The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that from 1st May 2024, the NHS prescription charge will increase from £9.65 to £9.90 per prescription item.
If you have medication on repeat prescription, you will need an annual medication review. Even patients who have been on the same medication regime for some time and happy with how their medication is helping still need a medication review.
These reviews often involve a phone call from one of our Clinical Pharmacists. Sometimes, we may just ask patients to provide an updated blood pressure reading or a blood test. This all depends on the type of medication that is under review.
Clinical pharmacists are health professionals who train for many years to become specialists in medicine. They work directly with the GPs and Nurses as part of the wider team to ensure Berrylands Surgery provides patients with medicine to help them get better and stay well longer term.
The review and management of medication for long term conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma. HRT and contraceptive prescription reviews.
Complete medication reviews to optimise medication prescribing and answer related queries.
Discuss side effects and suggest alternative medications where appropriate.
Prescribe medications.
During a medication review phone call you will be asked how they are getting on with your medicines; to inform your clinician of any problems or side-effects you may be experiencing with your medication.. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your medicines.
Based on what you have said and current guidelines the clinician may make some suggestions regarding your medication. These suggestions can include but are not limited to:
An increase or decrease in your medication.
A change of medication brand.
A change in how or when you take your medication (with food or in the morning etc.)
Starting a new medication.
Stopping current medications.
You don't need to prepare anything ahead of your medication review, however, you may want to:
Make a list of all medications that you take.
Make a list of any medicines that you no longer take.
Make a list of any medicines that you buy over the counter from the chemist or supermarket or other stores e.g. herbal medicines, vitamins etc.
Make a list of questions you wish to ask, for example:
What should I do if I have problems with the medicine?
What will happen if I miss a dose of the medicine or stop taking it?
Patients who prepare what they would like to discuss with the clinician before the call, often feel that they are getting the most out of their medication review.
If you feel you need a medication review please visit this page and select 'Admin query' then 'Something else'. Please provide as much information as possible.
If you receive a text reminder informing you that your medication review is due you can request an appointment by going here.
Select 'Admin query' then 'Something else'. Please state ‘I am due a medication review’.
If we try to contact you multiple times requesting to book you in for a medication review and we never hear back, we will presume we have the wrong contact details for you. We will then reduce your medication supply in an attempt to encourage you to make contact with the practice. Once contact is made a medication review can be booked in.
If you are aware you are due a medication review but don’t want to speak to anyone or don’t want to supply blood for a test please let the practice know. This way we can stop contacting you and a clinician can decide if it is safe for the practice to continue to supply you with medication.
To do this, visit this page and select 'Admin query' then 'Something else'. Please provide as much information as possible.
