Ways to request Medication
If you regularly take prescribed medication/medications, you will be given a repeat prescription request form. About one week before you need more treatment, please send us your request using one of the methods listed below:
- Via the NHS App or NHS Online Login – Owned and run by the NHS, the NHS App is the most simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet. The NHS App is available now on iOS and Android.
- Using Online Services – You can order your Prescriptions online using System Online and the Airmid apps prescription ordering facilities.
Click here for more details - By repeat slip or on paper – By returning the computerised repeat slip by post or in person . If you wish your prescription posting back, please include a stamped addressed envelope.
- By Phone – By calling 01480 495347 and choosing option 2
Our phone lines remain open for anyone with accessibility needs who might find difficulty requesting their prescriptions online, please contact us on 01480 495347 if you require any assistance.
Repeat Prescriptions
Patients on long-term medication can order repeat prescriptions. If you take regular prescribed medication/repeat medication, you will be given a repeat prescription request form. A week before you need more medication, please make sure to request them using the following methods. (Please allow 3-5 working days for our dispensers to prepare your medication. (not counting a weekend or bank holiday).
If you are on regular repeat medication, you will be asked to attend for check-ups. This is to ensure that the medication is still working effectively and safely, and that your care cannot be improved in any way.
The practice policy is to prescribe 28 days supply however a second prescription can be obtained for holidays and for some medical conditions, a batch prescribing facility is available (this is not permissible for dispensing patients).
Our Dispensary
If you live in one of the villages surrounding St. Ives or more than one mile from the surgery, we encourage you to use our dispensary as we have trained staff available to dispense your medication every day.
Please allow 3-5 working days for our dispensers to prepare your medication.
Prescription Fees and Charges
Help with NHS costs
In England, around 90% of prescription items are dispensed free. This includes exemptions from charging for those on low incomes, such as:
those on specific benefits or through the NHS Low Income Scheme
those who are age exempt
those with certain medical conditions
More information is available at NHS Choices
NHS Charges
These charges apply in England only. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prescriptions are free of charge.
Prescription (per item): £9.65
12-month prepayment certificate (PPC): £111.60
3-month PPC: £31.25
If you will have to pay for four or more prescription items in three months or more than 14 items in 12 months, you may find it cheaper to buy a PPC.
Telephone advice and order line 0845 850 0030
General Public – Buy or Renew a PPC On-line
There is further information about prescription exemptions and fees on the NHS website.
Click here to find out about the rise of Prescription Charges – Prescription charge rises to £9.65 – PSNC Website
NEW – NHS Hormone Replacement Therapy Prescription Prepayment Certificate (HRT PPC)
If you pay for NHS prescribed HRT medicine 3 or more times in 12 months, an HRT PPC could save you money.
Electronic Prescribing Service (EPS)
The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is an NHS service. It gives you the chance to change how your GP sends your prescription to the place you choose to get your medicines or appliances from.
What does this mean for you?
If you collect your repeat prescriptions from your GP you will not have to visit your GP practice to pick up your paper prescription. Instead, your GP will send it electronically to the pharmacy you choose, saving you time.
You will have more choice about where to get your medicines from because they can be collected from a pharmacy near to where you live, work or shop.
You may not have to wait as long at the pharmacy as there will be time for your repeat prescriptions to be ready before you arrive.
Is this service right for you?
Yes, if you have a stable condition and you:
– Don’t want to go to your GP practice every time to collect your repeat prescription.
– Collect your medicines from the same place most of the time or use a prescription collection service now.
It may not be if you:
– Don’t get prescriptions very often.
– Pick up your medicines from different places.
How can you use EPS?
You need to choose a place for your GP practice to electronically send your prescription to. This is called nomination. You can choose:
– A pharmacy, a dispensing appliance contractor (if you use one).
– Your dispensing GP practice (if you are eligible).
Ask any pharmacy or dispensing appliance contractor that offers EPS or your GP practice to add your nomination for you. You don’t need a computer to do this.
Can I change my nomination or cancel it and get a paper prescription?
Yes you can. If you don’t want your prescription to be sent electronically tell your GP. If you want to change or cancel your nomination speak to any pharmacist or dispensing appliance contractor that offers EPS, or your GP practice. Tell them before your next prescription is due or your prescription may be sent to the wrong place.
Is EPS reliable, secure and confidential?
Yes. Your electronic prescription will be seen by the same people in GP practices, pharmacies and NHS prescription payment and fraud agencies that see your paper prescription now. Sometimes dispensers may see that you have nominated another dispenser. For example, if you forget who you have nominated and ask them to check or, if you have nominated more than one dispenser. Dispensers will also see all the items on your reorder slip if you are on repeat prescriptions.
For more information please visit the NHS Choices website.
Private Prescriptions
These are issued after a consultation with a private consultant or a private GP and all prescriptions are subject to a fee.
The surgery is unable to change these prescriptions to a FP10 for several reasons:
- We may not have seen the patient
- We would be taking on the prescribing costs and responsibilities for the patient who is having non-NHS Care
- Private prescriptions are very often difficult to read as often hand written, therefore scope for error
If a patient sees a specialist privately, their specialist may write to their GP making recommendations about ongoing medication. These recommendations will generally then be prescribed by their GP on receiving the appropriate correspondence as long as these recommendations are licensed on the NHS and in accordance with local prescribing guidelines.
Prescribing for Secondary Care
When you visit the hospital for an appointment or for treatment, you may be recommended a medication to take by your specialist. The specialist will then instruct your GP surgery either via phone or letter to prescribe this medication going forward.
Instructions from the hospital can sometimes be delivered the same day to the GP however most come within two weeks.
Once the surgery receives the instruction, the drug is normally issued within a few days. The specialist should have counselled the patient regarding any side effects, monitoring required and interactions with their other drugs. They should also inform the patient the drug will normally automatically be issued to their normal chemist or the script to be collected if that is usual for the patient.
Patients should contact the surgery if the medication has not been issued within two weeks of their appointment. The usual reason for this will be that the letter hasn’t yet reached our surgery. The chemists are now able to dispense medication as soon as we issue it electronically thanks to EPS4, the NHS’s electronic prescribing service.
Why are Prescriptions not always prescribed?
Prescriptions are sometimes not issued for the following reasons:
The patient notes indicate there is an allergy to the medication
The patient is already taking a similar medication so they would get a toxic dose
Monitoring of some kind is required before issue and the GP does not have the required information. The prescriber is responsible for any harm so we cannot issue anything if we do not think it safe
The drug is discontinued, not prescribable on the NHS, hospital only medication or not part of the CCG formulary
The drug is rare, the GP has never issued it before and doesn’t feel competent to do so
These are unusual but do occur. We try to let patients know if we are not prescribing but the volume of requests is so great we cannot inform everyone when their script has been done. If you have any further questions regarding our prescribing policy for secondary care, please get in touch with us.
Hospital Prescriptions
These prescriptions must be dispensed at the hospital pharmacy. This information is stated clearly on the prescription issued by the hospital.
The surgery is unable to change a hospital prescription to a FP10 as:
– The hospital clinician has made the clinical diagnosis and prescribed accordingly, taking responsibility for the medication
– Your GP has not been involved in this process and it is therefore inappropriate for them to take over this responsibility
