Prescriptions

When should I submit a repeat prescription and can I submit one early?

Repeat prescription requests should not be submitted more than seven days before the day on which the last prescribed quantity of the medication will run out.

If you need to submit a repeat prescription request earlier than would normally be expected and/or for a larger quantity than normally requested, please make sure you indicate why you are making the request earlier (e.g. you are going on holiday) and/or for the larger quantity (e.g. you will be holidaying for several weeks).

If the reason for the early request is unknown, your prescription may be delayed in processing or rejected.

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 Prescription Ordering Direct service – (see below)

You can also:

fill out a repeat prescriptions request form and bring the paper form to the surgery, Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 18.00; put the form into the “Prescription Box” found in both patient entrances at the practice.

We do not take repeat prescription requests over the phone or email.

As is standard across the NHS we require 2 working days to process all prescription requests.

Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)

Your prescription can be sent direct to a pharmacy

The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is an NHS service that gives you the chance to have your prescription sent electronically by the Medical Centre to the place you choose to get your medicines or appliances from.

What does this mean for you?

If you currently collect your repeat prescriptions from us you would no longer have to visit the Medical Centre to pick up your paper prescription. Instead, we will send it electronically to the place you choose, saving you time.

You will have more choice about where to get your medicines from because they can be collected from a pharmacy near to where you live, work or shop.

You may not have to wait as long at the pharmacy as there will be time for your repeat prescriptions to be ready before you arrive.

Is this service right for you?

How can you use EPS?

Can I change my nomination or cancel it and get a paper prescription?

Is EPS reliable, secure and confidential?

Yes. Your electronic prescription will be seen by the same people in the Medical Centre, pharmacies and NHS prescription payment and fraud agencies that see your paper prescription now.

Sometimes dispensers may see that you have nominated another dispenser. For example, if you forget who you have nominated and ask them to check or if you have nominated more than one dispenser. Dispensers will also see all the items on your reorder slip if you are on repeat prescriptions.

If you are unhappy with your experience of nomination

Prescription Ordering Direct (POD)

Shawbirch Medical Centre is now using the NHS Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) service. This is an easy way for patients to order a repeat prescription. The quickest way to make requests is via email or completing the webform.

Email your requests to: shropshire.pod@nhs.net

Complete the Webform at: https://www.shroptelpod.nhs.uk/

Contact the call centre on: 01952 580350

The telephone service is available between 08.00 and 17.00, and the inbox for email requests and webforms is monitored during this time. Please include the following information in emails or have it to hand when calling:

Registered GP practice
Full name
Date of birth
First line of address
Name of drug, strength, dose and formulation (tablet, cream, inhaler etc)
How many days of each medication you have left
Nominated pharmacy
Your contact number

If ordering on behalf of someone else, please include your name and your relationship to the patient.

Electronic Prescription Service

To get the full benefit from the new service, we recommend you nominate a single pharmacy to receive your prescription from the Medical Centre. The details will be sent to the pharmacy electronically and this will eliminate the need to collect a paper prescription from the Medical Centre.

Just contact the POD to request a repeat prescription which will be produced by the Medical Centre within 48 hours. Please allow the pharmacy time to prepare your prescription before collecting. This will be of particular benefit to those who currently find it difficult to pick up a prescription form from the surgery. Your nominated pharmacy can be nearer your home or place of work which will make it easier for you to collect your medication.

Collecting your prescription

You can usually collect your prescription from the pharmacy 4 working days after you have ordered it. Shawbirch Medical Centre aims to have signed your prescription within 2 working days of the request. Pharmacies vary with regards to the time it takes for them to have your medications ready.

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:

on the app or website where you order repeat prescriptions
at your GP practice
at any pharmacy that accepts repeat prescriptions

Urgent Prescriptions

As is standard across the NHS, Shawbirch Medical Centre requires 2 working days to process all prescription requests.

Due to an increasing number of requests for repeat prescriptions to be issued urgently we have had to review how we handle these requests in order to provide safe and consistent service to all of our patients. Requests for prescriptions outside the normal prescription processes significantly impact on both doctor and administration staff time, meaning there is less availability to a doctor for other patients and a higher risk of a prescribing error occurring.

We have therefore agreed a list of medications which can be ordered urgently. Requesting an urgent prescription should occur infrequently, and patients requesting urgent prescriptions on a frequent basis will be contacted and reminded of the normal prescription processes.

The following medications are the only ones which can be requested on an URGENT basis from 01/03/2024:

Insulin

All insulin
Test strips, lancets and pen needles for insulin

Long term steroids

Prednisolone
Budesonide
Hydrocortisone

Reliever inhalers

Salbutamol
Terbutaline

DMARDs

Methotrexate
Azathioprine
Leflunomide
Hydroxychloroquine
Mycophenolate
Ciclosporin
Sulfasalazine

Anticoagulants

Warfarin
Apixaban (Eliquis)
Dabigatran (Pradaxa)
Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
Edoxaban (Lixiana)
Tinzaparin (Innohep)
Dalteparin (Fragmin)

End of life medication

Morphine
Diamorphine injection
Oxycodone
Alfentanil injection
Levomepromazine injetion
Metoclopramide injection
Cyclizine injection
Haloperidol injection
Midazolam injection
Glycopyrronium injection
Hyoscine injection
Water for injections

Anti-Epileptics

Lamotrigine
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Topiramate
Sodium valproate (Epilim)
Levetiracetam (Keppra)

Adrenaline pens

Emerade
EpiPen
Jext

Miscellaneous

Lithium
Formula for babies with allergies
Parkinson’s disease medications
One month of oral contraceptive pills

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)

Medication reviews

Patients on repeat medication will be asked to see a doctor, nurse practitioner or practice nurse at least once a year to review these regular medications and notification should appear on your repeat slip. Please ensure that you book an appropriate appointment to avoid unnecessary delays to further prescriptions.

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. 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 consultation room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard.