Prescriptions

The easiest ways to order repeat prescriptions are:

• using your NHS account (through the NHS website or in the NHS App)
• using the GP online system: Patient Access

These accounts show you all your repeat medicine and dosage and you can choose the ones you need.

You can also:

• fill out a repeat prescriptions request form
• bring the paper form to the surgery, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6:30pm

We do not take repeat prescription requests over the phone or email.

Patients on the Pharmacy Managed Repeat Prescriptions scheme, please call your pharmacy for requesting repeat medication.

You can usually collect your prescription from the pharmacy 3 to 5 working days after you have ordered it.

You will need to choose a pharmacy to collect your prescription from. We call this nominating a pharmacy.

You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time:

• on the app or website where you order repeat prescriptions
• at your GP practice
• at any pharmacy that accepts repeat prescriptions

If you have questions about your medicine, your local pharmacists can answer these. They can also answer questions on medicines you can buy without a prescription.

The NHS website has information on how your medicine works, how and when to take it, possible side effects and answers to your common questions.

• Go to Medicines A to Z (nhs.uk)

If you have a repeat prescription, we may ask you to come in for a regular review. We will be in touch when you need to come in for a review.

Find out more about prescription charges (nhs.uk).

Take it to the pharmacy you got it from or bring it in to the surgery. Do not put it in your household bin or flush it down the toilet.

Patients occasionally attend the surgery having run out of their regular NHS medication, often because a repeat request has been left late. As repeat prescriptions usually take 3–5 working days to be processed, there is now a national NHS pathway in place to support patients safely in this situation.

When NHS 111 is Appropriate

If a patient:

• Has run out of their regular NHS medication, and
• Does not yet have a prescription issued, and
• There isn’t enough time for the surgery to issue one safely

They can be advised to use NHS 111, ideally via the online service.

How NHS 111 works

When NHS 111 is used:

• The patient is assessed through the NHS 111 service (Automated)
• A referral is sent directly to a community pharmacy
• The pharmacist carries out a clinical assessment
• If appropriate, the pharmacist will supply the medication, and
• The supply and consultation are fully recorded on the NHS system

The online route is usually the fastest and easiest option, with referrals often coming through to pharmacies almost instantly.

Useful Links:

 Emergency prescriptions via NHS 111:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions/emergency-prescriptions/

• NHS 111 online:

https://111.nhs.uk

If a patient has difficulty accessing NHS 111 themselves, the pharmacy team may be able to support them with the request, although most patients find the online service straightforward.

Important Limitations

• There are some exclusions, including controlled drugs, which cannot be supplied via this route.
• Pharmacies are not permitted to provide a supply and then deduct it from a future NHS prescription.
• It is up to the pharmacist's discretion on how much supply is made. 

Private Emergency Supplies

While pharmacies can sometimes make a private emergency supply, this is not an NHS prescription. Patients would need to pay:

• The full cost of the medicine, plus
• A service fee. This is often significantly more than an NHS prescription charge, and many patients are normally exempt from NHS charges and don’t expect this cost.

Routine Repeat Prescriptions

For routine repeat medication, patients should continue to order their prescriptions at least 3–5 working days in advance via the surgery as normal.