Private doctors to write repeat prescriptions for chronic disease sufferers

Those suffering from chronic illness will only have to retrieve a prescription once every six months, as private doctors can now write repeat prescriptions

11 August 2017, 12:12pm
by Jeanelle Mifsud

1 min read

Under the current system, chronic disease sufferers must renew their prescription every two months

Private family doctors will now be able to write repeat prescriptions for patients suffering from chronic diseases and who hold a yellow card, cutting the required number of visits to the doctor's to just two a year.

Under the new system, patients will be able to take home three prescriptions with each visit to the doctor, meaning that if their condition stabilises, they will not be required to obtain a new prescription every two months, as is currently the case.

Health minister Chris Fearne said that there are 150,000 people suffering from chronic illness in Malta who receive free medication under the POYC system.

“This system of repeat prescriptions was first implemented with doctors working from health centres, and was very well received,” Fearne said. “Not only did we reduce the burden for patients, but it has also allowed doctors to manage their time more efficiently.”

The minister added that computerised prescriptions had been introduced in health centres, and that the last year had seen over 70,000 of such prescriptions being written.