REGIONAL health chiefs expect GPs to review their patients’ repeat prescriptions at least once a year. The announcement follows an inquest into the death of a Blackburn woman.

Although there are no rigid guidelines, the Lancashire Telegraph asked NHS England to provide advice after the case of Sara Whitehead.

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As reported last Saturday, the former star pupil at Westholme School died in October weighing just 3.5st — and an inquest found she starved herself to death due to an anorexia-type illness.

The coroner found she died because of self-neglect. But the coroner questioned her lead GP during the hearing about a lack of medication reviews over a period of nearly two-and-a-half years before she died.

Over this period, Miss Whitehead was issued sick notes and repeat prescriptions for antidepressants by Montague Practice in Blackburn without having a face-to-face consultation.

According to her mother, Miss Whitehead had gone to the surgery at Barbara Castle Way Health Centre with the purpose of obtaining a sick note so she could claim benefits in January 2012.

Over the next four months she had three further appointments with Dr John Marlborough. But when asked about any reviews after May 2012, he told the coroner: “There were none face-to-face. Usually we would insist on reviewing all patients on repeat prescriptions at least once annually. But Sara’s mum would collect them with the sick note.”

Raj Patel, medical director for Lancashire and Greater Manchester at NHS England, said: “It is for the doctor and patient to jointly agree a safe arrangement for the review of any illness and any medication prescribed.

“Even for the most health-conscious patient, I would expect at least an annual review of their health needs.

“There are certain circumstances where a GP can issue a sick note without seeing a patient. An example would be someone who is undergoing treatment as an outpatient for cancer, where the actual treatment would be delivered in hospital.”

The Lancashire Telegraph asked Dr Marlborough how common it was for patients at Montague Practice to be given repeat prescriptions over the course of a year or more, and for sick notes to be repeatedly reissued without the patient being seen by a GP.

He said he was unable to comment due to patient confidentiality, adding: “The Montague practice are very sorry about the tragic death of Sara Whitehead and they would like to pass on their sympathies to her family.”