Repeat Prescriptions

Repeat prescriptions are for regular, long term medications.

Patients may order their repeat prescriptions by:

• Delivering the counterfoil to the surgery and placing it in the prescription box
• Posting
• Online using the above link - please ask reception staff if you do not have online access
• Request via your local pharmacy
• Through the NHS App

We require 48 hours to action your medication request.

If medications are requested more than 7 days early, the request will be rejected so please only order 7 days in advance.  This is per our repeat prescribing policy and current NHSE advice in order to maintain national stocks of medications for the whole population.

Please do not request paracetamol on prescription if you don't normally have it.

Electronic Prescribing

You can now nominate any pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to electronically instead of having to collect your prescription from your GP (once ordered). For further information please collect a leaflet at the surgery or your nominated pharmacy. Or alternatively you can watch the short video below  

Request forms for this service are available from reception.

In return we ask you to

• Give reasonable notice when ordering repeat prescriptions.
• Not ask for routine repeat prescriptions during consultations with a Doctor
• Not to expect a prescription every time you visit the Doctor

Please allow 48 hours, excluding weekends and Bank Holidays, for your request to be processed. Any problems please telephone the surgery.

Prescription Presentation

Prescriptions Charges and Exemptions

Extensive exemption and remission arrangements protect those likely to have difficulty in paying charges (NHS prescription and dental charges, optical and hospital travel costs).

The NHS prescription charge is a flat-rate amount which successive Governments have thought it reasonable to charge for those who can afford to pay for their medicines.  Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) offer real savings for people who need extensive medication.

Medicine Wastage  

Unused prescription medicines cost the NHS across the UK over £300million every year. There are a number of different ways that you can help to reduce the issue of wasted medicines and save money for your local NHS.

Only order the medicines that you need

• Please let your GP or Pharmacist know if you've stopped taking any of your medicines
• Check what medicines you have at home before re-ordering
• Discuss your medication with your GP or Pharmacist on a regular basis
• Think carefully before ticking all the boxes on your repeat prescription forms and only tick those you really need
• If you don't need the medicine please don't order it! If you need the medicine in the future you can still request it
• If you need to go into hospital, please remember to take all of your medicines with you in a clearly marked bag
• Please also remember that your medicines are prescribed only for you; it is NOT safe to share them with anyone else

Remember that unused medicines cannot be recycled

• Even if you never open them, once the medicines have left the Pharmacy, they cannot be recycled or used by anyone else
• Please bring your unused medicines to the Pharmacy for safe disposal
• NEVER dispose of your unused or unwanted medicines down the toilet

Unused medicines are a safety risk

• Return out of date medicines to your pharmacy or dispensary for safe disposal
• If your medicines change - return your old medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal to avoid mixing them up with your new medicines
• Don't stockpile medication - it is a safety risk for children and others who might have them
• Store medicines in an appropriate place out of the reach of children

Self Care Medication

Self Care Medications are medications which can be bought over the counter from your pharmacy and other outlets such as supermarkets.

In the year prior to June 2017, the NHS spent approximately £569million on prescriptions for medicines which can be purchased over the counter from a pharmacy and supermarkets.

These prescriptions include items for a condition:

• That is considered to be self-limiting and so does not need treatment as it will heal of its own accord
• Which lends itself to self-care, i.e. that the person suffering does not normally need to seek medical care but may decide to seek help with symptom relief from a local pharmacy and use an over counter medicine.

Vitamins/minerals and probiotics have also been included in the consultation proposals as items of limited clinical effectiveness which are of a high cost to the NHS.

For more information please see the attached documents:

• Patient information leaflet - over the counter medication

• Prescribing over the counter medicine is changing leaflet

• Easy read patient information leaflet - Prescribing over the counter medication is changing