About repeat prescriptions

 

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Request medication/Repeat prescriptions

Repeat prescriptions refers to medication which your doctor has agreed can be requested on a repeat basis without you needing to see or speak to a doctor each time. Most medication that is needed long-term will be placed on repeat.

Repeat medication requests are usually dealt with within 5 working days (excluding bank holidays/weekends) If your medication review is due it might delay the process. Please note we can only issue scripts a maximum of two weeks prior to the due date. 

Medication requests that are not on repeat can take up to 10 working days - Please monitor your mobile phone - you might receive a text/call from our team asking for further information or to complete an online query

Please remember that it takes 2 working days to process a prescription request. We ask that you plan ahead when requesting repeat medication so that you do not run out of essential items. 

Request medication online

This is the easiest way to reorder your repeat medication - you can use either of these routes:

how to order repeat prescriptions

Electronic repeat dispensing

With electronic repeat dispensing your prescriptions will re-order automatically as long as they are in-date. This is a good method if you are taking the same medicines long-term and are unlikely to change doses. Please contact the clinical pharmacist if you would like to set up this service for your prescriptions.

 

Medication reviews

All repeat prescriptions require a medication review at set intervals, in order to monitor effectiveness and medication side effects. Medication reviews are usually annual, but may be more frequent for higher-risk drugs.

Medication reviews are different for different medications. Some conditions which we call 'long-term conditions' - such as hypertension, heart failure and COPD - need annual blood tests or other tests such as blood pressure monitoring. If you have been diagnosed with one or more long-term conditions we will ask that you see the nursing team or complete an online form before booking a medication review appointment with the clinical pharmacist.

Other medication reviews are more straightforward and can be done over the phone as a routine appointment with the clinical pharmacist. If there are no issues the clinical pharmacist may sometimes be able to complete your annual review online (in which case the clinical pharmacist will let you know by text message).

Once your medication review is up to date the GP can re-authorise another year's worth of medication.

Medicines that are not on repeat

If you are requesting a medication from us for the first time; or it is a medication that you've had before but that hasn't been placed on repeat for you yet, then your named GP will need to look at the request in more detail; this process can take longer and you may be asked to make an appointment to discuss before we can issue the medication. This situation can occur if you have been previously taking a medication prescribed by a different GP Practice or a doctor abroad, for example.

 

Medicines available over-the-counter

Cambridge and Peterborough Integrated Care System (ICS) strongly recommend that we do not prescribe medications that are available over the counter. This kind of medication frequently costs the NHS more to prescribe than it costs patients to buy. The ICS have also asked us to remove medication of this kind from repeat prescriptions; this is policy across the NHS nationally, with the aim of saving money for other essential services.

 

Getting hold of your prescriptions

  • We send almost all prescriptions electronically direct to your nominated pharmacy.
  • If you do need to collect a paper prescription from reception, please avoid our peak times (between 8.30am and 10.00am)
  • We can only post prescriptions to you if you supply us with stamped addressed envelopes.
  • Please order well in advance of public holidays to prevent unnecessary calls to the out-of-hours service for emergency supplies of medicines.
  • If your medication review is not up-to-date it is likely that we will ask you to book a telephone appointment with the clinical pharmacist for review.
  • Please take any unwanted medication to your usual pharmacy for disposal.