Repeat prescription service to wind down at NHS Trust
The Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB will be shutting Prescription Ordering Direct later in the year
Patients are told to carry on normal for now, despite a decision being made to close a repeat prescription service.
The Trust that manages Bath's RUH made the call to wind down Prescription Ordering Direct earlier this week after a 'rigorous' consultation.
They say they're now focusing on a 'smooth transition' - and offering support to the 85 members of staff impacted by the closure.
During the consultation, the Integrates Care Board worked with local health and care providers, including colleagues in GP practices, care homes and pharmacies, to look at potential alternatives to the current POD model.
People who regularly use POD are advised to continue ordering their medicines in the usual way through POD, and not to order any more than is needed.
Dr Amanda Webb, Chief Medical Officer, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “We recognise that POD is a popular and well-valued function to a number of our patients, and the decision to close has not been taken lightly.
“When we look at our region as a whole, only 25 of our 88 GP practices are linked up with POD, which means patients at the other 63 surgeries do not have access, and order medicines either through their practice or via the NHS App.
“This level of inequity is unsustainable, especially as all GP practices receive funding to provide repeat prescribing to their respective patients in-house.
“Our thanks go out to our hard-working POD colleagues, all of whom have provided invaluable service over the last seven years, and we will be doing all we can over the next few weeks to provide support as and where is necessary.”
Prescription Ordering Direct was first introduced by the former Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group in 2017, something which was then expanded to practices in Wiltshire and Bath and North East Somerset, when the three CCGs merged.
More information on the transition away from the ICB-led POD will be shared with people and communities over the coming weeks.