Prescription service hit by delays days before Christmas

Vito Paglia has been left without his medication after being unable to reach the service for three days



A Coventry man is fearing for his health after a prescription service was overwhelmed by requests and IT problems – leaving him without his medication.

Vito Paglia, 59, suffered a stroke several years ago and relies on blood pressure tablets which he receives on repeat prescription.

But the Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) service in Coventry and Rugby has been inundated with higher than usual call volumes in the run up to Christmas, as well as IT issues which have made the system slower than usual.

Mr Paglia said he had called on numerous occasions on Friday, yesterday and today to try and order his repeat prescription for the tablets. But on each occasion, he received an automated message telling him to call back later, as the service was so busy.

As Mr Paglia works, he cannot call constantly, but has called as often as possible.

A spokesman for Coventry and Rugby CCG confirmed that the system is currently facing issues and has apologised for the issues faced by Mr Paglia, and offered advice.

The spokesman added that the team is experiencing ‘higher than usual call volumes’ and that a national issues with the IT system is causing the it to be slower than usual, increasing the length of time it takes to deal with caller requests.

Mr Paglia said until around a year ago, his repeat prescriptions were dealt with by a pharmacy, and he would receive a text when it was ready to collect.

Under the POD system, he has to call his GP surgery, and an automated service directs him to the POD repeat prescriptions service. Mr Paglia added that he has often had difficulty getting through to the phone line, but that this is the worst it has been since the service launched.

A spokesman for Coventry and Rugby CCG said: "We do not advise people order medication to stockpile “just in case”."

Not true!

They told everyone to re-order their prescription early between 11th and 17th December!

It still isn't fixed.

The whole system has broken down but as usual nobody will be held accountable.

I picked up a prescription for Mrs R earlier today and the pharmacy had tried to slip in unbranded drugs.

I tackled them about it, saying that in truth, I really didn't know if Mrs R was right in her assertion that they were inferior, but I would appreciate them changing the pills for branded ones.

They did change them, and the lady serving me said that Mrs R was not alone in her view that there was a definite difference!

"All our lines are busy, please call back later"

I'd rather they didn't answer at all as I'm spending more on connection charges than I ever did on prescription charges.

For three days now they haven't answered the phone!

Finally got through after FOUR DAYS!

Recorded message says they're "short of staff due to COVID-19"!

So exactly how many confirmed cases are there in Coventry right now?

Finally got through after FOUR DAYS!

Recorded message says they're "short of staff due to COVID-19"!

So exactly how many confirmed cases are there in Coventry right now?

Glad you managed to get through Dutchman


Exactly makes you wonder as prior to Boris and his science medical adviser people had phoned 111 and was told they did nt need testing yet some had the virus.

Took me 20 mins to get through today.

According to a recorded message the system wasn't designed to cope with people getting ill!