A new Repeat Prescribing Toolkit which aims to streamline repeat prescribing systems and reduce medicines waste has been launched by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Royal College of GPs.

The Toolkit was commissioned by NHS England following a recommendation from the 2021 National Overprescribing Review, which recognised the impact that poorly operated repeat prescribing can have on over prescribing and problematic polypharmacy.

The Toolkit, the first national good practice guidance on repeat prescribing in 20 years, is designed to improve the consistency, safety and efficiency of repeat prescribing systems in general practices in England.

It allows GP practice teams and primary care networks, working with community pharmacies and patients, to evaluate their local arrangements against a framework and work together to identify areas for safety and efficiency improvements.

With over 1 billion prescriptions dispensed annually in England, 77 per cent of which are repeat prescriptions, the need for efficiency and safety is paramount, say the RPS and RCGP. Repeat prescriptions account for nearly 80 per cent of NHS medicine costs for primary care.

By streamlining repeat prescribing systems, the Toolkit aims to improve patient care, addressing inconsistencies and potential oversupply, whilst reducing unnecessary medicines waste, saving NHS resources.

It also includes practical guidance on improving communication with patients about repeat prescribing, supported by good practice case studies, flow charts, action plan templates, and useful resources.

Alongside the Toolkit, a new NHS dashboard is available, highlighting the scale of potential oversupply of medicines for a range of prescribing areas. The dashboard will support improvement initiatives, particularly around addressing inconsistencies with repeat prescribing processes, to help to minimise avoidable waste or the risk of harm to patients.

Clare Howard, RPS Fellow and clinical lead author said: “By working together, the RPS and RCGP have developed practical guidance and useful resources which will enable GP practices and primary care networks to self-assess their current arrangements and make meaningful improvements in their repeat prescribing processes.”

The Toolkit joins other resources from the RPS which support prescribing practice.