Seven in 10 adults now use digital tools to order their regular medication, with the NHS App the most popular method, regularly used by more than a quarter (28%). While usage rises, with a record 7.6 million patients requesting repeat prescriptions through the app in July, two in three (66%) still collect their medicines in person, which can come with a huge time cost.
On average, patients on repeat prescriptions take 1 hour and 36 minutes collecting them each month, equivalent to two-and-a-half working days a year. They also spend an average of £6.50 a month on associated travel costs, or £78 a year. Across the UK this equates to an annual bill of £11.5 billion.
In the last 12 months, more than half (53%) of people managing a repeat prescription say they had to make a second trip to a pharmacy because their prescription wasn’t ready, while a quarter (24%) abandoned a visit due to the size of the queue. One in three (34%) report not getting a prescription due to pharmacy/GP mix-ups, and one in six had to pay for an emergency supply of medication as their prescription wasn’t ready at their pharmacy.
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