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New Medicine Service Eligibility

Get help with your new medicines

The NHS New Medicine Service is a free service available to all NHS registered patients in England. It allows you to get coaching and support on your new medicine. Lookup your medication to see if you qualify.

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

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How It Works

Get support with your newly
prescribed medication

  • person search

    Engagement

    If you have your prescriptions filled by us, we will notify you if you qualify. If you do not have your prescription filled by us, you can search your new medication to see if you qualify.

    Step 1
  • contacts

    Intervention

    You will be invited to a first remote consultation that 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. A plan may be set out.

    Step 2
  • conditions

    Book consultation

    The pharmacist will assess your adherence to the medicine(s), identify problems, and determine your need for further information and support.

    Step 3
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NHS New Medicine Service

Is my medication covered?

Lookup your medication using the search box. You should use the active ingredient name in your search. You can find this clearly stated on the package, if it is a generic version, or you can find it underneath the brand name, if it is a branded version. If your medication and health condition are covered by the terms of the FREE service, you will be able to book a remote video consultation with one of our specially trained clinicians.

What are the benefits of the New Medicine Service

Benefits

Provides clinical support in answering any concerns you may have about your new medication.

  • Early identification of potential issues

    Enables the early identification of issues with newly prescribed medicines and supports you in resolving them or highlighting them to your prescriber.

  • Tailored to your lifestyle

    Links the use of newly prescribed medicines to lifestyle changes or other interventions that may promote your well-being and health.

  • Maintain consistency

    Increases your adherence to treatment and consequently reduces medicine wastage.

  • No cost for you

    Its FREE! The cost of the service is covered by the NHS. There is no cost to you whatsoever, as long as you are an NHS patient in England.

  • Reduce hospital admissions

    Through increased adherence to treatment, reduce avoidable medicines-related hospital admissions and improve your quality of life.

  • Informed decisions

    Increases access to advice, improving medicines adherence and knowledge of potential side effects.

  • Clinical support

    Provides clinical support in answering any concerns you may have about your new medication.

  • Manage long-term conditions

    Helps you manage newly prescribed medicines for a long-term condition, supporting you to make shared decisions about your long-term condition.

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Service Guide

Everything you need to know about the 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.

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

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 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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