Repeat Prescriptions
Prescribing of Over the Counter Medicines is Changing
Please be aware the GP or Practice Nurse will not generally give you a prescription for over the counter medicines for a range of minor health concerns. Instead, over the counter medicines are available to buy in a pharmacy or a supermarket in your local community.
For more details please see the posters in the surgery or ask your GP, Nurse or reception staff for a leaflet. You can also use the link below:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1a-over-the-counter-leaflet-print-ready.pdf
REQUESTING REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
Repeat prescription forms are issued for prescribed drugs which you require on a regular basis. Please read the right hand side of the prescription for details of when reviews are due.
Please note:
1. Repeat prescriptions can only be ready for collection in three working days if you hand in the right/white side of your most current prescription with no extras. IF YOU HAND IT IN AFTER 11.00AM, THEY WILL BE PROCESSED THE NEXT WORKING DAY. You can also use our Repeat Prescription Form
2. Prescription requests must be in writing and delivered to the surgery either by hand,post, or online. If you require the prescription to be posted back to you please supply the stamped addressed envelope.
3. On the RARE occasions where you have forgotten to renew a repeat prescription and need it urgently we will try to arrange for the prescription to be available later the same day. A pharmacist who knows your case will often be willing to "loan" you an essential tablet to tide you over. This is not available with the pharmacy on this site.
4. Please do not book an appointment for the sole purpose of requesting your repeat prescription unless we have asked you to come for a medication review.
5. Telephone calls regarding queries on prescriptions can only be put through to the Repeat Prescription Desk after 11.00am.
6. THERE IS A 7 DAY PROCESSING TIME FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: -
- Handing in anything else apart from your printed list
- If you want something different to your usual medications
- If you want us to consider giving you a new medication from an NHS Hospital.
- Your request will take 7 full working days to process.
- We will not prescribe medications that:
a. Are unlicensed under NHS guidelines
b. Require a ‘Shared-Care Protocol' if it is not in place e.g. Methotrexate
c. Require the first prescription to come from Secondary Care (i.e. the medication is first prescribed and issued by the local hospital and consultant and then prescribing is taken over by the local General Practitioner). - We will not prescribe Warfarin unless your consultant has referred you to AND you are already under the care of an NHS anticoagulation ("Warfarin") clinic with ongoing monitoring of your blood tests.
- The doctors at The Speedwell Practice retain the right to convert your prescription to an alternative generic preparation.
- For any other queries please arrange a telephone consultation with a GP.
8. Hospital prescriptions:
Please note that it will take 7 working days for a response to a request for the re-issue of a Hospital prescription as an NHS prescription. You may be asked to make an appointment to discuss the prescription request.
A different medicine may be substituted or refusal to issue the prescription may occur.
If you require a response in less than 7 working days please call and arrange a telephone consultation with a doctor.
Please note that the first issue of a new medication should come from the hospital pharmacy, however we are aware that they may be extenuating circumstances where this can not be fulfilled in which case you may need to make an appointment with a doctor
9. For safety you are advised to have regular checks if you are taking long term medication. The doctor or nurse will discuss this with you and agree a monitoring plan. This may require you to have blood and urine tests. For some medications the doctor or nurse will only need to talk to you or check other systems such as blood pressure or breathing periodically and make sure all is well. For more information, click here