PRESCRIPTIONS ADVICE

Ordering your Repeat Prescriptions

There are several ways you can order your repeat prescriptions.

• Online. This is a quick and easy way to order. If you have not yet registered to do this, please speak to reception staff. Order your prescription now.
• By Telephone. Please try to avoid ringing between 8.30am and 10.30am as this is the peak time patients try to book appointments 
• At reception. Reception staff will take your requests. 

ALL PRESCRIPTIONS REQUIRE 48 HOUR NOTICE 

All prescriptions must be authorised and signed by a doctor or the Advanced Nurse practitioner. It is your responsibility to ensure that you do not run out of medication. We are able to send most prescriptions electronically to a pharmacy of your choice.

Repeat Dispensing Scheme

What is repeat dispensing?

This is a way you can get your medicines without asking a doctor for a prescription each time. 

Do I have to use the same pharmacy each time.?

Yes, you need to give us the name of the pharmacy you will always use. 

How does repeat dispensing work?

• Your doctor will sign a repeat dispensing prescription. This will authorise the pharmacy to issue up to 12 one-month repeat medications (although we and other GP practices generally do 6 months at a time).
• Your GP practice will send your repeat dispensing prescriptions to your named pharmacy.
• Your named pharmacy will supply you with your first month’s medicines. You will also be given a repeat medication card which will list all of your regular medicines.
• The next month, when you need a new supply of your medicines, you or your representative should take your repeat medication card to your named pharmacy and you will be supplied with your next month’s medicines.
• Don’t forget that you, or your representative, must sign the back of your repeat dispensing form. If you don’t pay for your prescriptions for any reason other than age, then your pharmacist will need to see proof of exemption.
• While the repeat dispensing prescription is still active, which can be for up to 12 months, you will not need to go back to the surgery for further supplies of your usual medicines. The pharmacy should normally tell you when you are down to your last prescription so that you have time to order another batch of prescriptions before they run out. If you are otherwise unwell, then you simply arrange to see your doctor in the usual way.

How do I get repeat dispensing started?

To arrange this, you need to see a doctor for a medication review. If repeat dispensing is possible the doctor will organise this for you.   There is more information in this leaflet.

Medication Reviews

It is important that patients with ongoing medical problems are monitored regularly. If the date for your next review has passed you will be asked to make an appointment for a medication review. Sometimes these can be done by phone and for others you will need to be seen by a doctor.

Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)

We thought you should know how we get your prescriptions to your pharmacist.

The EPS service lets the surgery send your prescription electronically to the named chemist you choose to get your medication from. You still go to the chemist to collect your medication but, behind the scenes, the prescription is sent electronically rather than being printed out and the chemist collecting the paper prescription from the surgery. 

We are working towards as many of the prescriptions as possible to go direct to the pharmacy to prevent printing paper and to manage reception work load.  

NOTICE

At some point in the near future doctors surgerys are unlikely to take repeat prescription requests by telephone. By telephone is not an ideal way to take medication requests as mistakes can happen, patients sometimes are not able to explain what they need and it also takes up a considerable amount of staff time. 

With all the advances in repeat prescribing and repeat dispensing this should make the service even better for the patients. 

We will notify all of our patients of any changes well in advance to ensure it is all organised correctly. 

Updated Nov 2019