Prescriptions

Ordering repeat prescriptions

The easiest ways to order repeat prescriptions are:

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

Collecting your prescription

Information:

You can usually collect your prescription 2 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.

You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time:

Minor ailment scheme

The minor ailment scheme is designed to enable people with minor health conditions to access medicines and advice they would otherwise visit their doctor for.

It allows patients to see a qualified health professional at a convenient and accessible location within their community, and means patients do not need to wait for a GP appointment or queue up for a valuable A&E slot, with a non-urgent condition.

There are a number of important points to remember:

  • The minor ailment scheme is not a national scheme. It is not possible to say exactly which medical conditions are covered because this will vary depending on the location and the particular service.
  • The scheme is designed to offer medication to meet an acute need. It is not an opportunity for parents to stock up on free children’s medications. If a pharmacist thinks someone is trying to abuse the system, they can refuse any request for treatment at their discretion.
  • The pharmacist has no obligation to provide branded medication such as Calpol. If there is a cheaper generic version available that is known to be equally as effective, it is likely that will be provided instead.

Out of medication when the Surgery is closed

We require two working days to process prescription requests. If you have run out of medication, and the surgery is closed you may request an “Emergency Supply” to be provided via your local pharmacy, who will be able to provide up to 28 days of your regular medication. This is only possible if the medication is on your official repeat prescription.

Over the counter medicines

Since May 2018, the NHS released a list of medicines that are available to buy over the counter from pharmacies and supermarkets which can no longer be routinely prescribed by GP surgeries.

View list of items and conditions for which you will not normally be able to have a prescription.

Discharge from hospital

If you have recently been discharged from hospital and have had your medications changed or have been started on new medications, you should have been supplied with enough to last you for a few weeks when you first get home.  This will allow enough time for the hospital to send the information about the changes to your GP. Once this has been received at the Surgery, your repeat medication list will be updated and you will be able to request ongoing supplies of your new medication. Please allow at least one week before attempting to order any more of your new medications to ensure that the information has been received and your records updated.

Changes to medication advised at outpatient appointments

If a Specialist has recommended a change in medication or that you start a new medication, a letter will be written to the GP with information about the changes.  The letter may take a while to be received at the Surgery.  If the change or start in new medication is urgent, the Specialist should provide you with a prescription for the initial supply.  If it is not urgent, please allow up to two weeks before contacting the surgery to request a prescription.  Once the information has been received, your medication list will be updated and you will be able to request ongoing supplies of the new medication.

Medications we do not prescribe

Medications for dental anxiety

We do not prescribe medications specifically for managing anxiety prior to seeing the dentist for any reason. If you have anxiety prior to any planned procedure, you should contact the dentist to discuss what options there are. If the dentist then feels that medication is needed before their appointment, the dentist should prescribe these for you.

Medications to postpone menstruation when going on holiday

We do not prescribe medications to adults (aged 18+ years old) on the NHS to postpone menstruation for holidays. If you are under 18, please contact your GP to discuss options. You are now able to obtain such medications from online pharmacies (via a private prescription). There are plenty of reputable pharmacies available to get the tablets from, simply search for ‘Period delay tablets’ in your internet search engine.

Requests for sedatives for flying

Churchdown Surgery is reviewing prescriptions of sedatives for fear of flying and is phasing them out following discussion and consultation with latest guidance. This policy decision has been made by the GP Partners and is adhered to by all prescribers working in the practice. The reasons for this can be found below:

  1. Diazepam 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.
  2. Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however 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 four hours.
  3. Whilst most people find benzodiazepines like diazepam sedating, a small number have paradoxical agitation and in aggression. They 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.
  4. According to the prescribing guidelines doctors follow (BNF) Benzodiazepines are contraindicated (not allowed)  in phobia. Your doctor is taking a significant legal risk by prescribing against these guidelines. They 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.
  5. Diazepam and similar drugs are illegal in a number of countries. They may be confiscated or you may find yourself in trouble with the police.
  6. 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 properly with a Fear of Flying course run by the airlines and we have listed a number of these below.

Prescription charges

Find out more about prescription charges (nhs.uk).