Repeat Prescriptions further request for clarification

Mon 12 May, 10:55

I've emailed the practice as suggested:

Dear Ms Gale

I have emailed the practice three times asking for clarity about the changes to the procedure for requesting repeat prescriptions, with no reply. I used the address cmc@nhs.net.

The changes aroused considerable concern on the Charlbury Forum. To quote the…

Long post - click to read full text

Mon 12 May, 09:12

Thanks for the contributions to this subject. My reason for taking it up again is because I know from my 'street conversations' that the concern amongst CMC users goes wider than just  repeat perscriptions the concern(s) relate to the broader relationship with CMC and our inability to communicate those concerns to the management. I am concerned to note from Christine's posting that the PPG apparently has the same problem communicating with CMC. I quote from Christine "The patient group steering committee  hopes  to meet again with Ben Haydon Johnson and Kathy Gale the practice manager in the middle of the month. A representative from Healthwatch Oxfordshire hopes to join us too. As always we shall endeavour to represent the views of patients including the concerns about the moves to digital services.

I wish the PPG committee luck in communicating with CMC management. As I have said before I have no complaint about the medical help I have received over 30 years from CMC - that is once I actually reach the medical practitioners

Sat 10 May, 17:08

Christine, thank you for that.   Normally I'd try to resolve any difficulties informally - 'formal' complaints always strike me as attracting the attention of the recording angel - but that's what I'll obviously have to do.   

More generally, I'm bothered by the number of transactions that people are expected to do online.   The neighbour you're referring to had the name of her energy supplier go through three alterations in two weeks before landing somewhere permanent; tracking them got even me confused, and then they seemed to have a right to insist that their customers be online.   And some of their 'offers' were only open to people with broadband connections.   Grrrr.  

'Open the box with the crowbar you will find inside.'   (The Goon Show, circa 1956 and still going strong).  

Sat 10 May, 15:54 (last edited on Sat 10 May, 15:57)

Valerie, I am sympathetic to your concerns and your frustration, and realise that you are concerned with how to help your elderly and disabled neighbour, and others like her who lack digital access, mobility and also a digital surrogate. What I'm not understanding is why you don't formally complain to the CMC Practice Manager (Kathy Gale) which is what the Patient Participation Group suggested. Her email is listed as kathygale@nhs.net

I received an email from the PP Group this week which ended by saying: "The patient group steering committee hopes to meet again with Ben Haydon-Johnson and possibly Kathy Gale, the practice manager in the middle of this month. A representative from Healthwatch Oxfordshire hopes to join us too. As always we shall endeavour to represent the views of patients, including concerns about the move to digital access to NHS services. ...  Complaints should be made directly to the practice manager. Please note that CMC does not reply to comments made on the Charlbury.info forum."

There is currently a review of the NHS complaints process, and suggestions as to how it could be improved. We know that the current Government plans for improving the NHS include the use of AI and an increased use of digital services. We also know that this will produce problems for many, including a significant proportion of elderly patients who do not or cannot use smart phones or online websites. 

I think your suggestions should be channelled through a formal complaint, rather than expressed in an informal email or also just expressed on this forum. If you don't complain using the formal complaints process, the significance of what you are complaining about will be ignored. 

Sat 10 May, 10:26

With respect: may I ask if you're responding on behalf of CMC?   I hoped that my request for information would have been answered by the CMC Manager, not a doctor; whatever the policy, it should apply to the surgery as a whole and is therefore a management decision.  

When I posted a summary of the discussions on the Forum, I mentioned some suggestions that people had offered, such as: making prescriptions valid for two months, thus halving the hassle; or putting regular prescriptions on automatic renewal, perhaps backed up with random checks by the clinical pharmacist to see if they're still needed.   In other words, I put forward some suggestions intended to be helpful, and they were not acknowledged.  

My summary acknowledged that this was a change in national policy to which surgeries had to adapt.   As well as clarity for all patients, I was looking for a way that elderly and/or disabled people could maintain a degree of autonomy and not have to rely on favours from other people - especially when requesting medication, which may need an embarrassing degree of disclosure.  

Sat 10 May, 09:45

Apologies - it should read ‘ onerous task’ !How I hate prescriptive text, another frustrating modern thing!

Sat 10 May, 09:44

CMC has put prescription collection boxes in most villages .  Unfortunately it was change in NHS surgery procedure, offering CMC no choice but to stop the telephone system.

Doctors at the surgery do not have time to respond to email enquiries, which is why an official complaint was suggested.

I recently learnt that due to the considerable increase in paperwork required for patients needing further treatment or assessment, one doctor will need to allocate at least 1day per week, simply to fill out forms etc, which cannot be delegated to admin staff. This Ono Rokus task takes them away from ministering to their patients.

Much as I agree with the frustration about the change, CMC have placed collection boxes around & done as much as they can to ensure patients can order their prescriptions.

If a family member has the NHS App they can add others onto their link & order prescriptions for them direct from CMC.  Not being wonderful with ‘online’ I have found this App really helpful & easy to understand.

I really hope my explanation will clear up any misunderstanding.

Fri 9 May, 15:24

Valerie, I will happily endorse that request.

Steve Cavell

Fri 9 May, 14:43 (last edited on Fri 9 May, 14:43)

I've just sent this to the surgery.  Hold thumbs.  

I have emailed you three times (at least) asking for clarity on the new procedure for requesting repeat prescriptions. One email related to the difficulties experienced by my neighbour.  Two further emails copied the posting I put on the Charlbury Forum summarising what was known about the policy so far and asking for clarity from the practice. I have received no reply, not even an acknowledgement.

To remind you: as patients can no longer request a repeat prescription by telephone, they have to either (i) request online, or (ii) put a paper request in the box outside the surgery. This seriously disadvantages people who are not online and/or people who cannot get to the surgery - that is, mostly people who are elderly, disabled, or otherwise cannot manage. This means that they have to rely on asking neighbours for favours, which is one more reminder of how much independence one loses with age and disability.

I asked you to put a posting on the Forum - new topic or add to the existing ones - or reply to me and I will post it. But as I said earlier, you haven't even acknowledged, let alone providing some clarity.

Someone from the Patient Participation Group has suggested that I put in a formal complaint. I'd rather not tangle with the bureaucracy, but would you think it possible to let us have some clarification rather than have access to an essential service be reduced to a matter of folklore?

Looking forward to hearing from you,