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Funny, if it wasn't so stupid.

Have you had your Metformin prescription frequency changed?

  • Total voters
    26
  • Poll closed .

DavidGrahamJones

Well-Known Member
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3,262
Location
Hazlemere
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Other
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I couldn't understand why my Metformin ran out way ahead of any other prescribed meds. The answer was simple, the prescription amount had been halved, it was still 2 x 2 500mg per day, just one months supply. No warning which is irritating. When I discovered who had halved it I could see where the breakdown in communication was.

So I asked at the surgery I was told that an external pharmacist had audited all the prescriptions and reduced the number of tablets being prescribed, where they thought fit. Supposedly a cost saving exercise, which makes no sense whatsoever. I have to renew the prescription every month, instead of two months (minimal cost to me, just a pain in the neck). The GP has to sign two scripts (significant increase in workload as Metformin is commonly prescribed to type IIs). My local pharmacist has to dispense twice the number of scripts (significant increase as for GP). So, where's the cost saving?

I would be interested in discovering how many people who are prescribed Metformin are experience the same sort of nonsense.
 
I don't take metformin but agree that this is very stupid. Maybe they think you will be too lazy to get the second script or something. Seriously dumb!
 
It did happen to me once at the end of last year, my dispensed amount suddenly halved. Next time I saw my GP I asked him to put it back up. No explanation was forth coming however, no problems since though.
 
Yes.. Mine changed to 1 month. And not just for metformin, but every item. Which means I get a prescription form per item and have to fill in 8 each time. So that adds to the hassle, and not sure if it's due to the new IT system the NHS introduced, or a way to 'encourage' people to switch to electronic prescriptions. My GP's having a user forum tomorrow, so will ask them.
 
My repeat prescriptions are monthly or I should say four weekly on all items any way but I do find that on certain meds I always run out a few days before the new prescription is filled never been able to quite understand why I think it may be the discrepancy between the 28 days of tabs prescribed and an actual month of 30 or 31 days except for February.
 

I’m already on electronic prescriptions!
 
We get free prescriptions
 
Not metformin, but another tablet that I am on - which, by the way, I'm not allowed on repeat - they have recently decided that I may only have 1 weeks worth of at a time. The catch? Getting a doctors appointment at anything like a weekly frequency is impossible. One of the others, they have decided that I can have exactly 25 days worth of at a time. Why? Ask a silly question....
 
lucylocket61 said:
Do you have free prescriptions,
Click to expand...

Over 65! Sadly. It's not the end of the world but I'm disappointed that I have to ask why the amount prescribed has been changed without me being informed (being consulted might be too much to ask). If the amount has been changed by someone external to the surgery, as in this case, a pharmacist, I can see why the information wasn't conveyed. I will be letting the practice manager know of my disappointment, seeing as I know they are keen to hang on to their "best surgery" award.
 
first14808 said:
My GP's having a user forum tomorrow, so will ask them.
Click to expand...

My wife goes to her surgery's Patient Participation Group and I can't recommend it too highly. It changes the doctor - patient relationship when you get to hear their problems. For example, because we can now all see our notes and because of the new data protection act the GP has to vet those notes before you get them. That increases their workload and in my wife's surgery increased their Indemnity insurance by £40,000 a year (so says the senior partner).
 
JohnEGreen said:
I should say four weekly
Click to expand...

I should have said 28 days, something that doesn't coincide with the end of the month or anything useful as an aide memoire. I use to have electronic prescription renewals but found myself going between the GP's surgery and the pharmacist just about every two months to sort out some issue or another. I'm not sure I have the confidence in their system. I can't even work out why I always have different amounts of tablets left, seeing as they should deplete at the same rate.
 
My surgeries electronic system works perfectly. I login online to 'SystemOline' which my surgery uses and tick the items I want. These are approved by the surgery within a day (which I can check online) and they pass the paper prescriptions within 48 hours to my default pharmacy which fortunately is just over the road from the surgery. This is not the same as the new NHS electronic prescription system. There is never any issue to sort out unless the pharmacy make up the script wrongly which they did once issuing the wrong needle size.
 
I am taking 5 different medications atm including Metformin. Each of these was originally prescribed at a slightly different time of the month so do not run out exactly at the same time. In the past, however, as the due dates are very close together, I have ticked/ requested all of the repeat items when one of them is about to run out and have been able to collect them all at once. This has recently changed so that prescription for each separate item has only been sent electronically to the pharmacy on the actual date it is due meaning I now have to make several separate visits to collect them. Added to this I am having to do the same with my elderly mum's items and my husbands too. I'm not sure what the reasons for this change are but it just seems to be adding more work, stress and inconvenience for everyone involved.
 

I had the same problem, spoke to the pharmacist at the surgery who immediately adjusted the dates by slightly over and slightly under dispensing for one month. The recollection dates at the commercial pharmacist are now the same. One renewal request, one drug collection.
 
Being cynical but are they making more money out of the change? Example if its right. If you get 2 boxes of 28 tablets on one prescription then the cost is £8.20 or what ever it is. If you just get one box per prescription its still £8.20. see where I'm coming from or is it just me?
 
Does your pharmacy not offer free delivery?
 
DavidGrahamJones said:
I couldn't understand why my Metformin ran out way ahead of any other prescribed meds. The answer was simple, the prescription amount had been halved,
Click to expand...
Metformin XR was in short supply when I first started taking it, the pharmacy explained this when I queried the fast acting Metformin they had given me.

I have never been short changed on the amount of pills prescribed by the GP, this is not the pharmacists decision to make.
 
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