Isle of Wight GPs will be asked for their opinion on plans for a prescription ordering ‘call centre.’
Prescription ordering direct (POD) would allow patients from more than one practice to call a central location to request repeat prescriptions rather than visit their GP.
It would aim to reduce operating costs by six per cent each year.
Central POD
Care Commissioning Group (CCG) pharmacists were approached by three Newport practices — Carisbrooke Health Centre, the Dower House and Medina Healthcare — to support a central Newport POD. All three practices have identified a need to improve efficiencies and streamline repeat prescriptions.
The pilot scheme would be based at one of the three practices.
The plans were discussed at Thursday’s (June 14) primary care commissioning committee. However, members of the panel said a decision could not be made on launching the pilot until it had been discussed with all other practices on the Isle of Wight.
Should be open to all practices
CCG director of quality and clinical services, Melanie Rogers, said:
“I don’t think we can make a decision with just representatives from one locality.”
Dr Myrto Kaklamanou said:
“I appreciate that equality is important and having it open to all of the practices across the Island so they have equal opportunity to the funding.
“These practices are some of the worst performing so it is a good idea to target those financially.
“It is a good idea because they are some of the more struggling, less resiliant practices. Coming up to winter, the idea was that there is some time to recruit the people. There is a time element.”
The views of other GP practices will now be sought before a decision is made.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is taking part in. Some additions by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: jamiesrabbits under CC BY 2.0
