18 April 2023
To patients registered with Ivel Medical Centre, Biggleswade
Primary Care Team
3rd Floor Arndale House The Mall Luton LU1 2LJ
Tel: 0800 148 8890 Email: blmkicb.cbandlutonplaceteam@nhs.net
Website: bedfordshirelutonandmiltonkeynes.icb.nhs.uk
Dear Patient(s)
Dispensary services at Ivel Medical Centre, Biggleswade
We are writing to you as a patient who currently collects their prescription medication from the dispensary at Ivel Medical Centre. You will be aware that the GP partners at Ivel Medical Centre have resigned their contract to provide GP primary care services and that a new contract for services at the practice will be in place from 1 June 2023.
As a result of this change in contract, the dispensary at Ivel Medical Centre will be closing on 31 May 2023. This is due to changes in the national pharmaceutical regulations introduced in 2013. It means you will need to order your final prescription from the practice and make alternative arrangements at a local pharmacy for future medication after this date as the practice will no longer be able to dispense it. Please find enclosed a list of local pharmacies for your information although you can choose to use any pharmacy you wish to.
All other services at the practice will remain unchanged and this change only applies to the ordering and collection of medication from the dispensary.
How do I order my medication?
There are a number of ways to order repeat medication from the surgery as follows:
1. If you are registered for online services, you can order through your SystmOnline
account by selecting ‘Request medication’
2. You can tick the medication you need on the repeat slip which comes with your
medication each time and drop it into the surgery
3. You can order through the NHS app on your smartphone or tablet.
Will I have to pick up my prescription slip from the surgery and take it to a pharmacy?
No, you won’t. Once you have ordered your medication, the surgery will send the prescription electronically to the pharmacy of your choice. Please make sure that you let the surgery know which pharmacy you would like your prescriptions to go to.
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How will I know when my medication is ready for collection from the pharmacy?
Most pharmacies ask that you allow 3-5 days from ordering your medication from the surgery before collection. You can phone the pharmacy to check if it is ready if you wish and many pharmacies are also able to send you a text message when your medication is ready for collection. Ask the pharmacy if they offer this service.
I will struggle to get to a pharmacy, what should I do?
Some pharmacies offer a delivery service to eligible patients in certain areas – ask at the pharmacy if they offer this service. It is usually only available to patients unable to collect their prescription, for example if you are housebound.
If you prefer to have your medication posted to you there are distance selling pharmacies that offer this service free of charge. If so, when you order your medication, please ensure you leave time for the prescription to be processed by the surgery, sent to the distance selling pharmacy, dispensed and delivered; usually around 7-10 days.
What do I need to do to get ready for this?
Before 31 May 2023 you need to speak to the pharmacy of your choice and they can make the change with the surgery on your behalf. Alternatively tell the surgery which pharmacy you would like your prescription to be sent to when you order your medication. You will see a list of pharmacies to choose from if you are ordering online and can ask for additional pharmacies to be added if needed.
You can change your pharmacy at any time if you decide a different pharmacy is more suitable for you in the future
If you need more help or have any questions about this letter, please speak to the surgery dispensing team when you next attend to collect your medication. The dispensary is open 8:30-11.30am and 3-6pm Monday – Friday. Alternatively, you can speak to the dispensary team by phoning the surgery on 01767 312441 and choosing option 3 between the hours of 9-11am or 3-4pm.
Yours faithfully
Nicky Poulain
Chief Primary Care Officer
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board
list of pharmacies
Pharmacies in Biggleswade
Lloyds Pharmacy, Market Square, Biggleswade SG18 8AP 01767 313115
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–5:30 pm Closed
Boots Pharmacy, 9-10 Market Square, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 8AS 01767 313278
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
8:30 am–6 pm 8:30 am–6 pm 8:30 am–6 pm 8:30 am–6 pm 8:30 am–6 pm 8:30 am–4 pm Closed
Jardines Pharmacy, The Saxon Centre, 5 Kingsfield Rd, Biggleswade SG18 8AT 01767 313092
Monday9 am–6 pm
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–12:30 pm Closed
Lloyds Pharmacy in Sainsburys, Bells Brook, Biggleswade SG18 0NA – closing 22nd July 2023 01767 313018
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
7 am–11 pm 7 am–11 pm 7 am–11 pm 7 am–11 pm 7 am–11 pm 7 am–10 pm 10 am–4 pm
Pharmacies in Sandy
Britannia Pharmacy, 4 Market Square, Sandy SG19 1HU 01767 680488
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–5 pm Closed
Britannia Pharmacy, 5 Market Square, Sandy SG19 1HU 01767 680338
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
8:30 am–6 pm 8:30 am–6 pm 8:30 am–6 pm 8:30 am–6 pm 8:30 am–6 pm 9 am–1 pm Closed
Pharmacies in Potton
Lloyds Pharmacy, 17 Market Square, Potton, Sandy SG19 2NP 01767 260236
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–6 pm 9 am–5 pm Closed
Pharmacies in Langford
Langford Pharmacy, 73A Church St, Langford, Biggleswade SG18 9QA 01462 701518
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
9 am–1 pm, 2–5:30 pm 9 am–1 pm, 1:30–5:30 pm 9 am–1 pm
9 am–1 pm, 1:30–5:30 pm 9 am–1 pm, 1:30–5:30 pm 9 am–1 pm
Closed
You do not have to use the pharmacies on the list we have sent. If you have one which is more convenient for you, for example close to where you work, then you can use whichever one you want. To find a pharmacy, go to: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy
There are several online (distance selling) pharmacies which also dispense and deliver NHS prescriptions free of charge. These can be found online using your internet search facility.
FAQs – dispensary services
I have heard that the surgery is losing its dispensary. What is a dispensary and why is the dispensary closing at Ivel Medical Centre?
Ivel Medical Centre is currently able to dispense medication to some of their patients who do not live very close to a pharmacy.
The dispensary is closing because the current GP partners have given notice on their contract. This means a new contract will be in place from 1 June 2023. The new contract will no longer qualify to include a dispensary. This is due to changes in the national pharmaceutical regulations introduced in 2013.
Why won’t the practice be allowed to include a dispensary from 1 June 2023?
This is because there are now a number of pharmacies local to the practice which patients can go to for their prescribed medication. National pharmaceutical regulations for GP practices state that new contracts cannot include dispensing services when there is a pharmacy nearby.
I don’t have a pharmacy where I live, how will I get my medication now that I can’t get it from the surgery?
There are a number of pharmacies very close to the surgery and all patients who have been collecting their medication from the practice have been written to with details of these.
These pharmacies are all open for longer hours than the surgery dispensary currently is, and some also offer deliveries for elderly or housebound patients.
You do not have to use the pharmacies on the list we have sent. If you have one which is more convenient for you, for example close to where you work, then you can use whichever one you want. To find a pharmacy, go to: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find- a-pharmacy
Alternatively, you may prefer to get your medication in the post and can sign up with an online pharmacy if you wish.
What about my elderly relative who is used to getting their medication from the practice and is going to struggle with getting used to a pharmacy?
Your relative should speak to the dispensary staff at the practice next time they collect their medication. The staff are fully aware of all the options and will help your relative to find the best one for them and support them to put the right arrangements in place.
What other services will the surgery be losing?
The surgery will continue to offer full general practice services from 1 June. The only change will be to dispensary services as detailed above. All patients who will be affected by the change have received a letter with full details of how to access pharmacy services.
What would the practice need to do to remain a dispensing practice for residents of Biggleswade?
Unfortunately, the practice cannot remain a dispensing practice due to national regulations which state that new GP contracts cannot include dispensing services when there is a pharmacy nearby. We are confident that patients will receive an excellent service from whichever pharmacy they choose. Pharmacy opening hours are longer than the practice dispensary, and many also offer delivery services to elderly or housebound patients.
It’s unfair you’re making people travel further.
We do not believe people will have to travel further to a pharmacy than they have already been doing to get to the practice. We are committed to supporting our population to reduce costs wherever possible and there are several options for patients, including online NHS pharmacies which deliver free of charge, avoiding the need to travel to collect medication at all.
Biggleswade is in desperate need of more healthcare services, why is it taking so long for the ICB to sort out.
We have heard loud and clear from residents of Biggleswade that they need some stability in the healthcare provided locally – that is why we have been working so hard to find a suitable solution for Ivel Medical Centre. The new providers will need some time to bed in, which the ICB will support them to do.
We will continue to work with system partners to look at the potential feasibility for other services within s to provide additional services in Biggleswade, but new services take time to develop. We are working hard with other partners to progress this.