What is the NHS New Medicine Service and how does it work?
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.
NowPatient offers the New Medicine Service (NMS) remotely to NHS users in England being prescribed new medications to treat eligible long-term conditions. It is potentially a two-part virtual consultation service funded by the NHS and is provided at no cost to you. It aims to help you manage newly prescribed medications, by supporting you to make shared decisions about your care.
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.
What long term conditions are covered for NMS eligibility?
The following long-term conditions are eligible:
Is the NHS New Medicine Service safe for me to use?
Yes. The NHS New Medicine Service is classified as a Class I medical device under UK MDR 2002 regulations, for its intended use. It also complies with NHS standards DTAC, DCB 0160 & DCB 0129.
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.
Is the service secure when conducted 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.
What are the 3 stages of the NHS New Medicine Service Consultation
Patient Engagement
There are two ways in which engagement happens.
Self Check - You can check if a new medication you have recently been prescribed is eligible for the service.
Automatic Notification - We will notify you of service eligibility if we dispense a newly prescribed medication that qualifies for support.
Intervention
The first remote NHS New Medicine Service Consultation usually lasts around 10 minutes. Our clinician will assess your adherence to the medicine(s), identify problems, and determine if you need further information and/or support.
Our clinician 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 clinician 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 clinician 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 clinicians may offer you advice on healthy living / public health topics
Follow-up
The clinician will assess your adherence to the medicine(s), identify problems, and determine your need for further information and support via a follow-up video consultation.
Our clinician 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 – clinician 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
How do I engage with the NHS New Medicine Service?
There are two ways you can engage the New Medicine Service.
Self Check - You can check if a new medication you have recently been prescribed is eligible for the service.
Automatic Notification - We will notify you of service eligibility if we dispense a newly prescribed medication that qualifies for support.
Self Check
Navigate to the NHS New Medicine Service Card which can be found in the ‘NHS Hub’ section of the account homepage.
Select ‘Check Eligibility’ from the Options Menu on the NHS New Medicine Service Card and follow the steps below:
Step 1 – AI Chat Bot: Check Service Eligibility
You’ll first be directed to a page with an AI Chat Bot. Answer the questions presented to determine your eligibility for the service. If you qualify, you’ll be prompted to book a consultation. Click on the ‘Book Consultation’ button to proceed. You should plan to book the consultation 7-14 days from the point you start taking your new medication.
Step 2 - Now follow the instructions below to complete your booking
Automatic Notification
If you have an NHS prescription being dispensed by NowPatient, our system can identify whether you are being prescribed medication for the first time.
If you’re eligible for an NHS New Medicine Service consultation, we’ll send you an invitation to take part. This invitation will be sent to you by In-App and Push notifications directly to your device.
Once you receive the notification, navigate to ‘Notifications’ on the account homepage. Here you can open the invitation and click ‘Book Consultation’. You should plan to book the consultation 7-14 days from the point you start taking your new medication.
Now follow the instructions below to complete your booking:
How will I find out if I require a follow-up NHS New Medicine Service consultation?
During the first NHS New Medicine Service consultation, the attending clinician will assess your adherence to the medicine(s), identify problems, and determine if you need further support via a follow-up video consultation.
If it is in the opinion of the attending clinician that you require a follow-up, you will receive a recommendation, immediately after your initial consultation. This recommendation will be sent to you by In-App and Push notification, directly to your device.
Once you receive the notification, navigate to ‘Notifications’ on the account homepage. Here you can open the recommendation and click ‘Book Consultation’. You should plan to book the consultation 14-21 days from the date of the first consultation.
Will you have access to my GP records?
Yes, as an NHS patient, our clinicians will be able to access your GP record, including medications, observations, and investigations. This ensures our clinicians are able to assess you appropriately.
Do I need to provide any consents before the NHS New Medicine Service Consultation?
During the virtual consultation, we will obtain a 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.
Is the service available in the United States and the United Kingdom?
No. At the moment, it is only available in England.
Can I use NowPatient’s NHS New Medicines 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.
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.
How to prepare for your first NHS New Medicine Service remote video consultation
How can you prepare for your discussions with the clinician?
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 Clinician
Bring your new medicine to the meeting with your clinician
What happens after my NHS New Medicine Service 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.
At the end of each consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcome. It will also advise you if any referrals were made to your doctor, along with any other advice that was given to you by the clinician. You will be notified of the summary via an In-App and Push notification. Once you receive the notification, navigate to ‘Notifications’ on the account homepage and you will be able to view it.