Prescription problems - Chloe's story
After being referred by her GP to an independent specialist service for diagnosis and treatment that was NHS funded. Chloe had been given treatment to manage her condition and was then discharged, without her knowing, with multiple ‘off-label’ prescriptions expected to be fulfilled by her GP.
What is an off-label prescription?
An off-label prescription is when a medicine has been prescribed but is intended to be used in a different way than stated in its licence. Although many healthcare professionals can prescribe unlicensed and off-label medicine, the responsibility of doing so may be greater than when prescribing medicine within its licensed usage.
Chloe’s GP did not approve the repeat off-label prescription that the specialist service had sent and when she called the specialist service, they refused to help her because she had now been discharged. Faced with her dwindling supply of medicine, she was not sure of what to do next.
“I was stuck in limbo. After all this time getting tests, trying to get diagnosed, and finding a treatment that works I was now back to square one.”
Her GP, who were sympathetic with her situation, offered an appointment to discuss alternative options to some of her medications. It was understood that these medications weren’t as strong as the medications prescribed by the specialist service, however they were within license and available on prescription via her GP. If she had wanted to continue with the off-label medication, she was advised that she would have to contact the specialist service again, but this was not a challenge she felt prepared to face yet again.
Chloe expressed that although she is appreciative of the GPs efforts that it was quite frustrating to have been put in this situation in the first place.
“I don’t want to be off and on different medications. It isn’t fair that the specialist service prescribed me something that works without checking with my GP that they can even prescribe it. I’m not even sure the tablets I’m taking now are working, but now I’ve been discharged they don’t care to help.”
It is important to Chloe that the services she uses and is referred to are communicating with each other, are consistent in the level of service, and are ensuring that a patient’s care is handed over properly so that patients are not going without important medication which best supports their condition.
*Please note that the names in these stories are not their real names and have been anonymised.
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