Seven in ten GPs opt for ScriptSwitchGPs are turning to ScriptSwitch more than ever as they face uncertain financial times in the lead-up to the election. Tougher targets and tighter funding mean that GPs are looking for ways to cut spending without compromising patient care. According to new research out today, ScriptSwitch is chosen by GPs to help balance budgets with patient care: 71% of GPs who use ScriptSwitch chose to do so independently of their primary care organisation (PCO), opting to receive patient safety information alerts, drug switch and dosage optimisation recommendations and local guidance via ScriptSwitch.1 More than two thirds (69%) of GPs who use ScriptSwitch would recommend it to their colleagues because of its ability to reduce medicines budgets and provide useful prescribing information.1 Two out of three GPs also said that saving their practice or the NHS money is the key reason behind accepting ScriptSwitch recommendations.1 Commenting on why ScriptSwitch is a valuable prescribing support partner, Dr Mike Walton from Harvey Group Practice, St. Albans, said, “In the era of Practice Based Commissioning, and in the context of challenging financial times, it is even more important that GPs deliver the best possible care for their patients within budget. ScriptSwitch helps us do this as we are presented with helpful prompts and reminders in our consultations with patients. Reviewing this information helps us decide on the most appropriate, cost effective medication choices for our patients at the touch of a button.” ScriptSwitch provides GPs with national and locally-authored prescribing advice and drug safety information, allowing GPs to make the right decisions for their patients, as well as achieving significant cost savings for their practice and PCO. These savings help to manage local budgets and are sometimes reinvested into relevant local healthcare programmes. ScriptSwitch delivers this information to GPs at the point of prescribing via a simple, no-nonsense information screen that appears automatically and requires just one click to accept or decline the recommendation. Commenting on how ScriptSwitch has helped deliver an effective medicines management strategy within her PBC Group, Practice Based Commissioning Manager Michelle Wilde from the Central Sheffield Consortium said, “ScriptSwitch helps to make substantial savings for our PBC group by providing our GPs with useful prescribing information via their clinical system. This helps our GPs to prescribe in line with our medicines strategy and doesn’t interfere with the normal consultation process.” She continued, “We work closely with our clinicians to refine our strategy and keep ScriptSwitch up to date. This ensures that our GPs have all the information they need to make the best prescribing decision for their patients, and that we are achieving the best savings possible.” ScriptSwitch also gives GPs peace of mind. When asked what the best aspects of ScriptSwitch were, one in five GPs said that it offers reassurance and helped them do their job.1 The same number cited the consolidation of various guidance documents into one place and the provision of local prescribing information as the best thing.1 ScriptSwitch continues to work closely with the NHS to identify new ways of improving how medicines are managed in order to improve patient care and save the NHS money. ScriptSwitch has saved the NHS in excess of £20 million within the last year (with potential total savings of £145 million).2 References 15 March 2010 |
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