Prescriptions

Ordering repeat prescriptions

The easiest ways to order repeat prescriptions are:

These accounts show you all your repeat medicine and dosage and you can choose the ones you need.

You can also:

We do not take repeat prescription requests over the phone.

Collecting your prescription

Information:

You can usually collect your prescription 2 working days after you have ordered it. Please check with your nominated pharmacy before contacting the practice to check on the status of your prescription. You will only here from us following your request if there is a problem with your request.

Prescription requests are collected by the prescription clerk at 10:30am each morning. Any requests submitted after this time, will not be processed until 10:30am the next day.

You will need to choose a pharmacy to collect your prescription from. We call this nominating a pharmacy.

You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time:

Consultant prescriptions

These should normally be obtained from the hospital pharmacy.

We may provide a substitute prescription but this will be for the drugs recommended by local guidelines and best practice, and will be equivalent in all ways. This applies to prescriptions from Consultants though the NHS or privately.

Questions about your prescription

If you have questions about your medicine, your local pharmacists can answer these. They can also answer questions on medicines you can buy without a prescription.

The NHS website has information on how your medicine works, how and when to take it, possible side effects and answers to your common questions.

Go to Medicines A to Z (nhs.uk)

If you would like to speak to someone at the GP surgery about your prescription:

The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)

The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is a NHS service that allows us to send your prescription(s) directly to your chosen pharmacy. This paper-free prescription service means that you do not have to come into the surgery to collect your prescription.

  • We encourage all patients to register for this free service.

Because your pharmacist has already received your electronic prescription, they may be able to prepare your items in advance, so you just have to pick it up with no extra wait. However, this depends on the capacity of pharmacists on the day, and may not be possible all the time.

Important information regarding electronic prescribing

  • Nomination is not mandatory.
  • Once your nomination has been set your prescriptions will be sent electronically to the nominated pharmacy unless you inform us otherwise.
  • There is no need to collect your paper prescription from us as it will be sent electronically to your nominated pharmacy.
  • You can choose which pharmacy you wish to nominate, your nominated pharmacy can be located wherever you find most convenient i.e near to work/home/relatives etc.
  • You can ask to set, change or remove your nomination at any time.
  • You do not need computer access to have a nomination or use EPS.

Prescribing policy

As a practice, we strive to ensure we prescribe in a safe, evidence based and cost effective manner in the interest of our patients. We will only prescribe medications that form part of our practice formulary. As per a South West London policy, specialist or hospital only medicines can only be prescribed in secondary/tertiary care by or under the supervision of a specialist and will need to be prescribed on an on-going basis by the initiating provider.

We ask that GPs are not to be asked to prescribe these medicines as they require specialist knowledge, monitoring or dose adjustments and may be used for conditions which GPs rarely encounter and is hence not in the interest of our patients.

Medication reviews

If you have a repeat prescription, we may ask you to come in for a regular review. We will be in touch when you need to come in for a review.

Prescription charges

Find out more about prescription charges (nhs.uk).

What to do with old medicines

Take it to the pharmacy you got it from or bring it in to the surgery. Do not put it in your household bin or flush it down the toilet.

About pharmacists

As qualified healthcare professionals, pharmacists can offer advice on minor illnesses such as:

  • coughs
  • colds
  • sore throats
  • tummy trouble
  • aches and pains

They can also advise on medicine that you can buy without a prescription.

Find a pharmacy (nhs.uk)

Many pharmacies are open until late and at weekends. You do not need an appointment.

Most pharmacies have a private room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff.