I WOULD like to tell you how on August 21 I needed to order a repeat prescription.

I have always been able to do it from the Malvern Health Centre surgery website through patient access.

However, this was not possible on that day.

Without any forewarning, the system has been changed — not helpful if the medication is urgent.

I sent an email to the surgery after about 90 minutes of trying in vain.

I did in fact eventually think of ringing the pharmacy direct (Peak Pharmacy who normally deliver my meds as I am disabled).

They were able to take my order so why was it not possible for the surgery to do so?

I tried the phone line for the surgery — the last number instruction informed me that I could not request a repeat prescription over the phone but would have to fill in a triage form. Why? How?

Eventually, the ‘practice medicines co-ordinator’ sent an email apology and informed me that I could in future email in my list of repeat medication.

Using this would mean typing in all the names of all the medications rather than just filling in a tick box.

Is that really the way to go for the elderly, disabled, short-sighted and feeble-minded? Why are we increasingly expected to have a mobile phone (smart) and/or a computer and to be able to use the same when the system keeps being changed?

I would be interested to know how many people have recently struggled to get a repeat prescription, how many have actually got the required equipment and understand how to use it and how many have gone without medication because of the unannounced changed system.

Jane Millwood

Malvern