How to order repeat medication and timescales for requests
Timescales for Routine Requests
• Your prescription will be ready 3 working days (72 hours) after we receive your request.
• It will either be:
o Sent to your chosen local pharmacy, or
o ready to collect from the practice.
• Your pharmacy will need extra time to prepare your medication. This is out-with the control of the practice. Any queries regarding the whereabouts of medication ordered over 3 working days ago should be directed to your pharmacy in the first instance.
Why does it take time?
• We receive a huge number of prescription requests each day
• Our prescription team checks every request to make sure:
o It’s safe and appropriate.
o Any required blood tests or reviews are up to date.
Timescales for Urgent Requests
• Only certain medicines are classed as urgent and will be processed the same day.
• These will be ready to collect from the surgery after 4:30 pm.
• All other medicines will follow the usual 3-day turnaround.
Urgent medicines include:
• Reliever inhalers and nebulisers
• Anticoagulants (blood thinners)
• Anti-epileptic medication
• Anti-psychotic medication
• Parkinson’s medication
• Long-term daily steroids
• Nitrate and betablocker medication for angina
• Anti-arrhythmic drugs
• Palliative care medication
• Type 1 diabetes medication (insulin and needles)
• Anaphylaxis treatments
• Water tablets for heart failure
• Specialised baby milks
• Certain pain medications
If your urgent request is not on this list, it will be processed in the usual 72-hour timeframe.
Tip: Some pharmacies can supply a short course of your usual medication, if the pharmacist thinks it is necessary, without a GP prescription (except controlled drugs). Ask your pharmacy if they offer this service.
How to Order Medication
You are now able to order your repeat prescription using www.patient-services.co.uk. This system is much safer as it links directly to your clinical record at the practice. You can select the medication you require from an up to date list of medication authorised for you. To register to use this service please see the receptionist at The Blue Practice for a Registration Form or download the form (PDF, 368KB).
You are also able to request repeat prescriptions using the re-order page on your prescription or by phoning our 24 hour answering service on 01764 655510. The right hand re-order page of the prescription can be handed in or posted to the practice at any time or handed into your local pharmacy.
Hospital and Clinic Requests
When you are discharged from hospital you should normally receive five days supply of medication from the clinic, out-patient department or hospital.
On receipt of your medication requirements, which will be issued to you by the hospital and of which we are notified electronically, will be reviewed and issued by us within 5 working days.
Early Prescription Requests
• If you need your prescription earlier than usual, tell us why when you make the request.
• If no reason is given, the request may be refused. This is to keep you safe and reduce medicine waste.
Travelling Abroad
• NHS Scotland can provide up to 3 months of medication for stable, ongoing conditions if you are going abroad temporarily.
• Your GP will consider:
o The medicine type
o Your condition
o How often your treatment needs monitoring
• For high-risk medicines, you may get less than 3 months’ supply for safety reasons.
• If you are away for more than 3 months, you must register with a local doctor for ongoing care and prescriptions.
• The GP practice will only supply enough medicine (up to 3 months) to allow you time to register abroad.
For more details, see the Patients and Prescribing Rights and Responsibilities FAQ on the British Medical Association website.