If you are on regular treatment, your doctor may agree to you having repeat medication for a time without making an appointment.
In the interests of safety, the Health Centre does not accept requests for Repeat Prescriptions over the telephone. Requests for such medication should be in writing, preferably on the computer printed form which is attached to your regular prescription.
You can also post your request to the surgery. If you wish your prescription to be posted back to you, please send a stamped addressed envelope.
The local Pharmacists also operate a Repeat Prescription service whereby they will order your medication for you and save you the bother of dropping the form into the Health Centre. Please discuss this with the Pharmacist.
Please allow 3 working days for routine prescriptions. They are often done sooner but this cannot be guaranteed.
Below you may find some likely questions answered ...
What is a Repeat Prescription? Sometimes your doctor knows that you will need another Prescription for your medicine, and this is a way of you getting more medicine without having to make another appointment to see your doctor.
What do I have to do to get a Repeat Prescription? The Prescription Form is in two halves – one to collect medicine now, and the other for ordering the Repeat Prescription ... this is the half you should tear off and keep. You can request more medicine by ticking the box next to the drug you need, and tick the name of the doctor you usually see. There will, however, be instances when the GP will need to see you - for example if your medications have not been reviewed for a while, or you are on a new medication.
You can request your Repeat Prescription by post You could also post your Repeat Prescription request to the surgery. If you wish your prescription to be posted back to you, please send a stamped addressed envelope.
You can book your Repeat Prescription via your Local Pharmacist Your local Pharmacists also operate a Repeat Prescription Service whereby they will order your medication for you and save you the bother of dropping the form into the Health Centre. Please discuss this with the Pharmacist.
How can I get the medicines? You can choose whatever is easiest for you:
Collect the form from the Health Centre and take it to a Pharmacy of your choice.
Tick the box giving permission for a friend or relative to collect the form for you.
Mark "BOOTS", "TESCO", or "LLOYDS PHARMACY" if you want to collect your medicines from one of these pharmacies.
Write "BOOTS DELIVER" or "LLOYDS DELIVER" to have the medicines delivered to your home. Please check with the Receptionist first if you do not know which Pharmacy delivers in your area. You will also need to check with the Pharmacy that they deliver to your area.
How long does it take to get a repeat prescription? Allow 3 working days for your Repeat Prescription to be prepared, but may take longer if a doctor needs to check something directly with the patient, another clinician or with the Pharmacy.
What if I need more than one type of medication? You can get all your medicines at the same time rather than different drugs at different intervals. Just let the Health Centre know how many pills you have left of each type of medicine. You will be given a Balancing Prescription, so that next time they will all fall due on the same date.
A word about safety Before your doctor can sign the Prescription, they must be sure that this is still the best treatment for you. Various things may have changed:
Your condition may have changed for the better or worse.
You may have discovered side effects or interactions with other drugs.
New treatments are being developed all the time which may have better results or fewer side effects.
If any of these apply, your doctor may want to check the Prescription first.
The Health Centre will always check to make sure the Prescription is signed. If one is accidentally given out unsigned, the Pharmacist is asked to return the Prescription to the Practice for signing. You can help by also checking that the Prescription is signed.
Please let the Health Centre know if you are taking any other medication which it has not prescribed, for example medicines bought from your chemist, or prescribed by someone else.
How much medication will I be given? Normally your doctor will write a Repeat Prescription for medication to last 8 - 12 weeks. However, in some cases your doctor will write a Prescription for a longer or shorter periods, depending on circumstances.
How can I get the form to the surgery? There are four ways:
Visit the surgery and drop it into the black box in the reception lobby
Fax the form to the surgery – the number is on the Form
Post it to the surgery
Use the Online Services process
Via a Pharmacy
The Practice does not provide this service by telephone because mistakes are more likely to be made when giving information over the phone.
What if I lose the form? There are special repeat forms at the reception desk which you can fill out. If you cannot remember the exact name of the medication you need please bring in the packaging. If you lose the prescription or your medication please complete a Repeat Form in the same way.
Prescriptions for Controlled Drugs
If you are taking a prescribed Controlled Drug marked CD on your Prescription, please note that from 01 January 2013, the Practice will be asking for photo ID and your date of birth, if the person collecting the prescription from the reception is not from Boots, Tesco, or The Lloyds Pharmacy in The Avenue.
Please ensure that your nominated non-Pharmacy collector knows your date of birth and is able to show our Receptionist his/her photoID, otherwise the Practice will not be able to hand out the Prescription.