Updated December 2024
Newcastle Hospitals have recently updated their outpatient prescription process, which has implications for GP practices.
If the hospital team deem your medication change to be urgent they will issue a prescription for you to take to the hospital pharmacy to be dispensed immediately. If they ask for the GP practice to issue this medication, then they deem this as a routine change that is clinically appropriate to be actioned up to 14 days following receipt of an appropriate letter.
When a consultant or hospital team recommends a change in your medication, you must be fully counselled on the new treatment, including its risks, benefits, and side effects. We will also require written confirmation via letter signed by a prescriber that the above has taken place, as well as the medication name, dose, frequency, and indication.
The prescribed medication must also be listed on our local formulary for GP initiation and onward prescribing.
In accordance with the Local Medical Committee’s agreement with Newcastle Hospitals, we will aim to process these medication changes within 14 days of receipt of an appropriate outpatient letter. Please be aware that it may take in excess of 3 weeks for the letter to reach us from the clinic.
This letter needs to include the information outlined above and if this is not clear there will be a delay while we seek clarification from the hospital team. All prescriptions signed by us are our medicolegal responsibility and we have a duty of care to ensure all of our prescribing is safe and appropriate.
If you believe there is an urgent clinical need for your prescription to be issued sooner than the above agreed timeframe, please contact your hospital team directly via the hospital switchboard or your consultant’s secretary. Hospital prescribers have the ability to issue urgent prescriptions in such cases.
