Prescription processing time
Please allow 7 days (4 working days at the surgery and 3 working days for the pharmacy to process your prescription).
Requesting prescriptions – how is it done?
- Online via our website by completing the online repeat prescription request form.
- Submitting a paper request at reception
- Via Patient Access
- Via your pharmacy
We do not accept requests over the phone, our phone lines are very busy, accepting prescriptions on the phone increases the waiting times. Please do not phone the practice to confirm if your prescription is ready.
Practice prescription requests- how does it work?
Please remember it is your responsibility to ensure you order your repeat medication on time, always allow extra time for weekends and public holidays, and also in the event of postal and/or technical problems.
ACUTE/NON REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
Acute prescriptions are medications that have been issued by a doctor or nurse but not added to your repeat prescription list. This may be because it’s a new medication that may require a review. Some medications remains on acute prescriptions because they need to be closely monitored. These include some pain killers, antidepressants, steroid creams and some medications that require regular blood monitoring. All non-repeat requests need to be reviewed by a doctor before they can be issued. Receptionists are unable to print these.
URGENT PRESCRIPTIONS
Urgent prescriptions will only be issued in exceptional circumstances. It is the patient’s responsibility to give the surgery the appropriate notice to process any requests.
MEDICATION THAT CAN BE PRESCRIBED URGENTLY:-
- palliative care medications
- cardiac medications including GTN spray
- inhalers
- insulin
- anti-epileptic medication
- urgent secondary care requests
THE FOLLOWING MEDICATIONS ARE NOT URGENT. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO REQUEST A SMALL SUPPLY FROM YOUR REGULAR PHARMACY UNTIL YOUR PRESCRIPTION HAS BEEN PROCESSED.
Antidepressant eg Citalopram, Sertraline, Mirtazapine, fluoxetine
Pain killers eg Gabapentin, Co-Codamol, Tramadol
HRT, diazepam, propanolol
Frequently asked questions:
Why are all my medications not on repeat?
Some medications- commonly pain killers, antidepressants and some creams do not go onto a repeat prescription. This allows regular reviews by a GP or Pharmacist to ensure medications are not continued longer than they should. Others require regular blood monitoring and we need to check it’s been done.
My medication is on repeat but I’ve been asked to make a review.
We like to review medications like analgesia and antidepressants sometimes once or twice a year so you may be asked to make a review. Also some medications require some blood tests to ensure it’s safe to continue them so we might ask you to make a blood test appointment.
How can I help make things run more smoothly?
Often we tell you or write on a prescription that we will review a medication at a certain point- ie in 3months or 6 months. If you know that time is coming up make a routine telephone appointment to speak to your usual GP.
My repeat prescriptions run out at different times
We can definitely help with that! Our in house pharmacist has telephone appointments that you can book and will ensure this is resolved. Please call reception to make an appointment.
When on holiday or living temporarily outside the practice area
If you are staying outside the practice area for holidays, work etc. please take your medication with you. We are unable to send prescriptions by post/email/fax. Should you be spending extended time out with our Practice area eg with family, and are unable to collect your prescription in the usual way, you should register with a local practice as a temporary resident and request the medication. The Practice can contact us to confirm what medication you are currently being prescribed. Alternatively depending on your location some pharmacies may be able to provide an emergency supply of medication for you.
The NHS does not accept responsibility for supplying ongoing medication for temporary periods abroad exceeding three months.
Excess quantities of regular repeat prescriptions for holidays for more than three weeks.
A Scottish home and Health Department circular from 1971 clarifies the position on prescribing for patients going abroad for extended periods. It states:-
“If a patient intends to go away for a longer period (than two to three week’s holiday) he/she may not be regarded as a resident of this country and would not be entitled to the benefits of the National Health Service. It may not be in the patient’s best interest for him/her to continue to self-medication over such longer periods. If a patient is going abroad for a long period, he/she should be prescribed sufficient drugs to meet his/her requirements only until such time as he can place himself/herself in the care of a doctor at his/her destination.
Where ongoing medical attention is not necessary, the patient may be given a private prescription.