Prescriptions

Ways of Ordering your Repeat Medication

We will no longer accept prescription requests from pharmacies. Therefore, please order your medicine directly from the surgery, rather than allowing your pharmacy to do it for you.

Prescription requests can take up to 5 working days to be actioned. Please note that if your prescription request is not on your repeat prescription, your request will take longer to process and the doctor may wish to speak with you. Delays may also occur if your medication request is different from what your doctor has prescribed for you.

We will return your prescription to you by post if a stamped addressed envelope is provided.

Emergency Prescription Requests

Emergency prescription request are request for medication which you need within 24 hours to prevent you becoming severely unwell. Emergency medications include epileptic medication, insulin, inhalers for lung conditions, emergency contraception and Epipen for anaphylaxis.

Emergency prescription requests are not requests for medication which have been ordered late. You should allow 48 working hours for routine repeat prescription requests. Please respect our staff, as it is your responsibility to ensure that your repeat prescription request is ordered in plenty of time.

Repeat Dispensing

If you, or someone you care for, use the same medicines regularly, you may be able to benefit from repeat dispensing from the pharmacist.  This means you won’t have to visit the surgery or make an appointment to see the doctor or practice nurse every time you need more medicine.

To help explain this we have broken it down into a step by step guide:

Step 1

The first step is to talk to the person who prescribes your medications. Ask them if you can use repeat dispensing. Your prescriber will usually be your doctor or your practice nurse. They will then ask for permission to share information with your pharmacist about your treatment. This will help the pharmacist give your prescriber information about your treatment, and give you useful advice. You may be asked to sign an agreement form.

Step 2

The next step is for you to take the authorisation form and one of your issue forms to the pharmacy when you need your first batch of medicine. You don’t need to fill in or sign the issue form until your ready to hand it to the pharmacist. The pharmacist can help you to complete your form if you’re not sure what to do. Let the pharmacist know if you’re taking any other medicines, or if your condition has changed recently. The pharmacist keeps your authorisation form.  You should keep the rest of you issue forms in a safe place or ask the pharmacy to look after them. You will need one each time you collect your medication.

Step 3

Next time you need more medicine, go back to the same pharmacy with a new issue form. If the pharmacy is looking after the forms for you, contact them and tell them you need more medicine so they can have it ready for you when you go in. Remember to fill in your issue form when you get to the pharmacy so they can give you the medication.

We are happy to help you at any time

How to Order a Non-Repeat Prescription

If you have an ongoing problem and would like another prescription of a medication previously prescribed to you by the doctor, you may request another script. Please let us know the reason for your request and a contact number, in order for the doctor to review your request. Non-repeat medication request will take over 48 working hours to process and the doctor may wish to speak with you.

Electronic Prescription Service

Parkside have a way of generating your prescriptions called the ‘Electronic Prescription Service’ (EPS) which will mean that your prescriptions will go directly to a pharmacy of your choice. With EPS, this means that you no longer have to come to the surgery to pick up your repeat prescriptions, you can go straight to your nominated chemist.

You still need to allow 48 working hours from the time of your request.

Unfortunately certain medications cannot be done through EPS due to safety reasons. These medications include:

  • Controlled drugs like (Tramadol, Morphine, Oramorph, Fentanyl, etc)
  • Private prescriptions

How Can I Join the EPS service?

Just simply fill in our Register for the Electronic Prescription Service form, to consent and nominate your chosen pharmacy, and your prescriptions will be sent electronically to your nominated pharmacy within 48 hours of your prescription request.

Low Priority Prescribing

There are certain medication used for minor ailments, which are in nature self limiting, so the NHS does not prescribe these. These medicines are called ‘Low Priority Prescribing’. Please do not ask the doctor or nurse for these and see your pharmacist.

Did you know that common treatable ailments account for a fifth of GP appointments and are costing the health service £2 billion annually.

Here is the list of the low priority medicines:

  • Antihistamines for Hay Fever
  • Cough mixtures (except for Terminally Ill)
  • Nasal Decongestants for Hay Fever or Colds
  • Vaginal Thrush Treatments
  • Threadworm Treatments
  • Antacids for Indigestion
  • OTC Migraine treatments including Sumatriptan 50mg
  • Wart Treatments (except for sexual health and GUM)
  • Topical Antifungals for Athletes Foot
  • Mouth Ulcers (except for immunocompromised and terminally ill)
  • Vitamin C and Multivitamins
  • Head Lice Treatments
  • Antiperspirants
  • Cold Sore Treatments
  • Sunscreens
  • Topical NSAIDs
  • Ear Wax Removers
  • Minor Acne

Prescription Fees

View the cost of prescriptions on the NHS website.

You can also find out if you are entitled to free prescriptions.