UK Parliament
A member of Parliament has called for alternative ways for vulnerable patients to order repeat prescriptions if they cannot access online services.
In a statement published on 8 October 2026, Steff Aquarone, Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, highlighted reports from local residents that some GP practices were refusing to accept requests for repeat prescriptions over the telephone.
After listening to constituents’ concerns, Aquarone raised the issue with the local integrated care board (ICB) and found a “troubling gap between national NHS guidance and the rules governing GP practices”, the statement noted.
He also suggested that the government should consider strengthening national GP contractual requirements so that patients who are unable to use online services or travel to their surgery are guaranteed an accessible, remote, non-digital way of requesting repeat medication.
“Something as basic as renewing a prescription has become a struggle,” Aquarone continued.
“Patients should not need a smartphone or a lift to get their medicine… digital services are brilliant for many people, but they cannot come at the expense of those who struggle to use them. If someone is elderly, disabled or housebound, there must be a straightforward way for them to order their medication without needing the internet or a journey to the surgery.”
Okechukwu Chukwunwike, chair of the Norfolk & Waveney Local Medical Committee, which represents local GP practices, told The Pharmaceutical Journal: “It is important to recognise the access concerns for older and disabled patients. At the same time, decisions about how repeat prescription requests are received must take account of patient safety. Many practices moved away from routine telephone requests because verbal orders can be misheard or recorded incorrectly.”
“This should not leave patients without a workable way to request their medicines. Practices commonly offer routes, such as the NHS App or other online platforms, a written request by post or at the surgery and pharmacy arrangements, where these are in place,” he added.
Lauren Seamons, joint chief officer of Community Pharmacy Norfolk and Suffolk, told The Pharmaceutical Journal: “Community pharmacies will always try to support patients who have difficulty accessing their medicines, particularly people who are older, housebound or digitally excluded.
“However, it is important to distinguish between the GP practice’s processes for ordering a repeat prescription and a community pharmacy’s voluntary participation in facilitating this. Individual pharmacies and GP practices may have local arrangements to help patients submit repeat requests, but these arrangements are not necessarily available everywhere and should not be relied upon as a substitute for an accessible route provided by the patient’s practice.”
“Community pharmacy teams can help patients understand their options and, where local arrangements exist, may be able to provide additional help, but pharmacies are themselves operating under considerable workload and workforce pressures.”
In response to Aquarone’s concerns, a spokesperson for the Norfolk and Suffolk ICB, said: “GP practices are expected to provide their patients with equitable access to prescription ordering services, considering individual circumstances and making adjustments based on mobility, digital access and other needs.
“Most practices offer a range of digital and non-digital options. This requirement is built into the contracts we commission in Norfolk and Suffolk, NHS England’s modern general practice model and the Royal College of Pharmacy [RCPharm] repeat prescribing toolkit.”
Amandeep Doll, director for England at RCPharm, commented: “Community pharmacies can be an important point of contact for patients who need support with their medicines, including those who may struggle with digital services. But pharmacy closures and pressures can reduce the availability of this support in some communities.
“If people are finding it difficult to access their medicines, it’s important that GP practices, pharmacies and other local services work together to understand what’s happening and how patients can be better supported.
“Everyone should be able to access the medicines they need, whether or not they can use digital services.”
