How does our repeat prescription process work?

 

Three different types of medication/drugs that can be on a repeat script are shown below.

Some are straightforward and need relatively little clinical monitoring, others may need regular reviews and tests.

Type 1 - Medication that does not need any blood or other physical tests such as BP.

  • It can be set up on a repeat prescription and authorised for 12 months, with a clinician review based around patient date of birth.
  • Each prescription will be for 56 days. 
  • If no change is needed/no concerns, the repeat prescription will be reauthorised for a further year without any patient involvement. 
  • However, if anything needs further investigation, the GP will organise for the patient to be contacted and/or an appointment to be arranged.

Type 2 - Some medication needs annual reviews following blood tests, BP monitoring etc.  

  • The patient will be invited to a have the necessary blood tests etc.  The dates of tests will be based around date of birth, wherever possible. 
  • If following the annual review test results, no change is needed/no concerns, the repeat prescription will be reauthorised for a further year without any further patient involvement.
  • Each prescription will be for 56 days. 
  • However, if anything needs further investigation, the GP will organise for the patient to be contacted and/or an appointment to be arranged before a repeat prescription can be reorganised for the following year.

Type 3 - Some drugs need more regular blood tests (3 or 6 months) before the repeat prescription can be renewed.

  • In addition, sometimes hospital consultants may be involved in decisions regarding prescribing. 
  • It is essential that patients attend for their blood tests to allow repeat prescribing to continue smoothly.

FAQs

1. Why is my medicine/drug not set up as a repeat?

  • It may be something that you may not use every day/week, so needs to be requested as and when you need it.
  • When you are prescribed a new medicine, the GP may not set it up on repeat immediately, until it they are happy that it is suitable for you.  Once you are using the drug regularly, the doctor can approve it being on repeat.
  • It may be an acute prescription, not suitable for repeat.

2. When can I reorder my repeat medication?

  • In normal circumstances, you will not be able to place your next request for a repeat prescription until 2 weeks before the prescription runs out.
  • If there are exceptional circumstances (such as long holiday), you can make this known to the receptionist, who will liaise with medical staff to look at an earlier issue of your medication.

3. What happens if I do not attend reviews for bloods tests etc?

  • We will not normally completely stop your medication, but the length of time covered by your prescription will reduce the longer you do not attend your appointment for blood tests etc. so, 56 days will reduce to 28, then 14 , then 7 days.  
  • For certain medication such as controlled drugs, we may need to stop prescribing entirely until you attend the necessary appointments.

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