Many people are struggling to collect prescriptions at the moment, particularly if they are urgent. This problem has been going on for months and stems from a nationwide shortage of pharmacists and the difficulty of attracting locum pharmacists to distant locations like Ludlow. There are also current staff shortages due to sickness.
Both Ludlow GP practices have issued advice to patients in the last few days. Station Drive has detailed how to get a prescription when your pharmacy is closed and advises not to call the practice. Portcullis will still take calls from concerned patients but is placing its emphasis on online delivery services. Please remember that both the staff and the phone lines at both surgeries are very busy.
I understand that our GPs and their medical staff are reviewing other options for easing the difficulties patients are currently experiencing is getting medication from local pharmacists
Station Drive
With the continued issues of local pharmacies having to close due to staff shortages, we thought it would be useful to inform and update you on the process of electronic prescriptions.
When the GP practice issues an electronic prescription for a patient, it sits on the electronic system until it is drawn down by the nominated pharmacist.
If the nominated pharmacy cannot draw down the prescription due to the absence of the pharmacist, patients can attend an alternative pharmacy and temporarily nominate the alternative pharmacy so the alternative pharmacy can draw down and dispense the prescription for them.
If the nominated pharmacy has already drawn down the prescription but has not started the dispensing process and the pharmacist is absent from the pharmacy, the pharmacy can give the patient a printed token to take to an alternative pharmacy to enable them to dispense the medication.
The practice is unable to take requests from patients for re-issuing electronic prescriptions, so please don’t call the practice, our phone lines and staff are extremely busy.
Please remember to order your medication at least 7-10 days before you are due to run out, this way if the pharmacy does have to close at short notice, you won’t be out of medication and can collect when the pharmacy re-opens, which is usually the following day.
Thanks for your patience and understanding.
Portcullis Surgery
We know there is a nationwide shortage of trained pharmacists and technicians and this has been exacerbated by staff shortages due to the Covid 19 ongoing pandemic.
In addition, many pharmacies locally have stopped providing a dosette or pouch service for patients which is an issue particularly for elderly patients who live alone and have difficulty remembering their medications.
Did you know that you can sign up to an online pharmacy who will deliver your medications or dosette boxes/pouches for free to your home?
In the short term, in order to reduce the pressure on local pharmacies, it may be helpful to use online pharmacy companies who deliver medications for free to your home.
The practice has investigated a list of providers who can deliver your medications for free to your home. (This list is not exhaustive and there may be other providers for this service.) One of these providers Pill Time also provides a service of daily pouches which is free of charge for eligible patients.
Please follow the link below to find out how to register with these online prescription delivery services.
Postal delivery of repeat prescriptions and dosette boxes.
This list is not exhaustive and there may be other providers for this service. We are not endorsing any particular provider, please feel free to investigate online other options available from other companies.
