Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board

The Board considered a briefing note and a verbal report of the Chief Medical Officer, ICB and Head of Communications and Public Affairs, ICB, providing an update on the closure of the NHS Prescription Ordering Service (POD).

In December 2023, after consideration and engagement, the ICB recommended decommissioning of the POD service on the grounds of lack of value for money.  Deteriorating performance and operational difficulties were also noted.  It was anticipated the POD would close on 31^st March 2024.  Staff were aware of the closure and were currently in consultation.

A transition phase was underway of repatriating repeat prescription ordering to GP practices and support, training and funding was being made available to them to manage this transition.

As the NHS App and Patient Access App gain popularity, it was anticipated that the majority of patients would move to ordering their medications through these methods.  All practices had patients using these methods already with app-based prescription ordering varying from 19 – 73% in those practices using POD.

It was recognised that digital services were not accessible to everyone and some patients preferred to use the telephone or order repeat prescriptions in person.  There were alternative provisions for ordering regular repeat prescriptions (paper ordering slips, telephone, email) within General Practice, as this was a core GMS service which all practices deliver.

Eligible patients could be transferred to repeat dispensing allowing 6-12 months of prescriptions at a time, approved with their consent.  Provision was also in place for community pharmacy to order repeat medication on behalf of vulnerable patients which would continue once the POD service was no longer in place.

GPs would still be required to review and sign the prescription to authorise it.  Practices may see an increase in administration as some patients may telephone their prescription through.

Pharmacy services would not be affected if the POD was no longer available as they would continue to receive repeat prescriptions directly from the practice, regardless of how the prescription was ordered. 

Whilst the changes may cause a temporary impact to patients whilst transitioning to an alternative service, the ICB would support patients and practices during this transition to ensure impact was minimal and to raise the awareness of the changes to the service.

In early January, a message on the NHS POD website had been posted, advising patients that the NHS POD service would close by end of March and that GP practices would be in contact to advise how to order repeat medications.  A recorded message had also been added to the telephone system to advise patients the NHS POD service was closing.

Councillor K Caan, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, referred to inconsistencies with the POD service in the past, advising that this was an opportunity for GP’s to take a greater role in protecting patient health long term.

Councillor L Bigham, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, queried whether the personal nature of POD which enabled vulnerable or lonely patients to speak to a human being, had been taken into account and the how inequalities in digitalisation would be supported.

Members of the Scrutiny Board, having considered the content of the briefing note and the verbal update, asked questions and received information from the Chief Medical Officer, ICB and Head of Communications and Public Affairs, ICB, on the following matters:

·  The service had been designed for medical waste reduction however, officers also recognised it had helped with loneliness.

·  Staff were currently in a consultation phase.  Union representation had been made available. 

·  The service was costing £1.5m more overall, rather than saving money.

·  Any future review undertaken would be as part of general practice GMS services and reviewed within the wider context of access to primary care work.

·  Additional finance of £260k was available for GP practices which would be used on training and recruiting additional staff.

·  Patients could continue to telephone GP’s to access prescriptions and

digital solutions would be available.  GP’s would be supporting families of vulnerable patients to access their prescriptions.

·  Identification would not be required to register with the NHS App and patients could ask POD staff for assistance.

·  Not all patient services were available via the NHS App.  Different digital platforms and agencies were available and it was therefore important to use joined up approach with the patients.

·  Costs had escalated due to patients being onboarded onto the POD system, but not off boarded and difficulties in recruitment of staff and increased ordering had become a cost pressure.

ICB Officers undertook to relay concerns regarding digital methods of patient engagement back to the Chief Digital Officer including the provision of a video walkthrough for accessing the NHS App.

Members requested the following information:

• Clarity and patient safety issues regarding 6 monthly repeat prescriptions.
• The pack of assets including how to use the NHS App and whether ID was required to register.

RESOLVED that the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Board (5):

Notes the information about the transition plan for the closure of the POD and repatriation of repeat prescribing to GP practices.