We experience a large volume of requests for prescriptions every day. In order to safely and efficiently carry this out we have a policy for issuing acute prescriptions. The full policy is detailed below the list of medication.
Medications other than the ones in this list will not be routinely issued on an urgent basis. Requests for routine prescription renewal require two full working days for the script to be processed for collection. If you request prescriptions through a pharmacy or other 3rd party this may take longer as the service level agreement commences when the practice receives the prescription NOT when you make the request via a 3rd party.
PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE REQUESTING A MEDICATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN PRESCRIBED IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS YOU WILL NOT BE PROVIDED WITH AN URGENT PRESCRIPTION AND WILL BE ASKED TO MAKE A GP APPOINTMENT.
URGENT PRESCRIPTIONS REQUEST POLICY
Purpose
We receive a large volume of requests for prescriptions every day. In order to safely and efficiently undertake this function we have made a standard policy framework outlining the process and what drugs constitute and acute and urgent prescriptions. The management of urgent prescriptions support patients safely through less surgery interruptions and enabling the GPs to work uninterrupted.
Protocol
- When urgent medication is requested practices must establish whether it is the fault of the practice and the script was not produced as requested or the patient has left the request too late.
- If the practice establishes that this is not an error on the practices part, check against the provided list of medications classed by the Practice as urgent.
- If the prescription is deemed to be urgent, we will endeavour for it to be ready by 6pm that day, if the request is deemed not to be urgent then it will be ready within 2 full working days and that this will have no detriment to your health.
- There may be occasions where you will be asked to obtain an emergency supply from your preferred pharmacy who know you and will be able to accommodate the request in line with NICE Guidance
- Patients who repeatedly request their prescriptions on an urgent basis will receive a letter warning them that they must comply with the Practice’s policy or potentially face removal from the Practice.
- Patients should be mindful that requests for routine prescriptions should be made well in advance to avoid medical lapses.
In line with our standard prescription request policy no more than 2 month’s worth of medication will be provided unless it is under repeat dispensing or a contraceptive pill. This also aligns to and NHSE recommendations to reduce medication wastage and ensure patient safety.
Patients who do not comply with the policy will, on the first occasion receive a confirmation via text or letter reminding them of the process and on any subsequent occasion will receive a letter from the practice clearly stating the process and consequences of ignoring the policy.
- Requests for prescriptions outside the normal prescription protocol impacts significantly on both doctors, and administration staff time as well as increasing the risk of a medication prescribing error.
- Unless a medication is clinically urgent as per the medication list on this page, requests will be processed routinely over 2 working days.
- As a surgery, we require a minimum of 2 full working days to process a patients request for medication routinely.
Any urgent prescription requests should be requested by calling the main practice number: 01253 204 333 by 2pm.
Please respect our staff
Our reception and administrative staff are to always follow this policy and they are not authorised to make any exceptions.
This policy is put in place to protect our patients and our staff, and we will not tolerate any abuse to or of our staff as they are following policy
If you forget to obtain a prescription for repeat medication and run out of important medicines, you may be able to get help from your Pharmacy.
- Under the Urgent Provision of Repeat Medication Service, Pharmacists may be able to supply you with a further cycle of a previously repeated medicine, without having to get a prescription from your GP.
- If you have run out of important medication, telephone your usual Pharmacy to check that they offer this service; if they don’t, they may either direct you to another Pharmacy who does provide it, or ask you to phone 111 where you can request details of a local Pharmacy that provides the service.
You must then take with you to the relevant Pharmacy, proof of both your identification and of your medication (for example, your repeat prescription list or the empty box which should have your details printed on it). Controlled drugs and antibiotics are not provided through this service, you will need to ring 111 for these.
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT OUT OF HOURS MEDICINES
Hospital Prescriptions
- When you are seen at the hospital and are given a hospital prescription, you should not leave the hospital without attending the hospital pharmacy to collect the medication.
- A hospital prescription is not valid in community pharmacies.
- Should you wish to have the prescription fulfilled by us instead, this will be processed routinely over 2 working days. Urgently needed medication will be provided by the treating hospital.
- Some hospital medications are not licensed to be prescribed in general practice.
Holiday Medication
- When preparing for your holiday, please remember to process a request for your routine medication allowing the normal 2 working days for processing.
- We can only provide a maximum of 3 months medication, and we may request a patient to provide documents to support this request.
- We are unable to provide emergency prescriptions for holiday medication.
Repeat Medication
Information on how to order repeat medication can be found by clicking here
Our preferred method of ordering is using the NHS App.
Please Note: Patients can also now request an emergency prescription via 111
The following medication may be issued on an urgent same-day basis
- You could endure harm within 2 working days by missing doses of these medications.
- These medications should be requested urgently if you have run out:
Clinically Urgent
| Group | Product |
|---|---|
| Reliever inhalers and Nebuliser solutions | Ipratropium Salbutamol Terbutaline |
| All anticoagulants | Apixaban Edoxaban Dabigatrin Rivaroxaban Warfarin |
| Anti-epileptic medications (for epilepsy management only) | Carbamazepine Gabapentin Lamotrigine Levetiracetam Pheobarbtone Phenytoin Topiramate Valproate |
| Anti-psychotic medications | Aripiprazole Haloperidol |
| Medications for Schizophrenia/Bipolar/Psychosis | Lithium Olanzapine Quetiapine Risperidone |
| Parkinson’s medications | Co-beneldopa Co-careldopa Levodopa |
| Long term steroids (For patients who take steroids every day) | Dexamethasone Fludrocortisone Prednisolone |
| Nitrates and ant-angina medications | Glyceryl trinitrate spray Isosorbide mononitrate Isosorbide dinitrate Ivabradine Nicorandil Verapamil Ranolazine |
| Anti-arthymythic drugs (For cardiac arrhythmias only – not for treatment of high blood pressure) | Amiodarone Atenolol Digoxin Diltiazem Flecanide Propranolol (not for anxiety) Sotolol Verapamil |
| Palliative care medications (end of life) | Anticipatory drugs Cyclizine Diamorphine Glycopyronium Levomepromazine Midazolam Water for injection |
| Heart failure medications | Bisoprolol Furosemide Bumetadine |
| Diabetic medications (for type 1 diabetics only) | All insulin Metformin Needles Test strips Sharps bins |
| Anaphylaxis injections | Epi pens |
| Specialised baby milks | |
| Sudden withdrawal drugs | Amitriptyline Gabapentin Pregabalin |