Prescriptions

Ordering repeat prescriptions

The easiest ways to order repeat prescriptions are:

These accounts show you all your repeat medicine and dosage and you can choose the ones you need.

You can also bring the paper form to the surgery, during opening hours.

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

Non-repeat items (acute requests)

Non-repeat prescriptions are known as ‘acute’ prescriptions. These 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. It may need a review visit with your Doctor before the medication is added on to your repeat prescription record.

Some medications are recorded as acute as they need to be closely monitored by the doctor. Such as; anti-depressants, drugs of potential abuse or where the prescribing is subject to 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.

Collecting your prescription

Prescriptions will be available for collection from the practice a minimum of two full working days after receipt of the request. This may take a little longer if you are overdue a medication review. Please allow extra time for weekends and Bank Holidays. Please be aware the surgery DOES NOT take medication requests over the phone.

Collect your prescription from the pharmacy 3 to 5 working days after you have ordered it.

You will need to choose a pharmacy to collect your prescription from. We call this “nominating” a pharmacy. This means that you do not have to come to the surgery to collect your prescription and then take it to a chemist.

You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time:

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

Private Prescriptions

A GP in the surgery can only provide a private prescription if the medication is not available on the NHS.

A private prescription is not written on an official NHS prescription and so is not paid for by the NHS. A prescription is a legal document for which the doctor, who has issued and signed it, is responsible. A doctor you see privately is unable to issue an NHS prescription.

The cost of a private prescription is met wholly by the patient and is dictated by the cost of the medicine plus the pharmacist’s charge for supplying it.

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 the Medicines A to Z

Medication reviews

If you have a repeat prescription, we may ask you to come in for a regular review. We will be in touch when you need to come in for a review.

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. You can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard.

Find a pharmacy near you

Your Home Medicine Cupboard

It is well worth keeping a small stock of useful medicines at home in your (locked) first aid cupboard. For instance:

  • Pain killers (analgesics) – such as Paracetamol, Ibuprofen or aspirin, or Ibuprofen syrups for children. Children under 16 and people with asthma should not take aspirin
  • Anti-diarrhoeal medicines
  • Mild laxatives
  • Indigestion remedy (for example, antacids)
  • Travel sickness tablets, Sunscreen – SPF15 or higher Sunburn treatment (for example, calamine)

Further information from the NHS

Further prescribing information and guidance

Each year 25% of the population visit their GP for a respiratory tract infection (eg sinus, throat or chest infection). These are usually caused by viruses.

For patients who are otherwise healthy, antibiotics are not necessary for viral infections.

These infections will normally clear up by looking after yourself at home with rest, plenty of fluids and paracetamol.

Ear infections typically last 4 days – 89% of cases clear up on their own
A sore throat typically lasts 7 days – 40% of cases clear up after 3 days and 90% after 7 days without antibiotics
Sinusitis typically lasts 17 days – 80% clear up in 14 days without antibiotics
Cough/bronchitis typically lasts 21 days – Antibiotics reduce symptoms by only 1 day
Antibiotics only work for infections caused by bacteria.
You should avoid taking unnecessary antibiotics for viral infections. They may not be as effective next time you have a bacterial infection.
Your local pharmacy can provide information about taking medication abroad if you have a concern. They can also advise on a wide range of travel-related health issues.
If you are staying outside the practice area for holidays, work etc. we are unable to send prescriptions by post/email/fax. You should register with a local practice as a temporary resident and request the medication.

That practice will contact us to confirm what medication you are currently being prescribed. Some pharmacies may be able to provide the medication for you depending on your location.
Take it to the pharmacy you got it from or bring it into the surgery. Do not put it in your household bin or flush it down the toilet.
Please don’t ask your GP for medicines which can be bought at the pharmacy. Generally a healthcare professional will not supply a prescription for over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.

Further information form the NHS
GPs are often asked to prescribe over-the-counter medication to satisfy nurseries and schools. This is a misuse of GP time, and is not necessary.

Prescribing over-the-counter medicines in nurseries and schools
In an emergency, when the surgery is closed, a pharmacist can supply repeat medications without a prescription. The pharmacist will decide if there is an immediate need for the medicine.
Under NHS recommendations most prescriptions will have the generic name rather than the brand name. The effectiveness and safety of the generic preparation is identical to that of the brand name. If you are at all uncertain, please check with us.
A generic drug or other product is one that does not have a trademark and that is known by a general name, rather than the manufacturer’s name.
When you are discharged from Hospital you should normally receive seven days supply of medication.

If you receive medication from the Hospital, please contact the surgery to provide them with the details. Do this before your supply of medication has run out.

Hospital requests for a change of medication will be checked by a prescribing clinician. Then, if necessary, a prescribing clinician will provide you with a prescription on request. 

Specialists will often suggest specialist medication at a hospital appointment and ask us to prescribe for you. To ensure your safety we do need to receive written information from the specialist before prescribing. Sometimes a medicine is suggested that is not in our local formulary. There is nearly always a close alternative. Specialists are told that we sometimes make suitable substitutions when you are referred. We will always let you know if this is the case.
The doctors have taken the decision not to prescribe diazepam in cases where the there is a fear of flying. There are several reasons for this that are set out below.

Diazepam is a type of drug called a benzodiazapine. Diazapam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed. If there is an emergency during the flight it may impair your ability to concentrate, follow instructions and react to the situation. This could have serious safety consequences for you and those around you.

Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, but when you do sleep it is an unnatural non-REM sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep. This can cause you to be at increased risk of developing a blood clot (DVT) in the leg or even the lung. Blood clots are very dangerous and can even prove fatal. This risk is even greater if your flight is greater than 4 hours.

Whilst most people find medicines like diazepam sedating, a small number of people and may become aggressive. Drugs like Diazapam can also cause disinhibition and lead you to behave in a way that you would not normally. This could impact on your safety as well as that of other passengers and could also get you into trouble with the law.

All doctors follow national prescribing guidelines are known as the British National Formulary. Prescribing benzodiazapines in cases of phobia is not allowed under these guidelines. Prescribing diazepam for fear of flying would mean your doctor would be taking a significant legal risk. Benzodiazepines are only licensed short term for a crisis in generalised anxiety. If this is the case, you should be getting proper care and support for your mental health and not going on a flight.

Diazepam and similar drugs are illegal in several countries. They may be confiscated, or you may find yourself in trouble with the police.

Diazepam stays in your system for quite a while. If your job requires you to submit to random drug testing, you may fail this having taken diazepam.

We appreciate that fear of flying is very real and very frightening. A much better approach is to tackle this with a Fear of Flying course run by many of the airlines. We have listed some these below:

Easy Jet – Tel 0203 8131644 Fearless Flyer EasyJet
British Airways – Tel 01252 793250 Flying with confidence
Virgin – Tel 01423 714900 Flying without fear
STOMP is a project in England to stop the over use of psychotropic medicines. It stands for stopping over medication of people with a learning disability, autism or both.

It is a national project involving many different organisations which are helping to stop the overuse of these medicines.  STOMP is about helping people to stay well and have a good quality of life.

STOMP Everyone working together to stop the over use of psychotropic medicines and to improve people’s quality of life
Stopping over medication of people with a learning disability, autism or both (STOMP)