Online GP/prescription access

[AndAPartridgeInABearTree]

I need to sign up with an online provider to be able to access repeat prescriptions from my GP.

This is the list of possible providers my surgery has sent me and I haven't got a clue which one to choose! I'm all for free will and competition to provide the best service but I'm bamboozled by the amount of choice!

Does anyone have any recommendations/ones to avoid please?

Patient access gets my vote

Thanks for the recommendation.

We use patient access too.

Are they enforcing this? I have serious data access issues with these sites (previous bad experience) - why can't you just email or call up for a repeat prescription?

Another vote for Patient Access which I find very efficient and secure.

@Nanuki at my GP you can either order online or through a Prescription Ordering Telephone Number. All the GP's use the same Telephone Service. It can takes days to get through. It takes seconds to order online and the data is secure.

@Nanuki

Are they enforcing this? I have serious data access issues with these sites (previous bad experience) - why can't you just email or call up for a repeat prescription?

I used to be able to phone up or email but all repeat prescription requests must either be made in person before 1pm at the main surgery or online. I never go to the main surgery because my local is the branch surgery. I'm also working until at least 1pm every day. So not enforced per se but completely impractical. I'm happy to have online access as branch surgery patients previously couldn't book online appointments. So that's better.

Thanks for the recommendations.

You don't have to use an online pharmacy. Technically you could get your prescription sent to any pharmacy in the UK you can choose, and the GP surgery isn't allowed to dictate where you send your prescription to.

You could nominate a local pharmacy rather than online and then they will be able to request on your behalf.

My branch surgery is a dispensing surgery so I wouldn't want it sent anywhere else as I'd have to drive there. But might be useful information for others.

Another vote for Patient Access

I've been using pharmacy2u for about 18 months now, I think. A few near misses with the timing of requests and deliveries, but I've got the hang of it now. I just make sure I put requests in two weeks before I run out of something and it's all good.

The pharmacy round the corner from my GP hold my script, so I phone them and have it delivered. Usually takes a couple of days.

My GP uses patient access. I've been ordering that way for a couple of years now, and it works well.

Agree with patient access, good for blood results/planned appts etc as well as medication requests.

Definitely Patient Access - really easy to use & quicker than trying to get through to the surgery by phone.

Another one using Patient Access. It uses two factor authentication and a couple of levels of verification to log on. Ordering meds on it is very easy. Any issues we've had with prescriptions have been with the pharmacy not the system and were as bad or worse using the previous methods.

Another recommendation for Patient Access. It ties in best with my GP practice

I use Echo, the app is easy to use and they deliver to your house (or work address) for free.

I was really happy with Patient Access until I got locked out of my account and an issue with the email address I signed up with somehow meant they couldn't reset it.
I swapped to the NHS app and that seems fine so far. Fingerprint access too.

Is it just for repeat prescriptions?

Pharmacy2U sends them in the post to you for free

I use patient access it works well.

@FidgetArse

Is it just for repeat prescriptions?

Pharmacy2U sends them in the post to you for free

No, you can view test results and records of previous problems.

Our surgery uses patient access it’s really easy to use. Log in select what you need and which pharmacy you want to use and it’s done. Our pharmacy are great they have a text service so they text you once it’s ready for pick up.

I use Patient Access for getting blood results , booking appts etc pre covid but I also have Echo for ordering and delivering my drugs so I don’t have to go to the chemist . Both are very efficient .

I registered with Patient Access based on MN recommendation. I can see my allergies which is really interesting as I hadn't realised they'd reported an adverse reaction I had to a drug as something for them to avoid prescribing me in future. Glad that's on my record as my reaction was horrible. Seems easy so far BUT my branch surgery is still not allowing me to book appointments online so that's not as helpful as I wanted!