Information about repeat prescriptions

What is a repeat prescription?

Some medicines may be required to be taken on an ongoing basis to help manage your long-term condition.

Usually, one,  two or three-months’ supply can be issued on a prescription and be repeated over a timeframe agreed with you before you may need another appointment or medication review.

Some medicines require closer monitoring or blood tests between appointments to make sure the medicine or the dose is still safe for you.

Please find our from the prescriber when your next review date is due so you can plan for this.

Some types of medicines may not be issued on repeat, as they require more regular reviews. Examples include strong pain killers or sleeping tablets. The prescribing healthcare professional will discuss this with you on an individual basis.

How do I request a repeat prescription?

Ways to request your repeat medicines(s) include:

1. Via the NHS app or NHS website – this is the fastest route as it goes straight to the practice inbox and it is our preferred method
2. Online via the practice website (click on ‘request medication’ on the home screen
3. In person – by ticking the box next to the medication needed on the paper slip you receive from the pharmacist when you medication is dispensed.

We ask you to nominate a preferred pharmacy for your prescription to be sent to electronically.

 How long will it take for my prescription request to be processed?

Processing your prescription involves both the practice and your pharmacy. Together we aim to process your prescription request within 5 working days, though it is often quicker than this. Please be aware of particularly busy times of year, for example, around bank holidays.

There’s now the option to track your prescription request online via the NHS app.

There may be delays from time to time, but we do our best to ensure you receive your medicines safely and on time.

Urgent requests

Please try not to run out of your medicines. When you are running low, e.g., have one weeks’ supply remaining, please request the next prescription.

If you accidentally run low or run out, we will try to process your request as quickly as possible, but please remember that the request process must be carried out safely and that GP practice teams are extremely busy.

What is a medication review?

This is usually performed once a year, but can be more often depending on the medication or condition being treated. Usually you medication review is built in to a review of the condition your are taking the medication for, for example your blood pressure review or Birthday MoT.

Medication reviews are important, so please don’t ingnore our invitations to book a review. The invitations are usualy sent by text message, though if you do not have a mobile phone, they may appear as notes on your prescription. You may need to ask the pharmacist to check for messages. If you ignore these invitations it generates extra work for the practice and delays in processing your prescription requests.

Some medicines require tests to be carried out BEFORE your medicines can be safely re-authorised to you. For example, blood tests or blood pressure checks. If you have been asked to have any regular tests or monitoring, please book in for this BEFORE you run out of your current prescription.

Depending on the medication we may just send you a text to check you are still happy with the treatment and invite you to book an appointment with our pharmacist if you feel you need to.

Medicines waste

Please do not over-order your medication. Once issued by your pharmacy, medication cannot be re-used and will be destroyed when returned to the pharmacy. Please return used inhalers to the pharmacy for safe disposal to avoid release of greennhouse gases into the environment.

If we notice you are ordering medicines too frequently, we may advise a that you receive a medication review and decline further prescriptions until we have spoken to you.

IMPORTANT

All prescription-only medicines have been carefully assessed for their safety. Your prescriber and your pharmacy will check if the medicines prescribed is safe for YOU. It is NOT safe to share prescription-only medicines with friends, family members or colleagues.

DO NOT SHARE your prescription medicine(s). It is ILLEGAL and DANGEROUS. According to the MHRA, anyone who shares their prescription medicines, even with a family member, is breaking the law.