Prescription Delivery Service

Project Description

The project is to trial a volunteer prescription delivery service for the catchment area for a period of twelve months. We aim to recruit volunteers and drivers and reimburse the mileage costs.

What was the result of your project?

With continued reduction in the availability of public transport service in rural areas, Betws-y-Coed surgery decided something needed to be done.

An Increasing numbers of patients with no family, carers or access to transport are unable to reach the surgery or able to pick up their prescriptions.

Being left without medication results in deterioration in health and an increased demand on GP’s to carry out home visits as well as adding pressure on district nurses together with increased number of emergency admissions to hospital.

Practice staff meetings suggested that a prescription delivery service could address the issue and significantly improve the health and wellbeing of the patients.

Heritage and culture project officer Ela Fon William was approached by the Betws y Coed surgery when Ela called out for projects to reduce isolation and deprivation in the rural communities.

Biggest challenges and/or lessons learnt during the project

“We were looking to fund small scale experimental projects that would support communities and bring people of all ages together. The prescription delivery service fitted all the criteria and has proven to be a great success and an asset to the rural community”

Said Ela.

Michelle Roberts, practice manager said,

“We were thrilled when we found out the application was successful.

“We hope we’ve created a successful model that other surgeries can use in the rural area. We now need to encourage as many people as possible to use the service.”

Three volunteers have since been recruiting and are successfully delivering prescriptions to 54 individuals, with deliveries currently being carried out on a Wednesday.

The service is not only available to the old but to anyone who requires it, on a needs assessed basis.

One volunteer, Mr Scarse said,

“I feel if I can give something to the community while I am able to drive, I hopes the scheme will encourage others to do the same and this one day will help me if I need the service in the feature and enable me to stay in the village”.

It is hoped that more surgeries in the rural area will be able to use the model and encourage as many users to use the service that is on offer.

This project, led by Conwy Cynhaliol is funded through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

For more information on the Conwy Cynhaliol, and the Rural Development Program – visit www.ruralconwy.org.uk or contact us on 01492 576673 or conwylocalactiongroup@conwy.gov.uk.