A new report released today highlights the financial and time burden that the repeat prescription system places on ordinary Brits. The NHS spends approximately £9 billion annually on repeat prescriptions, with £1.5bn allocated to diabetes treatments alone. However, this is dwarfed by an estimated £11.5 billion yearly economic cost to patients who must collect their prescriptions in person, according to the Repeat Prescription Report 2026 by Pharmacy2U.
Patients spend hours and money collecting medicines
The report reveals that patients on repeat prescriptions spend an average of 1 hour and 36 minutes each month collecting them—the equivalent of two-and-a-half working days per year. People also spend an average of £6.50 per month on related travel costs, amounting to £78 annually. Nationally, this represents a total economic cost of £11.5 billion.
Despite efforts to digitalise the system, the majority of patients still need to turn up in person, with many compelled to make additional trips because their prescriptions aren't ready on time. Countless others frequently have to abandon a visit altogether due to lengthy queues.
Report highlights widespread prescription issues
Over the past 12 months, more than half (53%) of those managing a repeat prescription have had to make a second pharmacy visit because their prescription wasn't ready, while a quarter (24%) left without collecting medication due to lengthy queues. One in three (34%) have not received a prescription because of pharmacy or GP mix-ups, while one in six were forced to pay for an emergency supply of medication as their prescription wasn't available at their pharmacy.
The report, written by two health experts from Imperial College London, Professor of Practice in Primary Care Waseem Jerjes and Primary Care Research Manager Dr Austen El-Osta, analyses the prescribing pressures confronting the NHS. It also underlines how developments in digital healthcare have not yet fully resulted in a more seamless experience for patients on repeat medication.
Growing demand and the shift to digital
The report shows that around half (47%) of the population are on at least one repeat prescription, with routine diabetes treatments accounting for the single largest medication cost for the NHS at £1.5bn per year—roughly double the figure recorded in 2017. Over-55s represent three in every four items prescribed on the NHS (76%), with patients on repeat prescriptions typically remaining on medication for their longest-standing condition for seven years.
Seven in 10 adults managing repeat prescriptions now rely on digital tools to submit their orders, with the NHS App emerging as the most popular method, regularly used by more than a quarter (28%) of patients. While usage continues to rise, with a record 7.6 million patients requesting repeat prescriptions through the app in July, two in three prescription managers (66%) still collect medicines in person at a community pharmacy.
Impact on patients and recommendations
The challenges of collecting medicines can be made worse for those living with health conditions. Among those managing ADHD or related conditions, approximately half (47%) report that difficulties picking up medication have caused them stress over the past year, while 57% of arthritis sufferers have been forced to make several trips to collect a prescription. A quarter of people (26%) managing their mental health say they struggle to remember to order and collect, while one in six patients (17%) report experiencing health problems as a result of being unable to obtain their prescription on time.
One in four adults (25%) are unaware that NHS prescriptions can be ordered through online pharmacies, while 45% wrongly believe that delivery comes at an extra cost. As part of its 10-year strategy, the NHS is driving towards a digital future, including the Single Patient Record, currently making its way through parliament as part of the Health Bill, which aims to bring together health and social care data within the NHS App by 2028.
The report sets out five key recommendations for the future of prescribing: ensure patients can see when their prescription request has been made with regular updates through to delivery; increase awareness of nominated pharmacies and make switching simpler; design prescription reminder and support systems for those most likely to run out of medication; use the regular contact of repeat prescribing for prevention, including medicine monitoring, vaccination reminders and tests; and enable a 'bricks-and-clicks' network where online and community pharmacies can refer patients to each other and share information. As part of the push towards greater transparency, Pharmacy2U has introduced NHS login, meaning patients can now use the same credentials they use to access the NHS App to register and manage their prescriptions through Pharmacy2U.
