd say pretty much 100%. All deliveries are Royal Mail tracked, so I get email confirmation of despatch and delivery times.

Motorman74

432 posts

28 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
Talk to the local pharmacy - assuming she has on.

My largely house bound aunt who definitely has no internet has outstanding service from her local pharmacy, with a friendly chap in a van delivering her medication, and they deal with the repeats for her as well.

My neighbour is a similar position, and I see a pharmacy van delivering there too (totally different area, so different doctors and different pharmacy)

steveo3002

Original Poster:

10,665 posts

181 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
Motorman74 said:
Talk to the local pharmacy - assuming she has on.

My largely house bound aunt who definitely has no internet has outstanding service from her local pharmacy, with a friendly chap in a van delivering her medication, and they deal with the repeats for her as well.

My neighbour is a similar position, and I see a pharmacy van delivering there too (totally different area, so different doctors and different pharmacy)
local one is the supermarket i mentioned , there is a one man band place i could ask at

steveo3002

Original Poster:

10,665 posts

181 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
PositronicRay said:
Our surgery use patient access, you nominate a convenient pharmacy. Other benefits too, appointments and test results appear online.
assume this is what theyre suggesting she uses? hard when you dont do the internet etc

doesnt seem to be standard answer to this , some pharmacys do this , some do that , some people have a van call round with thiers etc ...sounds like guy in a van would suit her best , but i dont know what its called /who to ask

leef44

4,769 posts

160 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
steveo3002 said:
PositronicRay said:
Our surgery use patient access, you nominate a convenient pharmacy. Other benefits too, appointments and test results appear online.
assume this is what theyre suggesting she uses? hard when you dont do the internet etc

doesnt seem to be standard answer to this , some pharmacys do this , some do that , some people have a van call round with thiers etc ...sounds like guy in a van would suit her best , but i dont know what its called /who to ask
How regularly does she get meds? You could set this up for her and order for her but she would still need to go and collect herself.

My OH is not good on the internet. I set everything up for her, ask her what she wants ordering and do it online for her. This is using patient access.

steveo3002

Original Poster:

10,665 posts

181 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
once a month , if i have to do it then so be it , i just wanted to make sure theres no auto service that could used with no input from anyone , its worked fine up until now

NDA

22,343 posts

232 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
steveo3002 said:
once a month , if i have to do it then so be it , i just wanted to make sure theres no auto service that could used with no input from anyone , its worked fine up until now
I don't think there is.... I have a fairly large collection of smarties I need to take every day following a heart op, so I did look at all the possible options. I know things change, but they don't seem to have done. Because meds are usually fairly critical, I actually appreciate the positive action of ordering them rather than hoping an automatic system is working.

Lloyds Direct is pretty good in my experience and it takes seconds to make the order - I tend to order two weeks into my months supply.

OMITN

2,406 posts

99 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
The Electronic Prescription Service exists only in England. This is where you can order prescriptions online.

The trouble is, there is no single platform (known as EMARs) used by GPs and pharmacies. So, it comes down to which third party service your GP signs up with (all the local pharmacies will be able to access). Some of the larger pharmacy chains (Lloyds, Well, etc.) offer their own apps. But not all GPs will accept a repeat script through these apps, relying instead on the app provided by the EMAR provider. It's a pain in the backside.

But, other than agreeing with the GP to have automatic repeats issued to your nominated pharmacy (which can be supermarket, bricks and mortar or online - you choose), then you have to go through the process of re-ordering each month (or whatever your frequency is).

As for postal delivery, there are several players providing this. It's perfect as a patient as the pharmacies are not allowed to charge postal costs to the patient. Most use Royal Mail to deliver and medications are a priority delivery (so not affected by postal strikes), but you are at the whim of the postal service provided.

For home deliveries from pharmacies, this is largely at the discretion of the pharmacy. Some charge, some do it for free. You'll get a more flexible service from your local independent pharmacy.

PS it's worth noting that the venture capital owners of Lloyds Pharmacy are selling the business piecemeal, so it's possible that Lloyds Direct may not exist or may be bought by someone else later this year.


NDA

22,343 posts

232 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
OMITN said:
PS it's worth noting that the venture capital owners of Lloyds Pharmacy are selling the business piecemeal, so it's possible that Lloyds Direct may not exist or may be bought by someone else later this year.
Thanks for that - I wasn't aware. Will keep an eye on that.

sam greenock

299 posts

127 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
OMITN said:
The Electronic Prescription Service exists only in England. This is where you can order prescriptions online.

The trouble is, there is no single platform (known as EMARs) used by GPs and pharmacies. So, it comes down to which third party service your GP signs up with (all the local pharmacies will be able to access). Some of the larger pharmacy chains (Lloyds, Well, etc.) offer their own apps. But not all GPs will accept a repeat script through these apps, relying instead on the app provided by the EMAR provider. It's a pain in the backside.

But, other than agreeing with the GP to have automatic repeats issued to your nominated pharmacy (which can be supermarket, bricks and mortar or online - you choose), then you have to go through the process of re-ordering each month (or whatever your frequency is).

As for postal delivery, there are several players providing this. It's perfect as a patient as the pharmacies are not allowed to charge postal costs to the patient. Most use Royal Mail to deliver and medications are a priority delivery (so not affected by postal strikes), but you are at the whim of the postal service provided.

For home deliveries from pharmacies, this is largely at the discretion of the pharmacy. Some charge, some do it for free. You'll get a more flexible service from your local independent pharmacy.

PS it's worth noting that the venture capital owners of Lloyds Pharmacy are selling the business piecemeal, so it's possible that Lloyds Direct may not exist or may be bought by someone else later this year.
Indeed, our son takes over a former Lloyds in the next couple of months once sale has completed, it's returning to being an independent again - this is in Scotlandshire, were pharmacies are subject to different regulations and controls



OMITN

2,406 posts

99 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
sam greenock said:
Indeed, our son takes over a former Lloyds in the next couple of months once sale has completed, it's returning to being an independent again - this is in Scotlandshire, were pharmacies are subject to different regulations and controls
Congratulations to him. Top tip: they’re running down stock in all their sale stores, so get him to make sure they haven’t also impacted patient and customer numbers as a consequence. Hope he makes a great success of it.

sam greenock

299 posts

127 months

Saturday 15th April 2023
quotequote all
OMITN said:
Congratulations to him. Top tip: they’re running down stock in all their sale stores, so get him to make sure they haven’t also impacted patient and customer numbers as a consequence. Hope he makes a great success of it.
Thank you, I’ll pass that on

WyrleyD

2,052 posts

155 months

Sunday 16th April 2023
quotequote all
sam greenock said:
OMITN said:
Congratulations to him. Top tip: they’re running down stock in all their sale stores, so get him to make sure they haven’t also impacted patient and customer numbers as a consequence. Hope he makes a great success of it.
Thank you, I’ll pass that on
Our local Lloyds is now the same name as the surgery next door so I assume the surgery has taken it over. Myself, I have the Lloyds on-line service (used to be Echo on-line) and they contact me with a reminder if they work out I'm running low.