Why are people struggling to get their medication?
Every month, thousands of people talk to Healthwatch about their day-to-day experiences of using NHS and social care services.
One issue Healthwatch England is hearing more about is the difficulty some people face getting the medication they need.
In its latest review of the evidence it looks at this subject and the changes people would like to see to GP and pharmacy services.
People often talk about their frustrations with the system. Delays getting a GP appointment can have a knock-on-effect on how quickly people get diagnosed and given the right medication. Healthwatch also hears about instances where people face more serious issues, such as being given the wrong medicine.
Worryingly, some people have experienced administration errors by their GP or pharmacist. This means they were given the wrong medication, or had their medication changed without being told, which in some cases led to an allergic reaction.
Another issue is when medication is out of stock at pharmacies because it can leave people feeling stressed. In more serious cases it can make dealing with acute pain and infections more difficult, and make it harder to manage cancer and chronic conditions such as eczema.
People experiencing these problems with their medication said it had prolonged their recovery and had a negative effect on their long-term health.
The changes people want to see include having staff in GP surgeries and pharmacies that understand their experiences and take steps to improve the service they provide. This includes:
- Making it easier to order repeat prescriptions online, without the worry of getting the wrong medicine or dose.
- GPs, pharmacies and hospitals to get the basics of care right, working together to provide a good experience.
- Better communication from the NHS about why there are supply issues with medication.
People have also raised concerns about access to medication being different from one area to the next. NHS England issued national guidance around what medication should be made available on prescription across the country. Where individual Clinical Commissioning Groups in certain areas decide to deviate from the guidance, we recommend they carry out additional conversations with their communities to make sure local people have a say.
*If you have an experience of using a pharmacy in Sefton then you can share this anonymously with Healthwatch Sefton via the Feedback Centre which is available via our website. Or share it with us via email: info@healthwatchsefton.co.uk