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’.
The table below gives examples of when to order – do not wait until you have run out of medicine!
N.B. If you order too early your request will not be processed and you will have to re-order.
| You get 4 weeks’ worth of medication at a time | Order at least 2 clear business days beforehand | Do not order more than 4 days beforehand |
| You get 8 weeks’ worth of medication at a time | Order at least 2 clear business days beforehand | Do not order more than 7 days beforehand |
| You get 12 weeks’ worth of medication at a time | Order at least 2 clear business days beforehand | Do not order more than 12 days beforehand |
It’s quicker and easier to order Repeat medication via Patient Access. Choose your Repeat medication from your GP approved list.
Please contact the Practice to register for this service.
Not Registered for Patient Access?
Until you have registered with Patient Access please use our Repeat Prescription Request Form below to order your repeat medication. There is no need to log in with this form.
We are currently working on bringing our patients a new, easier system to assist in ordering your repeat prescription. Further information will be available in the coming months. If you wish to be kept up to date of any changes please complete a Communication Consent Form which can be found by going to our “Keeping us Updated” tab on the website. You can opt out of this service at any time.
Forgot to request a repeat Prescription?
If you forget to request a repeat prescription
If you forget to obtain a prescription for repeat medication and thus 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 have run out of important medication, telephone your usual Pharmacy to check that they offer this service; if they don’t, they may either direct you to another Pharmacy who does provide it, or ask you to phone 111 where you can request details of a local Pharmacy that provides the service.
You must then take with you to the relevant Pharmacy, proof of both your identification and of your medication (for example, your repeat prescription list or the empty box which should have your details printed on it). Please note that controlled drugs and antibiotics are not provided through this service, you will need to ring 111 for these.
If you receive stoma products from your Pharmacy or other supplier and/or receive items such as continence products, please ensure you have sufficient supplies as you may encounter difficulties in obtaining these over Bank Holidays, or when the Surgery is closed.
How to order your medication
Requesting your medication
- Order using our online facility
- Allow at least 2 clear business days for processing
- Check the “Next Issue Due” date on the pink ordering slip to ensure that you are not ordering too early
- Tick the items required on the slip and place the slip in the red box, which is on the wall facing you inside the patients’ entrance. OR
- Post the ticked slip to us (you can either pick the prescription up after allowing 2 clear business days or enclose a stamped, addressed envelope and we will return it by post). OR.
- If you have a chronic disease and are on regular repeat medication, you should contact your Pharmacy and ask to join their Chronic Medication Service.
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
We do not accept requests for repeat prescriptions by telephone. This prevents dangerous errors being made and leaves the telephone lines free for urgent matters.
Additional information
Chronic Medication Service
The NHS Chronic Medication Service is a voluntary service for people with long-term conditions. It’s available at all community pharmacies across Scotland.
You can only use this service if you’ve registered with a community pharmacy.
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.
Medication reviews
The Doctor will review your repeat medication periodically and you may be asked to make an appointment, rather than being given the requested repeat prescription automatically, particularly if you are ordering medication too often or too early. Please bear in mind that this review of your medication is an important part of your healthcare and an excellent opportunity to discuss any concerns with your Doctor.
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, and may require a review visit with your Doctor prior to the medication 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 many anti-depressants, 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.
Strong painkillers and driving
You may have noticed that the label on your painkiller medicine says: “May cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinery. Avoid alcoholic drink.”
Your doctor or nurse may also have discussed side effects of your painkillers with you.gen
Strong painkillers (or opioids) affect each person in a different way. They can make some people drowsy and reactions can be slower than usual. This may be worse if you take other medicines that cause drowsiness or if you drink alcohol. If you are someone who drives you may be wondering if it is safe for you to drive. The following information will help you to decide.
- You must not drive if you feel sleepy
- You must not drive after drinking alcohol or taking strong drugs which have not been prescribed or recommended by your doctor for example, cannabis.
- You must not drive if you start taking other drugs that cause sleepiness, either prescribed by your doctor or bought from the chemist for example, hay fever medicine.
- You must not drive on days where you have had to take extra (breakthrough or rescue) doses of a strong painkiller.