From 1 January 2025, pharmacists in England can dispense medicines in their original packs under new NHS Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Service regulations. The changes allow pharmacists to dispense quantities within ±10% of the prescribed amount, eliminating the need to split packs for most medicines (excluding controlled drugs under schedules 1–4). While this regulatory update is a positive step forward, its impact on General Practice might not be as transformative as NHS England hopes. We do not believe that General Practice is being asked to change prescription quantities in high numbers; therefore, there is little work to save.
However, efficiency improvements in pharmacy dispensing processes could reduce the volume of queries sent back to practice. By shortening patient wait times in pharmacies and enabling smoother operations, practices may experience fewer calls from patients seeking clarifications about prescription statuses or discrepancies.
For patients, this development is likely to mean quicker access to their medications, an improvement that also indirectly benefits practices. Fewer frustrated patients contacting the practice about delayed prescriptions means staff can focus on other pressing tasks.
Encourage Patients to Use the NHS App
Now is an excellent time to remind patients about the NHS App. Through the app, patients can check the status of their prescriptions, reducing the need to contact the practice for updates. This proactive measure can enhance patient satisfaction and further lighten the administrative workload for practices.
While this update is unlikely to directly reduce the workload for General Practice, its potential to improve pharmacy operations and patient experiences is a welcome step. Practices should stay informed, advise patients on the benefits of using the NHS App, and monitor any indirect workload reductions this change may bring.