Order your repeat prescription.

If you are a new patient, the doctor will need to see you before medication can be issued; alternatively you may receive just a small supply of medication to allow time to make an appointment.

Once the doctor has approved your repeat prescription, simply indicate the items you require on the tear-off slip of your computerised prescription in order to request a repeat. This may be faxed to us, left at our dispensary or posted with a stamp-addressed envelope for us to return (if required).

For your safety, we do not take requests for prescriptions over the telephone as this can be dangerous. Many drugs not only sound the same but have a very similar spelling. If the tear-off slip does not contain all of your usual drugs, please let us know and we will arrange for it to be altered for the next time.

Please note: We require 2 clear working* days’ notice to issue repeat prescriptions in order to process these safely by reviewing your medical records, i.e. requests handed in on Friday will be processed by Tuesday afternoon. If you are collecting your medication from a retail pharmacy, please be aware that some branches may need an additional 1-2 days to process things at their end. (This does not apply to medications being collected from our dispensary.)

*Bank Holidays, Saturdays and Sundays do not count as working days.

Prescription Charges

Some people are entitled to free prescriptions. Examples include:

• aged under 16 or 60 or over;
• if you are pregnant;
• medical exemption.

For more information please visit the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Prescriptioncosts.aspx

If you have to pay for prescriptions and need more than 5 items in 4 months or 14 in 12 months you could save money by buying a Pre-payment Certificate to buy a PPC please visit www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/prescription-prepayment-certificates

Medication Reviews

Doctors need to see patients at regular intervals to review their medication and the dispensary staff will indicate when you need to book an appointment. In the interests of safe prescribing and proper control of medication, you will be issued with 28 days’ of medication at a time unless there are any medical indications why a prescription with fewer days of medication would be in your best interest.

Dispensing

We are able to dispense for some of our patients from our dispensary. This is regulated by the NHS and is not under our control, but falls largely into one of the following 2 categories:

• Patients who live in the villages, a mile or more away from a chemist;
• Patients who would experience particular difficulty in reaching a chemist*.

*If you feel you fall into the latter category, please speak to our dispensary staff to see if you are eligible for this service.