Order Your Repeat Prescription online
Please allow at least (4 working days excluding weekends & public holidays) before your prescription will be ready to collect. Due to NHS Forth Valley guidelines, we are unable to issue prescriptions requested more than two weeks before it is next due, unless in special circumstances, such as going on holiday, in which case the reason for an early request must be clearly highlighted.
Your Repeat Medication
If you need regular medication and your doctor does not need to see you every time, you will be issued with ‘repeat prescription’. When you collect a prescription you will see that it is perforated down the centre. The left-hand side is the actual prescription. The right-hand side (re-order slip) shows a list of medicines that you can request without booking an appointment to see a doctor. Please tear off this section (and keep it) before handing the prescription to the chemist for dispensing.
Run out or just about to run out medication requests
Unfortunately a small minority of patients are repeatedly running out (or just about to run out) of their medication. ‘Urgent’ requests of this nature cause a great deal of disruption to the smooth running of the practice. Please be aware that such requests will be questioned very carefully by the reception staff and may well be refused by the GP. A record is kept of such requests.
If you forget to request a Repeat Prescription
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 receive stoma products from your pharmacy or other suppler and/or receive suppose such as continence products and welfare food from community services, you should ensure you have sufficient supplies as you may encounter difficulties in obtaining theses over public holidays, or when we are closed.
How to order your medication
By post
If you are unable to order online, you can post your prescription slip or written request to us at the practice. You can include a stamped addressed envelope for return by post if you will not be able to pick up your prescription from the surgery. (Please allow extra time for any possible delays with the postal service).
In person
We are encouraging you not to make unnecessary journey’s to the practice. However, if your situation is exceptional, you can do this by returning the right-hand half of a previous prescription for the required medications, or by submitting a handwritten request.
Pharmacy Ordering/Collection Service
Pharmacies offer a prescription collection service from our practice. They can also order your medication on your behalf. This saves you time and unnecessary visits to the practice. Please contact the pharmacy of your choice for more information if you wish to use this service.
Telephone
Please note we are unable to accept repeat prescription requests by telephone. Please use our online ordering system (as above).
Additional information
Additional Requests of Repeat Medication
A Scottish home and Health Department circular from 1971 clarifies the position on prescribing for patients going abroad for extended periods. It states:-
“If a patient intends to go away for a longer period(than two to three week’s holiday) he/she may not be regarded as a resident of this country and would not be entitled to the benefits of the National Health Service…. It may not be in the patient’s best interest for him/her to continue to self-medication over such longer periods…. If a patient is going abroad for a long period, he/she should be prescribed sufficient drugs to meet his/her requirements only until such time as he can place himself/herself in the care of a doctor at his/her destination.”
Where ongoing medical attention is not necessary, the patient may be given a private prescription.
Generic Prescribing
Next time you visit us you may be prescribed medicine that looks different from your last ones. This may mean that the doctor has prescribed a generic medicine for you. One example of a generic medicine is paracetamol, which is commonly known by the brand name Panadol. Generic medicines are just as safe and effective as branded products, and by prescribing generics, doctors can save the NHS millions of pounds, thus allowing money to be spent on you in other ways. If you are worried about any change to your medication check with the pharmacist or doctor.
Hospital and Community Requests
When you are discharged from hospital you should normally receive seven days supply of medication.
On receipt of your discharge medication, which will be issued to you by the hospital, please contact the surgery to provide them with this information before your supply of medication has run out.
Hospital requests for change of medication will be checked by a prescribing clinician first, and if necessary a prescribing clinician will provide you with a prescription on request.
If you attend an outpatient clinic at the hospital and are issued a medication to be prescribed, please allow 48 hours for this to be processed by the surgery. Please do not demand immediate processing of outpatient prescriptions.
Medication reviews
The doctors and pharmacists at the practice regularly review the medication you are taking. This may involve changes to your tablets, in accordance with current Health Board policies. Please be reassured that this will not affect your treatment. We may sometimes call you in for a medication review and this may involve blood tests. It is very important that you attend these appointments, as it keeps you safe whilst taking medication.
Non-Repeat Items (Acute Requests)
Non Repeat Prescriptions known as “Acute” prescriptions are medicines that have been issued by the doctor but not added to your repeat prescription records. This is normally a new medication issued for a trial period, or short course, and may require a review visit with your doctor prior to being added onto your repeat prescription records.
Some medications are recorded as acute as they require to be closely monitored by the doctor. Examples include anti-depressants, strong painkillers, medications requiring blood test monitoring, or drugs of potential abuse, or where the prescribing is subject to legal or clinical restrictions or special criteria. If this is the case with your medicine, you may not always be issued with a repeat prescription until you have consulted with your doctor again.
