A major new report warns that the current system for dispensing repeat prescriptions is placing a growing financial burden on the NHS while adding pressure to patients, GPs and pharmacies. The NHS spends around £9 billion annually on repeat prescriptions, with £1.5bn allocated to diabetes treatments alone, according to the findings published today.
However, this is overshadowed by an estimated £11.5 billion annual economic cost to patients who have to collect repeat prescriptions in person. Many people still have to spend money on travel or take time off work to collect them, despite significant efforts to digitalise the system.
Report findings on patient burden
The Repeat Prescription Report, published by Pharmacy2U, reveals that patients on repeat prescriptions spend an average of 1 hour and 36 minutes each month collecting them - equivalent to two-and-a-half working days per year. People also spend an average of £6.50 per month on associated travel costs, equating to £78 annually.
Across the UK, this amounts to a total economic cost of £11.5 billion. In the past 12 months, more than half (53%) of those managing a repeat prescription reported having to make a second trip to a pharmacy because their prescription was not ready, while a quarter (24%) abandoned a visit due to the size of the queue.
Digital shift and patient experiences
The report is authored 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. It examines the prescribing pressures facing the NHS and highlights how advances in digital healthcare have yet to fully translate into a smoother experience for patients on repeat medication.
Around half (47%) of the population are on at least one repeat prescription, with routine diabetes treatments representing the single largest medication cost for the NHS at £1.5bn per year. This is approximately double the figure recorded in 2017, when the previous report was released.
Over-55s account for three in every four items prescribed on the NHS (76%), with patients on repeat prescriptions typically spending seven years on medication for their longest-standing condition. With the number of people in the UK aged 85 and over set to double by 2049, the report underscores the growing complexity of care needs and the necessity for greater coordination between primary care services.
Professor Waseem Jerjes said: "Much has changed since the last Repeat Prescription Report in 2017, but the UK's prescribing system is still in transition. Alongside the widespread adoption of the NHS App, the age of GPs writing out paper prescriptions is over, with 97% of prescription orders sent directly to a patient's chosen pharmacy using the Electronic Prescription Service. However, as this year's report shows, the process of getting medicines into people's hands has not shifted as quickly."
Dr Austen El Osta added: "Repeat prescribing offers an important opportunity to check in with patients, as it is often the most regular contact they have with the health system. However, healthcare needs aren't a one-size-fits-all, and that contact must be tailored to the individual. Online pharmacies are well suited for planned repeat supply, reminders, tracking, delivery, while community pharmacies remain important for urgent medicines, physical assessment and vaccination. The goal here is making sure people are aware of, and can access, whichever option suits them best."
Impact on patients and recommendations
Seven in 10 adults managing repeat prescriptions now use digital tools to place their orders, with the NHS App proving the most popular method, regularly used by more than a quarter (28%) of patients. While usage continues to climb, 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.
Phil Day, Superintendent Pharmacist at Pharmacy2U, said: "The figures show a growing cost not only to patients, but to the NHS itself. As the population ages and more people manage multiple long-term conditions, the pressure on GP practices and pharmacies to process, track and dispense repeat medication is only going to increase. By increasing awareness of options available, patients and the health service can streamline the process, improve care and protect people's precious time."
Difficulties collecting medicines can be compounded for those living with health conditions. Among people managing ADHD or related conditions, approximately half (47%) report that issues picking up medication have caused them stress over the past year, while 57% of arthritis sufferers have had to make multiple 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. Despite widespread use of the NHS App, awareness of digital services for delivering prescribed medication remains relatively limited. A quarter of adults (25%) are unaware that online pharmacies can be used to order NHS prescriptions, and 45% incorrectly assume that delivery carries an additional charge.
Future of prescribing
As part of its 10-year strategy, the NHS is pushing towards a digital future. This includes the Single Patient Record, currently progressing through parliament as part of the Health Bill, which aims to consolidate health and social care data within the NHS App by 2028. More than half of adults (57%) believe that having a comprehensive digital record of their prescription history would give them greater control over their health, while 52% would prefer to order and arrange delivery of repeat medication entirely through an app.
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 people most likely to run out of medication; use the regular contact of repeat prescribing for prevention, including medicine monitoring, vaccination reminders and tests such as blood pressure checks; and enable a 'bricks-and-clicks' network where online and community pharmacies can refer patients to each other and share information to improve health outcomes.
As part of the drive towards greater transparency and information sharing, 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. This means patients only need to recall a single set of login details and can manage the ordering and delivery of repeat prescription items in a straightforward and secure manner.
