Prescriptions

Prescription requests can be submitted via email ([email protected]), or by using patient online services (repeat medications only) or in writing (a form from reception can be completed and placed in the Prescriptions Box on the outside of the Surgery building).

Paper requests are date stamped and kept in the order received.

Requests via email and online access show date and time of receipt. All requests are processed in the order they are received.

Medicine that the patient has had before, but that is not on their list of repeat prescriptions, can be requested in writing or by email outlining the reason for needing the medication again.

The only medications that can requested using patient online services are those that are already on the repeat medication list.

A patient’s repeat medication list is NOT intended to be a complete list of every medication that a patient has been prescribed. The only medications added to repeat are usually limited to medications which are prescribed for long term/ lifelong therapy to patients who are stable.

Items such as antibiotics, some controlled drugs, some painkillers, seasonal medication, nutritional supplements, medications for occasional use or short-term therapy and potentially addictive medications will not be included on repeat prescription.

New medications will not usually be added to repeat immediately until the medication has been reviewed by the doctor, is effective and well tolerated by the patient.

Only a doctor can decide if and when a medication can be added to repeat.

It does not necessarily mean a patient cannot request any medication that does not appear on the repeat list but the patient will be notified if the doctor declines to issue a medication.

The surgery receives up to 300+ requests on a daily basis. If a request is received after 4pm it will be ‘received’ by the prescription clerk on the next working day.

Requests received after 4pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, will all be ‘received’ by the prescription clerk on the next working day which is Monday.

During bank holidays, Easter and Christmas delays are caused with the normal prescription processing due to the surgery being closed and loss of working hours.

Patients are asked to allow a minimum of 2 FULL working days for their prescription to be processed.

Queries regarding any medication will be passed to the duty doctor and may cause a delay to the prescription being processed.

It is our Integrated Care System’s (ICS) prescribing policy that prescriptions should be issued no more than 7 days/1 week before they are due.

This is a relatively standard policy nationwide and not just from our local ICS.  Certain medications such as controlled drugs, NOACS and DMARDs have strict prescribing protocols.

However, medication can be issued earlier in certain circumstances (such as patients going away on holiday) as a “one-off” but we cannot issue medication early on a regular basis as this will start to flag as “over-using” on a patient’s records.

Whenever a medication is issued early, the computer will ask for the reason why and this is logged for audit purposes. Where possible we try to synchronise patient’s medications so that all items can be issued at the same time.

It is worth noting that at busy times such as Christmas, New Year and Easter when the surgery is closed the number of prescription requests significantly increases due to patient’s trying to order medication too early.

This inevitably delays prescriptions for patients whose medication is actually due over the holiday periods when the surgery is closed.

For every request that is received the prescription clerks will do the following:

• Look at the patient’s medical record on screen and check the records for the medications which have been requested and check the dates when the items were last issued.
• Check to see if the medication is due for issue? Prescriptions should not be requested more than 7-10 days in advance.
• Check to see if the patient is over using or under using the medication.
• Check to see if the patient has been seen by a doctor recently and whether any changes to medication have been made.
• Check to see if there are any recent outpatient/clinic letters or hospital discharge letters on the patient’s records since the last prescriptions were issued. If so, check to see if there have been any changes to medication.
• Depending on which medication is being requested the prescription clerks will also check whether the patient is due a blood pressure check, a blood test, or reviews for medication, hrt, asthma, diabetes, contraception etc. The dates and results of latest tests/reviews are noted.

Medications that appear on a patient’s repeat prescription are authorised by a doctor for a certain number of issues. If the number of issues allows, the prescription clerks can issue a prescription which will be ‘pending’ until signed off by the duty doctor. If the number of authorised issues has been reached the medication will need to be re-authorised by the duty doctor. 

The prescription clerks will then submit a request to the duty doctor, containing all the information checked above, in order for the medication to be re-authorised for a certain number of issues again.

If a patient requests any medication that does NOT appear on a repeat prescription list a query will always be raised with duty doctor along with all the information checked above.

Prescriptions are authorised, signed off and sent electronically by the duty doctor. The duty doctor can reject prescriptions for a number of reasons. The duty doctor will inform the prescription clerks if a patient needs to be seen or if more information is required.

Prescription requests cannot be taken via telephone, by any member of staff, in accordance with CCG prescribing guidelines.

The Prescription clerks:

• Cannot advise every patient when their prescription has been processed due to the vast quantity processed on a daily basis.
• Cannot acknowledge/reply to every e-mail due to the vast quantity processed on a daily basis. However, you should receive an automated response.
• Cannot give a time of day for when a prescription will be issued.
• Cannot advise alternatives for medications.
• Cannot add medication items to a patient’s repeat prescription list. Only a doctor can decide if and when an item can be added to repeat prescription.
• Cannot tell you when your nominated pharmacy will download a prescription.
• Cannot make any changes to medication unless authorised to do so by a doctor.
• Cannot alter quantity of tablets or change dosage instructions unless authorised to do so by a doctor.

Do you have enough medication at home? – Please think before ordering your repeat prescription and order ONLY what you need to reduce waste.

If your nominated pharmacy cannot supply a medication the doctor will advise that you try other pharmacies.  Alternatives should only be requested if there is a manufacturing problem and no other pharmacy can obtain the medication.

If you need to request your medication early due to a holiday please let us know so that the prescription clerks can advise the duty doctor. This will help to avoid your prescription from being rejected for being ‘not due for issue’.

If you are requesting an item that you have not used for a while, particularly creams/ointments please try to include the reason for the request, eg flare up of eczema. The duty doctor may still advise that the patient will need an appointment to be seen/reviewed and decline to issue a prescription.

If you receive a message from the surgery advising that you need to make an appointment for a blood pressure check or a review or you need to have a blood test done, please do not ignore these messages. These checks are done every time a prescription is requested and if a review/test is overdue the duty doctor may reduce the quantity of medication issued.

Outpatient prescriptions issued by the hospital and Private prescriptions are processed following the same protocol for all other prescription requests. If a private prescription or hospital prescription cannot be issued for any reason the patient will be advised. All outpatient prescriptions marked as urgent/Hospital only, MUST be processed by the hospital pharmacy.

The Station Road Surgery prescriptions email address [email protected] for prescription queries only. Please do not use the prescriptions email for any other enquiries.