Prescriptions

Please note – As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, prescriptions can no longer be collected from the Surgery and will be sent directly to Southam Pharmacy unless you have requested otherwise.

The best way to request a repeat prescription is Online. Our Online Services can help you request repeat medication at your convenience with automated delivery of your prescription to your preferred pharmacy.

Alternatively you can call the practice between 10-13:00 hrs.

If you have Online Services account, please login to request a repeat prescription. If you do not yet have an online account, please register using one of the services below.

Note: The NHS App allows you to get registered without the need to visit the practice

NHS App

FAQs

What is Electronic Prescribing Service?

The Electronic Prescribing Service allows surgeries to be linked electronically to pharmacies around the country.

The service allows the transfer of your prescription details between the Practice and your Chemist once your request has been approved by your GP. This will save time as you will not need to collect the prescription yourself or wait for the daily Pharmacy collection service.

Please note that not all prescriptions can be sent electronically and you will be informed if this is the case.

Please speak to a member of the prescription team if you would like to sign up for EPS.

Which is the local chemist for the practice?

Southam Pharmacy, the local chemist makes collections from the Surgery once or twice per day. Please let us know if you would like your prescriptions sent there.

Please discuss with the chemist if you require your medications to be delivered directly to your home. There is a fee for this and it is at the discretion of the pharmacy about whether they are able to offer this service.

Do I need to Register every time I request a prescription?

No, this only needs to be done the first time that you use the service. When collecting login details please bring a form of ID with you

Will I receive an email confirming receipt of my request?

No, you will not receive an email, but the system stores a history of everything you ordered.

Can I use my email address for more than one family member?

To keep patient's records secure each patient will need their own login and password.

Why can I not see all my medication on the repeat medication list?

The doctor who prescribed your medication will decide whether it will be listed as a repeat medication on your records. This is a safety issue to ensure you are reviewed appropriately before any further medication is prescribed for you. If it is appropriate for you to order further prescriptions of the medication online it will be available for you to see and order when you login.

How long will my prescription take to be issued?

We do ask that you allow 2 working days for prescription requests.

Mondays and Fridays are very busy days for the prescription team due to the volume of patients that order on these days. If possible, please try to spread your requests throughout the week.

Urgent Prescription Requests

Although we try to accommodate patients who require an emergency supply of medication at short notice this is not always possible.

It is your responsibility to make sure you submit your medication requests to us in good time. This is particularly important if you need an assessment such as a blood pressure recording or bloods before these can be issued.

Medication without prescriptions

There are 35 conditions which can be treated at home with the advice of pharmacies. You can get Over the Counter medications from them without a prescription. Please check the Pharmacy section for details.

Blister Packs

Medical compliance aids such as Blister packs are a way of organising patient prescriptions in those who struggle to remember to take their medications. Blister packs contain designated sealed compartments, or spaces for medicines to be taken at particular times of the day.

These aids are typically organised by the local pharmacy, please speak with them for details. Please note that the provision of these aids is at the discretion of the pharmacy and Southam Surgery has no control over whether this service will be offered.

Common reasons why prescriptions are not issued

Sometimes the GP will not issue a request for a prescription.

Common reasons that a prescription might be declined:

You have requested a medication that has never been given to you before by this surgery
You have requested your repeat prescription too soon (If you are requesting your prescriptions early then please give a reason for this)
You have requested an item which is not usually given as a repeat prescription or you have not requested it within the last year.
Requesting antibiotics unless you have rescue antibiotics which have been agreed with the GPs at the surgery previously.
You have not been seen by the GP or nurse and need to have routine monitoring such as blood pressure or blood tests before we can safely issue your prescription.

Decisions about whether prescriptions are issued, or not, are made by the GPs not by the reception or administration team. Therefore, do not take out your frustration on these members of the team if your prescription wasn’t issued.

Normally, the prescription team is able to tell you why your prescription declined and can give further advice about what you need to do before the prescription can be issued. Please check at the reception for details.

Coventry and Warwickshire Formulary

In the Coventry and Warwickshire area we have to prescribe from a carefully selected list of medications in line with local policies. This is known as a formulary which provides the best evidence of efficacy, safety and cost effectiveness to the NHS.

From time to time we may need to change your prescribed medication to meet the requirements of the Coventry and Warwickshire formulary. On these occasions we would contact you to inform of these changes.

Sometimes we are asked to prescribe medications which are either restricted to the local hospital formulary or are not on either the local hospital or GP formulary. Under these circumstances it is not always possible to prescribe these medications. We understand that this can be very frustrating for patients but we need to ensure that all patients are treated fairly. In these sorts of situations, the medication will not normally be prescribed by the General Practitioner on the NHS. The alternative is either that the medication is prescribed on the NHS by the secondary care consultant (if it was their recommendation and it is in line with the hospital formulary) or privately either by General Practice or the secondary care consultant.

In certain circumstances, we will seek advice from the Coventry and Warwickshire Area Prescribing Committee Medicines Management Team about whether we should prescribe certain medications.

Prescriptions Charges and Exemptions

The NHS prescription charge is a flat-rate amount which successive Governments have thought it reasonable to charge for those who can afford to pay for their medicines. Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) offer real savings for people who need extensive medication

From 1st April 2021, the charges are:

Prescription (per item): £9.35
12-month prepayment certificate (PPC): £108.10 or 10 months direct debit of £10.81
3-month PPC: £30.25

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 or NHSBSA website.

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