Prescriptions & Medication

Repeat Medication

PLEASE NOTE ALL PRESCRIPTION REQUESTS TAKE 72 HOURS TO PROCESS.

If you need regular medication and your clinician does not need to see you every time, you will be issued with ‘repeat prescription’. When you collect a prescription you will see that it is perforated down the centre. The left-hand side is the actual prescription. The right-hand side (re-order slip) shows a list of medicines that you can request without booking an appointment to see a doctor. Please tear off this section (and keep it) before handing the prescription to the chemist for dispensing.

How to order your medication

The preferred route to order your repeat medication is electronically via the NHS app. We do not accept requests for repeat prescriptions by telephone. This prevents dangerous errors being made and leaves the telephone lines free for urgent matters.

You can order your repeat prescriptions online using the NHS App.

In response to coronavirus (COVID-19), GPs and pharmacies are moving suitable patients to electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD). You might be suitable for eRD if you get regular or repeat medicines that don’t change. eRD means your GP can send your regular or repeat prescriptions electronically to a pharmacy of your choice. You can then collect your medication from your pharmacy, or ask them to deliver it to your home.

Repeat Dispensing Service (eRD)

In response to coronavirus (COVID-19), GPs and pharmacies are moving suitable patients to electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD). You might be suitable for eRD if you get regular or repeat medicines that don’t change. eRD means your GP can send your regular or repeat prescriptions electronically to a pharmacy of your choice. You can then collect your medication from your pharmacy, or ask them to deliver it to your home. 

What eRD means for you

eRD allows your GP to send a series of repeat prescriptions to your pharmacy in one go, so there’s no need for you to order them each time. It’s reliable, secure and confidential. Your regular prescriptions are stored securely on the NHS database, so they’ll be ready at the pharmacy each time you need them.

How eRD can benefit you

If you get regular or repeat medicines, you might be suitable for eRD. Using eRD, you can: 

• save time by avoiding unnecessary trips or calls to your GP every time you need to order a repeat prescription
• order or cancel your repeat prescriptions online (if your GP practice offers this service)
• pick up your repeat prescriptions directly from your pharmacy without having to visit your GP
• spend less time waiting for your prescription in the pharmacy or GP practice, which means you can stay at home and avoid face-to-face contact when you need your repeat prescription during the coronavirus pandemic
• save paper – you won’t need a paper prescription to collect your medicine from the pharmacy

How do I sign up for eRD?

It’s really easy to sign up for eRD – just ask your GP or pharmacist to set it up for you.

Help with your prescription

Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)

Most prescriptions are now signed, sent and processed electronically. This means that you will no longer have to collect a paper repeat prescription from your GP practice. Instead, you can go straight to your nominated pharmacy or dispensing appliance contractor to pick up your medicines or medical appliances.

For more information on this service click here.

Please register with the NHS App

This will allow you not only to order your repeat medication online but also:

• Track when your prescription has been issued
• Change your nominated pharmacy for electronic prescriptions
• Book or cancel appointments online with a GP, nurse or other clinician
• View parts of your GP record, including information about medication, allergies, vaccinations, previous illnesses and test results
• View clinical correspondence such as hospital discharge summaries, outpatient appointment letters and referral letters

If you forget to request a repeat prescription

If you forget to obtain a prescription for repeat medication and thus run out of important medicines, you may be able to get help from your Pharmacy. Under the Urgent Provision of Repeat Medication Service, Pharmacists may be able to supply you with a further cycle of a previously repeated medicine, without having to get a prescription from your GP. 

If you have run out of important medication, telephone your usual Pharmacy to check that they offer this service; if they don’t, they may either direct you to another Pharmacy who does provide it, or ask you to phone 111 where you can request details of a local Pharmacy that provides the service.

You must then take with you to the relevant Pharmacy, proof of both your identification and of your medication (for example, your repeat prescription list or the empty box which should have your details printed on it). Please note that controlled drugs and antibiotics are not provided through this service, you will need to ring 111 for these.

If you receive stoma products from your Pharmacy or other supplier and/or receive items such as continence products, please ensure you have sufficient supplies as you may encounter difficulties in obtaining these over Bank Holidays, or when the Surgery is closed.

Further information about out-of-hours medicines

Help with NHS costs

It is sometimes worthwhile to buy a season ticket for pre-payment of prescription charges. NHS leaflet FP95 gives full details and an application form, or ring 0845 850 0030 for further information.

If you need help with NHS costs or need to find out if you can get free prescriptions please click the button below for further information.

Help with NHS costs