Prescriptions

Ordering repeat prescriptions

If your regular medication has been approved on repeat prescription there are a number of ways to re-order:

In person – hand your repeat slip in at reception with the required items clearly marked.
By post – send it to us remembering to include a stamped addressed envelope if you want us to post it back to you.
Online – follow the link at the top of this page and carry out a simple registration.

Please note, to avoid mistakes, we are unable to accept requests for repeat prescriptions over the telephone.

Patients are able to have their prescriptions dispensed, as well as receiving any general pharmaceutical advice and additional pharmaceutical services, from any community pharmacy they choose.

Please allow two full working days for prescriptions to be processed and remember to take weekends and bank holidays into account.

Requests for Urgent Prescriptions

The Practice has a repeat medications policy that states that we will process all requests for prescriptions and provide a prescription within 48 hours, 2 working days if
submitted before 1pm or within 72 working hours if submitted after 1pm. For example, prescriptions requested on Friday before 13.00 will be ready for Tuesday, after 14:00 those requested after 13.00 on a Friday will be ready for Wednesday, after 14:00.

We receive large numbers of these requests on a daily basis. A request for an urgent medication is not processed in the routine way, by our Prescription Clerks, but by one of the Doctors – meaning there is less availability to a doctor for other patients. The risk of a medication prescribing error occurring also increases when requests for prescriptions are dealt with outside of the usual policy.

The practice has made a decision that unless your request falls within a certain narrow range of emergency drugs, as shown below, then your request will be processed following the repeat prescribing policy to ensure safe prescribing and to optimize access to the clinical team. There may be medical exceptions when we will breach this rule, however, these will be very rare and will not be based on your relationship with the Doctor or how long you have been registered with our practice.

The following are regarded as emergency drugs:

Palliative patients
Heart medication
Diabetic medication
Medicines for epilepsy
Salbutamol / ventolin
Anticoagulant medication

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you and appreciate that you may find this frustrating. This step has been implemented as a necessity to protect Doctors time for more clinically urgent matters and we believe this will help us to provide you with a more robust prescribing system.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Non-Emergency Medications

The following list shows categories of medicines which are NOT regarded as emergency and current medical opinion is that you will NOT suffer harm if you are without them for 48hrs.

Pain relief
Prescription following discharge from hospital
Skin creams for eczema /psoriasis/acne
Cholesterol medication
Asthma inhalers (excluding salbutamol/ventolin)
Eye drops
Oral contraceptives (The Pill )
Nutritional supplements /vitamin tablets /iron
Sleeping tablets
Antidepressants
HRT/oestrogen creams
ADHD medication
Sharps bin

Order your repeat prescription

Pharmacy services

Whetstone Medical Centre is pleased to announce its support of the local minor ailments campaign, ‘Think Pharmacy’! We clearly recognise that an effective ‘Think Pharmacy’ campaign will benefit the local health community significantly. It is important to us that patients are provided with the appropriate service as soon as is possible and we believe that this campaign will help those with ‘Minor Ailments’ to have their needs addressed at the pharmacy. An effective campaign will also help the surgery in its efforts to develop its ‘access’ to patients.

What is the ‘Think Pharmacy’ Minor Ailments Service?

The Minor Ailment Service makes it easy for you and your family to get advice and treatment for your health concerns at a time that suits you.

How much does it cost?

If you currently get free prescriptions, you won’t have to pay for your treatment. If you pay for your prescriptions, you will pay no more than the current prescription charge for each item.

How does it work?

You don’t need an appointment. You can visit any pharmacy for advice and treatment. You’ll have your free consultation with the pharmacist in a private room. The pharmacist can supply some medicines that would normally need a prescription and you won’t need to see a doctor first.

What does the service offer?

You can get advice and treatment for: