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Hammersmith Hospital and a change in dispensing Glivec

Hi

I went to HH today and got a prescription for Glivec. I was told that the method of dispensing the drug was/has been changed and if I agreed my tablets would be sent directly to me by a home care service called Careology.

This is because the trust is required to introduce new plans to improve efficiency and produce cost saving. ( I am told quite a substantial amount is to be saved using this method).

All the patients have to do is sign a couple of consent/registration forms and the rest is left to the company to deliver on a day to that is convenient to you. No more hanging around waiting at the hospital while the prescription is filled. This seems a very good way for the trust to save money.

Hi,

I think that cml patients receiving Glivec are going to find a gradual change to the way in which they obtain their supply of medication (if they havn't already).
This is primarily down to some rather stupid VAT rules.
Basically, all medication supplied by a community pharmacist on a doctors prescription is NOT subject to vat (17.5%)
However, hospitals pay vat on all their medicines, therefore when treating out-patients (particularly on high cost medicines) it is favourable to prescribe on a form which can be dispensed by your local pharmacy. The cost of the medication is still borne by the hospital which issues the prescription but is less 17.5% vat.
In your case Steven, the company 'Careology' is acting as a pharmacy to supply your medication.
In my wife's case, she gets a prescription handed to her at the hospital clininc, which we take to our local pharmacy, and the medication is available in a couple of days.
It doesn't cause any problems for us, and we know that the Trust is saving some money.

Paul

From the start, 6 months ago, my local hospital has been sending my Glivec prescriptions to the local Boots, for the reason of saving VAT. No problems, the pills are there within a day or so and Boots phone me when they are in.

John