Prescription Ordering Direct
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From 1st October to 22nd October 2023, Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (NWICB) invited people to share their views of ‘Prescription Ordering Direct‘ (POD) service, as it considered the future of the service. The anonymous survey was designed, hosted, and coordinated by the NWICB, including all communication and data collection activities. Healthwatch Suffolk was commissioned by the ICB to provide independent analysis of people’s responses to its survey, and to produce this report. In total 2,746 people responded to the survey.
Over nine in ten were negative about the proposal to close the POD service. Over four in five said closure would have a negative impact on them. People were concerned about:
- The impact of closure on primary care
- People relied on POD due to digital exclusion
- People liked the ease of access that POD provided, including being able to speak to a person
- People often felt that they could not comment about impact in the absence of information about replacement services
- People who had a problem with mobility or limited access to travel relied on POD
- the proposals could negatively impact on people’s independence to access medication
Over half said they would need support if POD closed, including support to order prescriptions online, support with travel and the need for a delivery service.