Switch doctors
One of our local GP practices is busy switching a number of drugs following the PCT’s pharmacy team intervention. This switching either involves changing patients on a particular drug to another drug in the same class, or to the same drug but in a different form.
The drugs concerned are statins, antidepressants, ACE inhibitors and PPIs.
We did receive a phone call from the GP’s practice pharmacist to let us know, which was gratefully received since one of the switches is already making a difference to our stock levels. However we had already got wind of some of the switches from patients who had been sent letters by the GP practice and had brought them in to show us.
We even had one patient who had received such a letter but had never been prescribed the drug in question, so understandably was rather confused!
As an ex-pharmaceutical adviser, I know what impact these simple changes can make to the drugs budget, and the switches in question do seem reasonable ones to me.
But from a patients’ point of view, these switches must be handled carefully and I’m pleased that most of the patients concerned are receiving letters in advance to inform them. So we are busy noting these changes to our records and making sure that the patients know about them when we hand the scripts out.
The drugs concerned are statins, antidepressants, ACE inhibitors and PPIs.
We did receive a phone call from the GP’s practice pharmacist to let us know, which was gratefully received since one of the switches is already making a difference to our stock levels. However we had already got wind of some of the switches from patients who had been sent letters by the GP practice and had brought them in to show us.
We even had one patient who had received such a letter but had never been prescribed the drug in question, so understandably was rather confused!
As an ex-pharmaceutical adviser, I know what impact these simple changes can make to the drugs budget, and the switches in question do seem reasonable ones to me.
But from a patients’ point of view, these switches must be handled carefully and I’m pleased that most of the patients concerned are receiving letters in advance to inform them. So we are busy noting these changes to our records and making sure that the patients know about them when we hand the scripts out.
posted by Dee Spencer at 3:38 pm
3 Comments:
Do you get invited to the surgery to take part in the GP meetings? This would allow you to have an input into any medicine switches.
No we weren't involved in the practice meetings in any way. It was great that we did get a call from the PCT to let us know that it was happening. However we could have done with more advance notice in order to give us a better chance to alter our stock levels and to enable us to give our input as to how we could support the initiative.
A similar thing happened last year (not sure when?). The medical centre nearby changed most of their patients from Atorvastatin to Simvastation after the PCT told them to.
The PCT and doctors never informed patients via a letter :p They did inform us however, so we could relay the information to patients. :p
We had many people coming back in thinking they had been prescribed the wrong drug when they had not - noone had informed their statin had changed. We had to tell them to speak to the doctors if they were worried about the change.
Since we are on good terms with our local doctors, we asked them to complain to the PCT for not sending letters out.
Now the PCT want doctors to stop prescribing Lanzoprazole Oro-disp, and instead prescribe something else (cheaper). The doctors have refused unless the PCT send letters out :)
We do not receive any calls from the PCT regarding changes to prescribing habits - we receive the call from the medical practice soon after (so we can adjust our stocks).
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