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NHS New Medicine Service

NHS New Medicine Service

An NHS-funded service that is provided free at the point of use. You can check your eligibility or we automatically notify you when you qualify. Book a consultation with one of our trained clinicians who will help you manage your newly prescribed medicine.

This is a FREE service for users registered with the NHS in England

New Medicine Service

No Account? No Problem!

A cluster of red and white capsule-shaped pills is shown against a green background inside a white circle.

How it works

Step 1

Go to the tools page. Select NHS New Medicine Service. You can select the star icon on the tool and this will create a shortcut on your dashboard for ease of future use

Step 2

NowPatient can identify whenever you are prescribed a new medication. If you qualify for support you will be sent an NHS New Medicine Service invite notification. Alternatively, you can manually check if your medication qualifies for support by using the NHS New Medicine Service tool

Smartphone displaying a mobile app interface with "NHS New Medicine Service" highlighted under "My Favorite Tools" and a Personal Recommendation banner. Background has pattern of shield icons.
Step 3

If you have been sent an invite, you will be able see it in the ‘My Notifications’ section on your dashboard. Open the message and select the booking link

A smartphone screen displays a notification for the NHS New Medicine Service, indicating eligibility for Amlodipine 5mg, with an option to book a consultation.
Step 4

Select a time and date for your consultation. Your consultation booking date has to be between 7 and 14 days since you started your new medication

A smartphone screen shows a consultation date booking interface for August 2022, with the 27th highlighted. Icons for home, calendar, prescription, and shopping cart are at the top.
Step 5

You will now see a list of clinicians who are specially trained to provide the service that you have chosen. You can filter clinicians by gender. Once you have selected your clinician, you will be able to confirm the booking and add the appointment date to your calendar

Smartphone screen showing a healthcare app with a list of available clinicians with filters for gender. The current list includes Dr. Dan Cheung, Pharmacist, and Dr. A.N. Other, Clinician.
Step 6

You will receive an email and notification reminder, 30 minutes before the consultation starts. You will also be able to track your consultation in ‘My Consultations’ located on your dashboard

A smartphone screen displays a medical consultation app with upcoming and past consultations. The next consultation is for a new medicine service on May 24, 2024, with Clinician John McCollin.
Step 7

During the consultation, the clinician will address any questions you have about your new medication, including any medication adherence issues you feel are important and that you would like to raise.

A man with a headset is video calling a woman, shown in a smaller window. The phone screen displays "Dr. A.N.Other" at the bottom. The background is turquoise with lighter shield icons.
Step 8

At the end of the consultation, your clinician will discuss the next steps, including an agreed action plan and a follow-up consultation, if appropriate. If there is no agreed action plan or the need for a follow-up consultation, then the service will end with a notification summarising the outcome

A smartphone screen displaying a medical app. The "My Notifications" section shows a message thanking John for attending the NHS New Medicine Service consultation.
Step 9

If a follow-up consultation is agreed, then you will receive a notification summarising the first consultation along with a booking link that will allow you to book the follow-up consultation. This should be done between 14 and 21 days from the date of the first consultation

Step 10

At the follow-up consultation, the clinician will assess if you are adhering to your medication regimen and discuss any concerns you still have about the new medication such as persistent side-effects

A doctor in a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck converses via video call with a woman appearing in a smaller window on a smartphone screen with a teal background.
Step 11

At the conclusion of your follow-up consultation, your clinician may advise no further action and that you continue taking your new medication as prescribed, or notify your GP to raise any concerns which may require the GP to review your new medication

A smartphone screen displays a document management app with a section titled "My Documents." The screen shows a "GP Referral Letter" document with options to view the document and a "NEW" tag.
Step 12

After the consultation has ended, you will receive a summary notification describing the outcome of the service including copies of any GP referrals, actions advised or any interventions made such as weight management, diet & nutrition, alcohol consumption, physical activity or stop smoking advice

Smartphone displaying a health app with a notification for an NHS New Medicine Service consultation summary and various tools, including an Air Quality Monitor, on a teal background with shield icons.

Service Guide

Everything you need to know about the NHS New Medicine Service

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

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.

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.

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.

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