How the New Medicine Service works
NowPatient offers the New Medicine Service (NMS) remotely to NHS users in England being prescribed new medications to treat eligible long-term conditions. The service is funded by the NHS and is provided at no cost to the user. It aims to help patients manage newly prescribed medications, by supporting them to make shared decisions about their care.
How will the NMS service help me?
Between 30% and 50% of prescribed medicines are not taken as recommended. This means that a lot of medicines are wasted or are not as effective as they could be.
The service will:
Help you to find out more about the new medicine you are taking
Help to sort out any problems you are having with your new medicine
Give you a chance to ask questions about your medicine and discuss any concerns
Help to improve the effectiveness of your new medicine, for example, there may be an easier or better way to take it
Help you to make your own decisions about managing your condition
Help you to improve your health, which could lead to fewer GP and hospital visits.
How much does the service cost?
The service is FREE for users who qualify. It is commissioned by the NHS and you will not be charged.
What are the 3 stages of the New Medicine Service
1. Patient Engagement
There are two ways in which engagement happens. You can check the eligibility of your medication to see if it qualifies for an NMS intervention by using the NMS widget on your account dashboard. If you qualify, you will be able to schedule a remote video consultation with an NMS specialist pharmacist. You should plan to do this 7-14 days from the point you start taking your new medication.
Alternatively, if we dispense your medications, we can identify new medications that you are prescribed and automatically check eligibility. If you qualify, you will be sent a notification, inviting you to book a remote video consultation with an NMS specialist pharmacist, 7-14 days from the point you start taking your new medication.
At the point of booking, we will also obtain consent from you for providing this service. This is required so we can communicate with your GP and provide information to NHS England, NHS Improvement, and the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) if required.
2. Intervention
The first remote consultation usually lasts around 10 minutes. Our pharmacist will assess your adherence to the medicine(s), identify problems, and determine if you need further information and/or support.
Our pharmacist will provide advice and further support and will agree on one of the following next steps with you:
That you are adhering to the medicine(s) and no problems have been identified – agree time for the follow-up consultation (typically between 14 and 21 days after this consultation)
Problems are identified but it is the clinical judgment of our pharmacist that intervention by your prescriber or PCN clinical pharmacist is not required – agree on the time for the follow-up consultation (typically between 14 and 21 days after this consultation) and any appropriate remedial steps to be taken by you in the meantime. Such steps could include a reasonable adjustment (e.g. the use of items such as reminder charts)
Problems are identified and it is the clinical judgment of the pharmacist that intervention by your prescriber is required. No follow-up consultation is required and the service will have been completed
Depending on the condition, our pharmacists may offer you advice on healthy living / public health topics
3. Follow-up
The pharmacist will assess your adherence to the medicine(s), identify problems, and determine your need for further information and support.
Our pharmacist will provide advice and further support and will agree on one of the following next steps with you:
That you are adhering to the regimen. At this point, the service will have been completed
Problem identified – pharmacist and you both agree on a solution. At this point, the service will have been completed
Problem identified – referral to the doctor for review. At this point, the service will have been completed
Am I able to use this service if I am not in the United Kingdom?
The service is only available to NHS users in England. The service is not available in the United States.
Can I use NowPatient’s NHS New Medicine Service if I live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
This service is commissioned by NHS England and is only available to patients in England. You will not be able to use the feature if you live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
What long-term conditions are covered for NMS eligibility?
The following long-term conditions are eligible:
Can I use the service if I don't have my prescriptions dispensed by you?
Yes. We are working to allow GPs in England to refer patients directly to our virtual service. There is no cost to you and you do not need to have your prescriptions dispensed by us.
Is the service safe being done remotely?
Yes. NowPatient operates from a HIPAA, DTAC, and Cyber Essentials Plus certified compliant platform that assures the highest levels of information security and allows us to safely handle PHI (Patient Health Information). Clinicians who access our systems do so on a zero-trust basis backed with SSO technologies.
How to prepare for your first remote video consultation
How can you prepare for your discussions with the pharmacist?
Read the leaflet that comes with your new medicine
Make a note of questions you want to ask about your new medicine
Make a note of any concerns about your new medicine that you may want to discuss with your pharmacist.
Bring your new medicine to the meeting with your pharmacist or have it in front of you if you speak to the pharmacist by telephone
What happens after my remote video consultation?
You may be sent a short survey asking you about your experience attending your remote video consultation. We encourage you to complete this as it provides us with valuable feedback to improve your experience in the future. It’s helpful for us if you point out things that didn’t go well, and suggest ways of improving the experience for you and others.