CONCERNS have been raised in Bromsgrove after funding was withdrawn for Boots the Chemist to fill a medication dispensing system.

The Pivotell system dispenses medication at set times, and issues an alarm to help remind people that their medication is due to be taken. Until March, the machines were filled by the Bromsgrove branch of Boots, but from April, the county council withdrew funding for the system, and now Boots has also decided it will no longer fill the machines, even if customers are prepared to pay.

Patricia Meredith has an elderly friend who relies on her Pivotell machine. She said: “She’s on her own. She’s not got anyone to help her. She’s been in hospital a couple of times before because she took the wrong medication, she got confused.

“She would like to carry on keeping the Pivotell machine and for it to be filled by a chemist. She’s happy to pay for it, but no-one will do it. I can understand that the council don’t want to pay £4 a week and it’s not that hard for people to pay £4 a week, but Boots will not load the machines even if people pay.

“The thing they’re giving them now is similar, but it hasn’t got an alarm, they’ve still got to remember to take them at certain times. It’s going to cause more hospital admissions and things, and it’s silly.”

Pharmacy staff need to be trained to fill the machines, and although several pharmacies outside the Bromsgrove area are willing to fill the machines for a fee, patients would have to pick up prescriptions from Bromsgrove GPs and deliver them to the pharmacies, which isn’t always viable for elderly people.

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups, said: "There are many different ways to help people to take their prescribed medicine. This may include large print labels, reminder charts and alarms and medication dispensers, including Pivotell.

"We did have a contract with over 30 Worcestershire pharmacies, including two in the Bromsgrove area, to fill Pivotell units, but following a review, this arrangement ended from April 1, 2016.

"We wrote to patients using Pivotell units, and to their GPs, to let them know of the change. We recommended that they have an assessment or a medicines use review by their local pharmacy or GP to make sure they are benefitting from the most appropriate medication and method of taking it.

"This may mean that options other than a Pivotell are suggested or that the pharmacy may make a charge to fill it, if friends and family are unable to do so."

A spokesman for Boots added: “Boots UK took the decision to no longer continue with the Pivotell machines at the Bromsgrove store as they are not compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and also due to the risk of patients being without medications if the machines break. We would encourage any concerned patients to discuss these options with their local pharmacist.”