Where appropriate, patients on regular medication may have their prescriptions repeated without seeing their doctor. The advisability of a repeat prescription and the number of repeats to be authorised is decided by your doctor who will review your medication at appropriate intervals.
Prescriptions will only be processed up to 7 days before the prescription is due. If you require a prescription earlier than this, please attach a note to the repeat slip or add a comment to your online request.
Prescriptions for medication that you may have had before but are not on a repeat prescription cannot be issued routinely as above. You may request it by telephoning or in person but it must be authorised by your doctor.
Ordering repeat prescriptions
The easiest ways to order repeat prescriptions are:
- using your NHS account (through the NHS website or in the NHS App)
- using the GP online system: SystmOnline
These accounts show you all your repeat medicine and dosage and you can choose the ones you need.
You can also:
- bring (or post) the paper form to the surgery, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6pm
- If the surgery is closed, you can put it through the letterbox. If you don’t have your printed list, you can write what you need on a piece of paper.
- Enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you wish the prescription to be sent back to you.
We do not take repeat prescription requests over the phone or email.
Please do not order more medications than you need as we will be unable to provide double issues or medications that are not yet due.
Collecting your prescription
Please allow two full working days for prescriptions to be processed and remember to take weekends and bank holidays into account.
Patients using the postal service should allow longer; please note this doesn’t include the processing time for your nominated pharmacy.
You will be able to collect your prescription from the surgery or you can specify a pick up point at a local pharmacy.
Please note that if you want to collect your prescription from a local pharmacy, you must choose a pharmacy to collect your prescription from. We call this nominating a pharmacy.
You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time:
- on the app or website where you order repeat prescriptions
- at your GP practice
- at any pharmacy that accepts repeat prescriptions
If you have genuine physical difficulty in collecting your prescriptions, please speak to the dispenser who may be able to arrange delivery by a local pharmacist.
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.
If you would like to speak to someone at the GP surgery about your prescription:
- phone our pharmacist after 10am on 01603 457973
- fill in our medication query form
Medication reviews
The practice aims to review all patients on repeat medications at least once a year in the same month as their birthday. You may, of course, see a doctor or nurse at any other time if you need to, but we will always aim to coordinate your number of repeat prescriptions to run out in your birthday month to prompt 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.
Many pharmacies are open until late and at weekends. You do not need an appointment.
Most pharmacies have a private consultation room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard.
Hospital Discharge
If you have been discharged from hospital or have been seen in a clinic at the hospital and they are requiring a new medication/change of medication for you, we cannot process this until we have a clinic letter. If you bring in a letter with the medication details we can get the medication sorted.
It will take 2 working days to process like all other prescription orders.
Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)
The electronic prescription service (EPS) is an NHS service. It gives you the chance to change how your GP sends your prescription to the place you choose to get your medicines or appliances from.