BUCKDEN and LITTLE PAXTON SURGERY : REPEAT PRESCRIBING POLICY

The following information is designed to ensure a safe and continuous supply of your medication. Please manage your medication efficiently to reduce waste and save money.

How can I reorder my repeat medication?

The best way to do this is via the internet … see reception to help you get started.

You can also order medication by ticking the item(s) that you require on your current repeat prescribing slip and then:

• placing the repeat prescribing slip in the blue box near the dispensary hatch at Buckden or in the red box on reception at Little Paxton.
• if the Surgery is closed posting the repeat slip through / in the letter box 
• posting the repeat prescribing slip to Buckden Surgery
• telephoning Buckden Surgery and leaving your request on the Dispensary Repeat Prescription answer machine, please try to speak as clearly as possible and start by giving your patient number. (this is not the best method and should only be used if you are unable to use one of the other methods)
• Non-dispensing patients may leave their repeat slip at a Pharmacy with whom they are registered, and with whom we have a collection service.

Please order your medication yourself rather than asking the Pharmacy to do this automatically for you – this is to try to reduce wastage.

Please only order the items that you require, mark these with a tick.

Please do not request any items other than those on your repeat slip.

When can I pick up my medication / prescription?

Please allow at least 48 hours for us to process your repeat prescription (excluding weekends and Bank Holidays)

Dispensing patients can collect their medication from the Dispensary at Buckden.

Monday - Wednesday 8am – 6pm, Thursday 8am-1pm, Friday 8am – 5pm.

Non –dispensing patients can pick up their prescription from the dispensary at Buckden or reception at Little Paxton as appropriate. Those patients registered with a pharmacy, may collect their medication from their registered Pharmacy. Please note the Pharmacist will also require some time to order / prepare your medication.

Who can pick up my medication / prescription?

You must be 16 years of age or older to collect a repeat prescription unless the medication is specifically for yourself in which case you must be 14 or over.

You may get someone to collect your medication on your behalf provided they are 16 or over. If you collect on behalf of someone else you will need to be aware as to whether they pay for their prescriptions or not.

If you do not pay for your prescription it helps us if you can show us some evidence when you pick up your prescription.

Can I have something that is not on my repeat slip?

We normally recommend that you book an appointment to see the Doctor or Nurse Practitioner, in this instance. However, if it is a medication that has previously been prescribed by a Doctor then it may be possible to leave a request at reception for your usual Doctor. Please note this request will take longer than 48 hours to process, and the Doctor may still need to see you.

Please do not request these items via the dispensary.

How much medication will I get at one time?

The Practice policy is to issue 28 days medication at one time whenever reasonable. Part of the reason for this is to reduce wastage and improve safety.

I pay for my prescriptions and they are expensive

Medical Exemption certificates are available for specified medical conditions. If you are not exempt many people who have more than one regular item per month find it cheaper to buy a Prescription Prepayment certificate lasting 4 or 12 months. Our Dispensary staff should be able to advise you on these matters.

What does the medication review date mean?

It is essential for your welfare that we review your medication on a regular basis to ensure safe prescribing. The review date is set such that around this time you must book a routine appointment with your usual Doctor for the specific purpose of reviewing your medication. (Please book another appointment if you wish to see your Doctor about other medical matters). This will normally be once a year for most people although for those aged over 75 or those with 4 or more items on their repeat slip it is recommended that your medication is reviewed twice a year. 

Where appropriate a medication review can be done by a telephone appointment.

If you require medication after your medication review date has passed this may take more than 48 hours to arrange as the dispensers will need to liaise with your usual Doctor to authorise your prescription. If your review date is more than 2 months overdue we may not issue your medication until a review has taken place. In the unusual and exceptional circumstances of your review being significantly overdue we may need to issue you with limited quantities of essential medication only until this can be reviewed.

Even if you attend the hospital for monitoring of your medical condition you are still required to attend the Surgery for a review of your medication. The Dr who issues / signs the prescription takes responsibility for it.

I’ve recently registered and need to obtain some repeat medication

Welcome, you will need to book an appointment to see one of the Doctors (as well as a registration check with the Nurse or Health Care Assistant) to authorise a repeat prescribing slip for you. However, in an emergency if you have evidence such as your repeat prescribing slip from your previous Surgery of the medication that you require then the dispensary can usually arrange for you to have some initial supplies if you give us 48 hours notice. It is essential that we have some form of written evidence before we dispense your medication.

Please try to note all your medication on your new patient form. When you attend your appointment with the Doctor, it is helpful if you can bring your medication with you or the latest repeat prescribing slip from your previous surgery.

The hospital have prescribed some medication and I need to continue taking it

We should receive confirmation of this from the hospital and can therefore amend your repeat slip accordingly; however, sometimes there are delays in communication from the hospital. If you need some more medication and can present some form of written evidence of the name, strength and dose of your medication to the dispensary we will try and arrange to obtain further supplies for you. Please give us as much notice as reasonably possible in this instance.

Please note that we do not fax nor post prescriptions, except in very rare circumstances and not at all for Schedule 2 and 3 Controlled Drugs

I no longer need / my dose has changed on some of my repeat medication

Please let the Doctor or Nurse Practitioner know at your medication review appointment.

Buckden and Little Paxton Surgery Dec 2016

Dispensing

All medicines can be dispensed from Buckden surgery to patients living more than one mile from a pharmacy. WE OFFER A DELIVERY SERVICE FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO COLLECT THEIR MEDICATION FROM US DIRECTLY; please enquire at the dispensary. The Health Service Regulations on this matter are very strict and this service can only be offered to those patients who register as dispensing when they join the practice or move house. For further information, please telephone the surgery and a member of our dispensary staff will be pleased to answer your enquiries. Non dispensing patients who have multiple medical problems with disabilities can get special permission to have their medication dispensed to them from the surgery; please enquire at the dispensary.