What you told us about prescription ordering

This report is by Healthwatch Wiltshire.

This report highlights the findings from a survey that aimed to gather information from people about how they order their prescriptions, the method they use and their views on how well this works. The survey was carried out in October 2023.

Healthwatch Wiltshire developed a short survey that was available online for 2 weeks in early October. This was shared through our Healthwatch Wiltshire channels and by Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (BSW ICB). We also visited several pharmacies across Wiltshire to hear patients’ views on prescription ordering.

Generally, people told us they found ordering their prescriptions easy or very easy. Prescriptions were ordered in a variety of ways depending on where the respondents lived and there were several key themes that came through. This report makes several recommendations based on what we heard.

There are recommendations in this report.

• Improve awareness of the NHS App among patients, as most people only use the system selected by their GP surgery or Primary Care Network.

• Consider increasing the length of timeframe for repeat prescriptions.

• Improve the reliability of collection or delivery dates for prescriptions.

• Address concerns about availability/shortage of medications.

• Consider how changes to brands of medication could be accommodated without needing to revisit a surgery for a new prescription if the prescribed medication is not available.

• Ensure patients are aware that some pharmacists offer a delivery and a postal service. 

There are no follow up actions.

However there is an acknowledgement from the ICB.