Ordering repeat prescriptions
There are many ways to order your repeat medications, though please note that we do not take any prescription requests over the phone.
- The easiest way to order repeat prescriptions is through Patient Access or the NHS App, where you will able to view all of your current medications.
- Repeat prescriptions can also be requested via your nominated pharmacy – you can contact the pharmacy to send us a request, which will be passed onto the GP to issue.
Please note that all prescription requests take 48 hours to process – please ensure that you request your medications at least 5 days before you are due to run out and not after having run out of your medications.
You can usually collect your prescription from your nominated pharmacy after 48 hours, provided you have had the necessary medication reviews prior to your request. You can change your nominated (chosen) pharmacy at any time on the app/ website where you order repeat prescriptions, or by calling the practice.
Acute medications
Non-repeat prescriptions, known as ‘acute’ prescriptions are medicines that have been issued by the Doctor but not added to your repeat medication list. These are usually “one-off” prescriptions for short-term/ temporary conditions, such as antibiotics to treat infections.
Acute medications are not added to your repeat list for a number of reasons:
- It is a short-term medication that should not be needed regularly;
- It is a new medication that the GP needs to monitor for a period of time to ensure that it is appropriate before adding to repeat or,
- It is a high-risk medication that the GP wants to monitor more closely, thus is not appropriate for repeat prescribing. This may include ‘controlled drugs’ such as antidepressants, drugs of potential abuse, or where the prescribing is subject to legal or clinical restrictions or special criteria.
Please note that acute medications cannot be requested by your nominated pharmacy; patients must request these themselves:
- via email to: nelondonicb.cranbrooksurgery@nhs.net
- or by dropping off your written medication request to the surgery, Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6pm.
Please include your full name and date of birth when requesting medications.
Please note that if any medications you have requested were previously issued over 6 months ago, you may need to book an appointment to review your request with the GP. All medication requests are at the discretion of the GP.
Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)
The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is an NHS service, replacing the need for most paper prescriptions. This service allows prescriptions to be sent electronically from the surgery to your chosen pharmacy. This means that, once issued by the doctor, you can collect your medications directly from the pharmacy, rather than visiting the surgery to collect a paper prescription. See below for further information.
Medication prescribed by consultants
Some patients are prescribed certain medications by consultants they are seeing. Please note that if consultants advise to continue these medications by requesting them from the GP, we will need the appropriate clinic letter for the doctor to review. Without the clinic letter, the doctor will not be able to issue any medications.
Any medications advised by consultants will be added to your medication list, however, patients will still need to request these medications as and when required. Please note that as with your other repeat medications, we cannot take requests over the phone. You can request these via email or via the NHS App – which is the easiest way to request your medications.
Medication reviews
As part of our continuing care to our patients, all medication must be reviewed by a GP or clinical pharmacist at least once a year – to ensure the medication is still effective and appropriate for the condition it is prescribed for. Whilst you may be monitored at a hospital or other institution, we are also required to review you if we issue any prescriptions.
The GP is responsible for any prescriptions they sign and they must make sure that suitable arrangements are in place for monitoring and review, taking account of the patient’s needs and any risks arising from the medicine. The annual review may include a blood test, blood pressure check, etc. and appointments with the appropriate clinicians. For some patients, e.g. diabetics, this may be more than once a year.
Please ensure that you book an appointment when you are due for a review, to avoid unnecessary delays to further prescriptions.
Structured Medication Reviews
An SMR is a structured, holistic and personalised review of an individual who is at risk of harm or medicines-related problems because of their current medicine regimen. It is not the act of re-authorising repeat prescriptions. A review of specific medicines during a long-term condition also does not constitute an SMR, which considers all the medicines a patient is taking. SMRs are currently being carried out by the clinical pharmacist at the surgery.
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.
For more information, visit the NHS website.
See here for information about prescription charges.
What to do with old medicines
Take these to the pharmacy you got them from or bring them in to the surgery. Do not put old medicines in your household bin or flush them down the toilet.
Medical abbreviations
Below are medication abbreviations which are used in prescribing:
- OD – one daily
- BD – twice a day
- TDS – three times a day
- QDS – four times a day
- PRN – when required
- ASD – as directed
- NOCTE – take at night
- MANE – take in the morning
- OM – in the morning
- ON – at night
