Urgent Prescription Request Policy

Due to an increasing number of requests for repeat prescriptions to be issued urgently, we have had to review how we handle these requests in order to provide a safe and consistent service to all of our patients. Requests for prescriptions outside the normal prescription protocol impacts significantly on both Doctor and administration staff time, meaning there is less availability to a doctor for other patients and a higher risk of a prescribing error occurring. We require 3 full working days for prescriptions.

If you request an urgent repeat prescription you will need to provide a reason for your request.

Many medications can be safely missed for a few days. We will not issue urgent prescriptions for items that can be bought over the counter or for non-essential medication and you may be informed that your medication will be processed following the normal repeat prescription process. If the Doctor feels that your medication cannot be missed, the item will be issued as required. We reserve the right to withdraw the service to patients requesting urgent prescriptions on a repeated basis. 

Medications that will not be issued urgently:

• Anything that can be purchased over the counter e.g. paracetamol,  ibuprofen, emollients
• Nutritional supplements, vitamins, iron
• Statins
• Sleeping tablets
• Erectile dysfunction medication
• Skin creams
• Eye drops
• Regular painkillers
• Prescriptions following discharge from hospital and outpatient clinics (these should be provided by the hospital)

If your medication is a repeat medication, your pharmacy may be able to provide you with a short supply. This policy has been implemented as a necessity to ensure that Doctors can use the time available for clinically urgent matters.

Managing a request for an urgent prescription:

• Reception cannot process prescription request over the phone, you will be either passed onto Prescription Admin or your details may be taken to receive a call back.
• Items not on the above list will be given to the duty doctor who will issue the item at their discretion. 
• Prescription Admin to advise all patients who request urgent prescriptions of the practice policy.
• Prescription Admin will inform the registered GP by sending a task on the 3rd request for an urgent prescription.
• The registered GP will review the notes and decide on how to proceed.

Urgent prescriptions

Please note that we need 3 full working days for any prescription request. 

We are unable to meet urgent requests for repeat prescriptions unless they are for the following medications and below are examples. (The list is by no means exhaustive.)

Reliever asthma inhalers – usually blue but not always

• Salbutamol/Ipratropium Symbicort inhalers

Steroid tablets

• Prednisolone

Adrenaline auto-injectors

• Epipen/Jext/Emerade

Insulin (Diabetes)

• Novorapid/Humalog/Humulin
• Lantus/Toujeo/ Levemir/Insulatard
• Anti-psychotics
• Lithium
• Aripiprazole
• Olanzapine
• Quetiapine
• Risperidone

Beta-blockers

• Bisoprolol/Atenolol/Propranolol

Warfarin + DOAC

• Rivaroxaban
• Apixaban
• Edoxaban

Anti-Parkinson’s drugs

• Sinemet (Co-Careldopa)
• Madopar (Co-Beneldopa)
• Ropinirole

Anti-depressants

• Fluoxetine
• Sertraline
• Venlafaxine
• Mirtazapine
• Citalopram

Immunosuppressant

• Azathioprine
• Methotrexate

Strong (opioid) painkillers

• Buprenorphine patches
• Fentanyl patches
• Morphine/Oxycodone
• Palliative care medication

Anti-convulsants (Eplilepsy)

• Carbamazepine
• Gabapentin
• Lamotrigine
• Levetiracetam
• Phenytoin
• Sodium Valproate
• Topiramate