Patient Information – Prescriptions
A large volume of our phone calls each day relate to prescriptions which then impacts those patients trying to call with urgent medical needs. To try and improve this situation, here are a few FAQS to dispel some common prescriptions myths!
Prescriptions can be repeat (longer term medication that you need to take regularly for a condition such as high blood pressure or Asthma) or acute (a one off prescription such as an antibiotic or a new medication that you are trialling for the first time).
If you have an ongoing need for medication, a repeat prescription will be set up for you by the GP so that you can order this regularly without needing to speak to one of the team each time.
Almost 5000 of our patients (just under 50%) have a repeat prescription and we get about 200 prescription requests a day. The administrative work related to the reviewing and signing of prescriptions is completed in addition to the GP’s pre booked patient appointments.
Repeat prescriptions can be ordered in person at the front desk, online via the NHS app/webpage, individual pharmacy apps or patient access, via eConsult on our website, put in the practice letterbox or posted to us. We don’t take requests over the phone due to potential safety issues
You can have ‘proxy’ access for someone else (child, partner, parent etc) to enable you to order their medication electronically.
Your prescription request is signed by your registered GP (unless they are on holiday) who checks each time to make sure it is safe and correct.
Unless there is a problem/concern, we will always sign your prescription within 3 working days but often it’s done within 24 hours.
Once your GP has signed your prescription this goes electronically to your pharmacy. We have no control over how long it then takes for the chemist to prepare it for you, nor can we tell you where in the process it might be – you need to contact your pharmacist directly for these types of queries.
If you request your prescription electronically/via app it reaches us instantly and you can see in real time the progress of your prescription / know when it has been signed by the GP.
We are happy to supply 2 months of medication at a time, except for controlled drugs for which we can legally only give you 1 month at a time. Contraception and HRT can be given for longer periods as long as the right safety checks are up to date.
Some medications require regular monitoring and if this has not taken place it may not be safe for your medication to be issued. You will always be contacted if action is needed but it is your responsibility to ensure you are attending for any regular blood tests in a timely manner.
If you request medication over 2 weeks before it is due we may decline and ask you to request nearer the time. This is for safety reasons. If you have a reason (holiday or a problem etc) then always let us know and we will accommodate this.
If your chemist can’t get hold of your medication they should let you know what to do next – this may mean visiting an alternative local pharmacy or having an alternative version of the same medication which they do have in stock. Please ensure they let you know the name of the medication they can get hold of so we can amend your prescription accordingly if an alternative is needed.
If you have a prescription given to you by a hospital team/Consultant this can only be collected from the hospital pharmacy – your local chemist will not be able to use the prescription given to you.
Prescription exemption forms are available at the front desk for those eligible. See: Medical exemption certificates | NHSBSA
Prescription pre payment certificates can save you money if you are using more than one medication a month or taking HRT. Available online or from your pharmacy. See: NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) | NHSBSA
Once a year minimum your GP will review your prescription in depth, (called a medication review) looking to see if your treatment remains up to date with guidelines and that you have had all the necessary checks etc. This is usually done in your birth month and you will always be contacted if any action is needed or invited for a formal review with your GP/Practice Pharmacist if required.
Many thanks,
AMC