Prescriptions

Ordering repeat prescriptions

The easiest ways to order repeat prescriptions are:

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

You can also:

  • bring your paper slip to the surgery with the required items clearly marked
  • give the tear-off part of your repeat slip to your local Pharmacy and ask them to order your prescription for you when it is due
  • post your completed prescription slip with a stamped addressed envelope to the surgery

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

Collecting your prescription

The majority of our prescriptions are sent to your nominated pharmacy via The Electronic prescription service (EPS).

Information:

You can usually collect your prescription 3 working days after you have ordered it.

You can change or  choose a pharmacy to collect your prescription from at any time:

If a patient is not set up for EPS, then the prescription will be available to collect from the practice.

Batch prescriptions

The Practice will where possible issue repeat medications in batches to your nominated Pharmacy.

Batch prescribing is an alternative way to receive your medications, based on an agreement between you, your GP and your nominated pharmacy. A number of prescriptions are issued by your doctor at the same time, to cover an agreed period of up to one year, and are sent electronically to your nominated pharmacy, meaning you will not need to request every month.

We  issues a batch of prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy, which then dispenses your medication in the usual way. When you are due your next supply of medicines, the pharmacy already has the prescription and can dispense each batch to you without the need to contact the surgery. This means that for the agreed period, you simply have to go to the pharmacy to collect your medication. Some pharmacies ask for you to simply call before you wish to collect your prescription. This allows them to ensure it is ready and waiting for you to collect. You can watch this three minute video for more information about the benefits of batch prescribing and how it works

Questions about your prescription

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 would like to speak to someone at the GP surgery about your prescription:

Medication reviews

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. Failure to attend your reviews when invited may affect the supply of your medication.

Prescription charges

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

What to do with old medicines

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.

About pharmacists

As qualified healthcare professionals, pharmacists can offer advice on minor illnesses such as:

  • coughs
  • colds
  • sore throats
  • tummy trouble
  • aches and pains

They can also advise on medicine that you can buy without a prescription.

Find a pharmacy (nhs.uk)

Many pharmacies are open until late and at weekends. You do not need an appointment.

Most pharmacies have a private room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff.

Pharmacy First service

Many pharmacies also offer the Pharmacy First service to help with many conditions that can be self-managed with over-the-counter medications.

  Our patient care service team by refer you to a local pharmacy to assist with management of many Minor ailments, such as

  • Acne, Spots and Pimples
  • Allergic Reaction
  • Ankle or Foot Pain or Swelling
  • Athlete’s Foot
  • Bites or Stings, Insect or Spider
  • Blisters
  • Cold and flu
  • Constipation
  • Cough
  • Cystitis
  • Diarrhoea
  • Ear Wax
  • Eye, Red or Irritable
  • Eye, Sticky or Watery
  • Eyelid Problems
  • Hair loss
  • Headache
  • Hearing Problems or Blocked Ear
  • Hip, Thigh or Buttock Pain or Swelling Itch
  • Knee or Lower Leg Pain
  • Lower Back Pain
  • Lower Limb Pain or Swelling
  • Mouth Ulcers
  • Nasal Congestion
  • Rectal Pain
  • Scabies
  • Shoulder Pain
  • Skin, Rash
  • Sleep Difficulties
  • Sore Throat
  • Tiredness
  • Toe Pain or Swelling
  • Vaginal Discharge
  • Vaginal Itch or Soreness
  • Vomiting
  • Wound Problems – management of dressings
  • Wrist, Hand or Finger Pain or Swelling

If the pharmacist recommends after the consultation that your treatment requires an antibiotic, they may be able to prescribe or the pharmacist will contact the GP surgery to arrange the prescription on their behalf. You will then be contacted when the prescription has been issued to the pharmacy so you can make your way to collect the antibiotics.

If the pharmacist is unable to deal with your minor ailment, the pharmacist will contact the GP surgery to let us know you require a GP appointment. In this instance the GP surgery will contact you to give you an appointment for the following day. You will not have to call the surgery again to make another appointment with the GP.

If you have one of the minor ailments listed above, it is not necessary to call or come to the GP surgery at 8:00am when the phone lines are extremely busy. The Pharmacy First Service is available throughout the day.  It would be best to call after 10am when our phone lines have quietened down.

If you phone and tell us you have already tried over the counter medication for your minor ailment the receptionist may still refer you to the Pharmacy First Service first. They may not offer you an appointment with the GP.  You may need to be reviewed by the pharmacy first.

it is very important as a patient to use the Pharmacy First Service for minor ailments.  This will free up GP appointments for patients with more complex cases who actually need to be treated by a GP for their health condition.

We all need to do our part for the smooth running of the GP surgery and create a more user friendly service for patients.

Over the counter medication prescribing

Ceasing of prescribing of over the counter medicines for acute conditions

As a Practice within Herts and West Essex ICB (HWEICB)we have been instructed to follow the policy below. HWEICB policy is aligned to NHS England (NHSE policy).

HWEICB and NHS England do not routinely support the prescribing of medicines that are available to buy from pharmacies and other outlets. All individuals will be expected to pay for over-the-counter medicines for conditions that can be managed through self-care, Including groups that currently receive free prescriptions.

Patient queries can be directed to:

Prescription prepayment Certificates (PPC)

If you pay for a lot of NHS prescriptions, it may be cheaper to buy a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). A PPC covers all your NHS prescriptions, including NHS dental prescriptions, no matter how many items you need.

There are 3 PPC options:

  • – 3-month PPC costs £31.25 and will save you money if you need more than 3 prescribed items in 3 months.
  • – 12-month PPC costs £111.60 and will save you money if you need more than 11 prescribed items in a year.
  • – Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) PPC costs £19.30 and will save you money if you need more than 2 prescribed qualifying HRT items in a year.

Find out how to apply by visiting:

https://www.nhs.uk/…/save-money-with-a-prescription…/

You can also check if you are eligible for free prescriptions by following: https://www.nhs.uk/…/check-if-you-can-get-free…/

Related information

Pharmacy First consultation service

Travelling abroad for extended periods