Urgent prescriptions

It is the patient’s responsibility to make sure that they request their repeat prescription in a timely manner so that they do not run out of their medications.

Urgent requests for medication will only be considered for the medications below:

  • Inhalers
  • Epilepsy medication – eg sodium valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine, levetiracetam, topiramate
  • Insulin
  • GTN spray
  • Blood thinners – eg. warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, clexane, clopidogrel
  • Water tablets – furosemide and bumetanide
  • Hydrocortisone tablets or long term prednisolone tablets
  • Epipen, Jext or Emerade (or similar auto-injectable adrenaline preparations)
  • Medication for Parkinson’s Disease – eg. Sinimet, Madopar, Stalevo, co-careldopa, co-beneldopa
  • Antipychotics – eg. Amisulpride, aripiprazole, clozapine, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine and risperidone
  • Contraceptives

Urgent prescriptions will be sent electronically to the patient’s nominated pharmacy by 5:30pm on weekdays.

No other medications will be treated as ‘urgent’. This is a decision made by the GP partners to ensure safe prescribing. The reception team cannot override this decision.

Emergency supply from pharmacists

Please note that all patients can obtain a short emergency supply of prescription medications from a registered retail pharmacy. They will need to be seen face-to-face, will need proof of identity and proof that they have received the medicines they are requesting before on prescription. There will be a charge for this as it is not an NHS service. Further information can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/medicines/where-can-i-get-an-emergency-supply-of-medicine/

Over-the-counter medication

In line with the latest NHS guidance, we will be phasing out the prescribing of common medication available cheaply over-the-counter in pharmacies unless needed for a defined long-term medical condition. This will include paracetamol, Calpol, medication for diarrhoea and constipation and medication for head lice.

Further information can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/medicines/why-cant-i-get-prescription-over-counter-medicine/