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Prescriptions
Please follow the guidelines and choose the right option for you.
Please allow us 72 hours (three working days), to process your prescription request.
We do not accept repeat prescription requests over the phone.
"Be Ready" Campaign and Your Prescriptions
You may have recently seen the UK Government’s "Be Ready" resilience campaign, which advises households to prepare for unexpected emergencies (such as severe weather, power cuts, or infrastructure disruptions). You can read the official government guidance on the GOV.UK Be Ready Website.
The national guidance suggests keeping a small, basic supply of your regular essential medications and a first-aid kit to cover a 72-hour period (3 days) of potential disruption.
We have noticed an increase in patients asking our team for extra quantities of their routine medications to stockpile. To support all our patients and keep our services running smoothly, we want to clarify the official guidance and our practice policy:
We cannot issue additional or "extra" supplies of medication
In line with strict NHS England guidelines, general practices are legally required to practice responsible prescribing. Writing multiple or extended prescriptions to allow for individual stockpiling can cause severe, artificial shortages in the national supply chain. This risks leaving other patients—who may need life-saving medication that very day—unable to access their treatments.
How the UK actually protects your medicine supply
The government does not expect or want individual households to buy or store large volumes of emergency medicine. Instead, healthcare resilience is managed at a national level:
- National Stockpiles: The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) maintains large-scale national stockpiles of critical medicines, pandemic supplies, and emergency counter-measures to deploy rapidly if needed. You can view the details of these contingency plans on the GOV.UK Medical Product Stockpiling Page.
- Wholesale Buffers: Pharmaceutical suppliers are contractually required to hold mandatory multi-week buffer stocks for the NHS to absorb temporary supply shocks.
The best way to "Be Ready" is to order on time, not in bulk
The official advice is to maintain a steady, sensible workflow for your existing prescriptions, rather than attempting to build up months of spare medicine. You can prepare safely by doing the following:
- Allow 2 Working Days for the Practice: Please ensure you allow up to 2 working days for our clinical team to process and sign off your repeat prescription requests.
- Submit Requests 5 Days Before Running Out: Because community pharmacies also need time to source and dispense your items, the government recommends submitting your request up to 5 working days before your current supply runs out.
- Keep an Up-to-Date List: Write down a physical, paper list of your regular medications, exact doses, and emergency contacts to keep in your household emergency kit.
- Use the NHS App: We highly encourage patients to order repeats via the NHS App. It operates 24/7, allows you to track the exact approval status of your request, and minimises phone queues for our surgery.
For further information and a complete emergency checklist, please visit the official GOV.UK Be Ready Emergency Checklist.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in helping us ensure a safe, fair, and steady supply of medication for our entire community.
Prescriptions Process
When you order a prescription online, you can have it sent electronically to a pharmacy of your choice. This is called a nomination.
Use Online Services
The easiest way to order your prescription is by using our online services.
In Person
You can also place your repeat prescription request in the letter box at the surgery or in Reception.
We cannot accept requests over the telephone for prescriptions unless the patient is regsitered for the housebound delivery service.
Please only order items which are listed on the right hand side of your request prescription.
Our administrators have been trained to issue prescriptions but they do not have an in depth medical knowledge so please ensure that you provide as much detail from your repeat prescription as possible.
When Will My Prescription Be Ready?
| Ordered Before 1pm | Ready For Collection |
|---|---|
| Monday | Thursday |
| Tuesday | Friday |
| Wednesday | Monday |
| Thursday | Tuesday |
| Friday | Wednesday |
| Saturday | Thursday |
| Sunday | Thursday |
Prescriptions ordered after 1pm will take an extra day.
Bank Holidays and weekends are not classed as working days so please allow extra time for your prescription to be processed
Local Pharmacy
Please arrange to collect your medication from a local Pharmacy.
Once you have requested your medication please allow 3 clear working days if you are collecting your medication from Paydens or Tesco.
Medication Reviews
Patients on repeat medication will be asked to see a doctor, nurse practitioner or practice nurse at least once a year to review these regular medications and notification should appear on your repeat slip.
Please ensure that you book an appropriate appointment to avoid unnecessary delays to further prescriptions.
Which Medicines Can I Buy Without Prescription?
Some medicines for minor illnesses can be bought over the counter without a prescription, so you can treat yourself without needing to see a GP. Find out more on the NHS website
Questions About Your Prescription
If you have questions about your medicine, your local pharmacists can answer these. They can also answer questions on medicines you can buy without a prescription.
The NHS website has information on how your medicine works, how and when to take it, possible side effects and answers to your common questions.
If you would like to speak to someone at the GP surgery about your prescription, please contact us.
Prescriptions Charges and Exemptions
Extensive exemption and remission arrangements protect those likely to have difficulty in paying charges (NHS prescription and dental charges, optical and hospital travel costs).
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.
When going abroad you can take your NHS medications with you.
Please visit the NHS website for the latest Prescription Charges
These charges apply in England only. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prescriptions are free of charge.