Is a pack the right answer?
Packs suit some people and not others. Age on its own isn't a reason for one, and neither is a long list of tablets. What matters is the difficulty you are actually having.
Tell us if any of this sounds familiar:
- Doses get missed, or taken twice by mistake
- There are too many boxes to keep track of
- Someone else gives the medicines and needs one clear routine
- Boxes are hard to open, or the labels are hard to read
- A hospital stay has changed the list and it no longer makes sense
Our pharmacist will go through the whole list with you. If something simpler would help more, such as large print labels, easier-opening tops, a written chart or a medicines review, we'll say so. NHS guidance is that packs should be used where there is a clear reason for one, rather than by default. You can read the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service advice on supporting adherence.
How it works
Five steps, and you only do the first one.
Register
Fill in the short form below. You don't need to list any medicines.
We call you
A pharmacist goes through the medicines and the difficulty, and checks that a pack fits. If it doesn't, we'll tell you what would help more.
We take over the prescriptions
With your agreement we become your nominated pharmacy and work with the GP surgery to line the repeats up on one 28-day cycle.
We make the packs up
Suitable tablets and capsules go into sealed compartments, labelled by day and time. Anything that can't go in comes alongside, with a list of what is where.
Packs reach you
Delivered to the door, or collected from a FastHeal branch. After that they keep coming each cycle without you chasing anyone.
What goes in the pack
Not every medicine can be taken out of its own packaging, so some arrive alongside the pack instead.
In the pack
- Regular tablets and capsules that are stable outside their original packaging
- Doses grouped by morning, lunch, teatime and bedtime
- Each compartment labelled with the day, the time and what is inside
Alongside the pack
- Liquids, inhalers, eye drops, creams and patches
- Anything that has to be kept in the fridge
- Medicines taken only when needed, or at a dose that changes
- Anything the manufacturer says must stay in its own packaging
Every delivery comes with a list showing what is in the pack and what is not, so a carer or family member can see the whole picture.
If a medicine changes
Call us before the next pack is made up. Please don't take tablets out of a sealed pack or add anything to it yourself.
After a hospital stay
Send us the discharge list. We check it against what we are packing before the next cycle goes out.
Reviews
We go over the arrangement with you from time to time. If the pack has stopped being the right answer, we'll say so.
Register for blister packs
Fill this in and a pharmacist will call you. Nothing moves from your current pharmacy until you have spoken to us and said yes.
How your pack will be labelled.
Registration received
Thanks. A pharmacist will call to go through the medicines and check a pack is the right answer. Nothing changes at your current pharmacy before then.
Common questions
Anything else, ask the pharmacist when we call.
Does it cost anything?
We check whether you qualify for the packs at no charge. If a charge does apply to your situation, the pharmacist will tell you what it is on the call, before anything starts.
Is this an NHS service?
Your prescriptions stay NHS prescriptions, and the usual prescription charges or exemptions apply. Making medicines up into packs is a service on top of that, which is why we check what applies to you before we begin.
Can I register for my mum or dad?
Yes, as long as they know about it and agree. The form asks you to confirm that. If they can't make that decision themselves, say so on the call and we'll go through how it is handled.
Do I have to change pharmacy?
Yes. We would become the pharmacy that dispenses the repeat prescriptions. It takes one step and we do the paperwork. You can move back to your old pharmacy whenever you want.
Can all the medicines go in the pack?
No. Liquids, inhalers, eye drops, creams, patches, fridge items and anything taken only when needed are supplied alongside the pack. Some tablets also have to stay in their own packaging for stability reasons.
What if a prescription changes?
Call us before the next pack is made up and we'll sort it out with the surgery. Please don't take tablets out of a sealed pack or add anything to it yourself.
Do you deliver?
Give us your postcode on the form and we'll confirm what we can do for your area on the call, including which FastHeal branch you could collect from instead.
How long until the first pack?
The pharmacist will give you a date on the call. It depends on when the next repeat is due and how quickly the surgery confirms it.
What if the pack turns out not to suit?
Tell us. We would rather stop and find something that works, such as clearer labels or a reminder chart, than keep sending packs that don't help.