Repeat Prescriptions

If you forget to obtain a prescription for repeat medication and thus run out of important medicines, you may be able to get help from your Pharmacy. Under the Urgent Provision of Repeat Medication Service, Pharmacists may be able to supply you with a further cycle of a previously repeated medicine, without having to get a prescription from your GP. 

If you have run out of important medication, telephone your usual Pharmacy to check that they offer this service; if they don’t, they may either direct you to another Pharmacy who does provide it, or ask you to phone 111 where you can request details of a local Pharmacy that provides the service.

You must then take with you to the relevant Pharmacy, proof of both your identification and of your medication (for example, your repeat prescription list or the empty box which should have your details printed on it). Please note that controlled drugs and antibiotics are not provided through this service, you will need to ring 111 for these.

If you receive stoma products from your Pharmacy or other supplier and/or receive items such as continence products, please ensure you have sufficient supplies as you may encounter difficulties in obtaining these over Bank Holidays, or when the Surgery is closed.

You can post your prescription slip or written request to us at the Practice. You must include a stamped addressed envelope for return by post if you will not be able to pick up your prescription from the Surgery (please allow extra time for any possible delays with the postal service).

Please note that at present we are asking you not to order or collect your repeat prescriptions in person. You must either order online, by post, or have a pharmacy order and collect on your behalf.

Pharmacies offer a prescription collection service from our Practice. They can also order your medication on your behalf. This saves you time and unnecessary visits to the Practice. Please contact the Pharmacy of your choice for more information if you wish to use this service.

Please note that Lindsay & Gilmour pharmacies will be operating reduced hours as follows:

10.00am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 5.00pm

We do not accept repeat prescription requests over the telephone unless you are housebound or over the age of 80.

Each year 25% of the population visit their GP for a respiratory tract infection (eg sinus, throat or chest infection). These are usually caused by viruses.

For patients who are otherwise healthy, antibiotics are not necessary for viral infections.

These infections will normally clear up by looking after yourself at home with rest, plenty of fluids and paracetamol.

Ear infections typically last 4 days

89% of cases clear up on their own

A sore throat typically lasts 7 days

40% of cases clear up after 3 days and 90% after 7 days without antibiotics

Sinusitis typically lasts 17 days

80% clear up in 14 days without antibiotics

Cough/bronchitis typically lasts 21 days

Antibiotics reduce symptoms by only 1 day

Antibiotics only work for infections caused by bacteria.

Taking unnecessary antibiotics for viral infections should be avoided because they may not be effective next time you have a bacterial infection.

The NHS Chronic Medication Service is a voluntary service for people with long-term conditions. It’s available at all community pharmacies across Scotland.

You can only use this service if you’ve registered with a community pharmacy.

When you are discharged from Hospital you should normally receive seven days supply of medication.

On receipt of your discharge medication, which will be issued to you by the Hospital, please contact the Surgery to provide them with this information before your supply of medication has run out.

Hospital requests for change of medication will be checked by a prescribing clinician first, and if necessary a prescribing clinician will provide you with a prescription on request. 

Specialists will often suggest particular medication at a hospital appointment and ask us to prescribe for you. To ensure your safety we do need to receive written information from the specialist before prescribing. Sometimes a medicine is suggested that is not in our local formulary. There is nearly always a close alternative, and specialists are told that we sometimes make suitable substitutions when you are referred. We will always let you know if this is the case.

The Doctors at the Practice regularly review the medication you are taking. This may involve changes to your tablets and is in accordance with current Health Authority policies. Please be reassured that this will not affect your treatment. We may sometimes call you in for a medication review and this may involve blood tests. It is very important that you attend these appointments, as it keeps you safe whilst taking medication.

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Non-repeat prescriptions, known as ‘acute’ prescriptions are medicines that have been issued by the Doctor but not added to your repeat prescription records. This is normally a new medication issued for a trial period, and may require a review visit with your Doctor prior to the medication being added onto your repeat prescription records.

Some medications are recorded as acute as they require to be closely monitored by the Doctor. Examples include many anti-depressants, drugs of potential abuse or where the prescribing is subject to legal or clinical restrictions or special criteria. If this is the case with your medicine, you may not always be issued with a repeat prescription until you have consulted with your Doctor again.

You can use NHS Pharmacy First Scotland if you are registered with a GP practice in Scotland or you live in Scotland.

Conditions you can get help for

Your pharmacist can advise you about conditions such as:

• Acne
• Allergies
• Athlete’s foot
• Backache
• Blocked or runny nose
• Cold sores
• Constipation
• Cough
• Cystitis (in women)
• Diarrhoea
• Earache
• Eczema
• Headache
• Headlice
• Haemorrhoids (piles)
• Hay fever
• Impetigo
• Indigestion
• Mouth ulcers
• Pain
• Period pain
• Shingles
• Some skin conditions such as cellulitis or insect bites
• Sore throat
• Threadworms
• Thrush
• Urinary tract infections (UTI’s)
• Verrucas
• Warts

You may have noticed that the label on your painkiller medicine says: “May cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinery. Avoid alcoholic drink.”

Your doctor or nurse may also have discussed side effects of your painkillers with you.gen

Strong painkillers (or opioids) affect each person in a different way. They can make some people drowsy and reactions can be slower than usual. This may be worse if you take other medicines that cause drowsiness or if you drink alcohol. If you are someone who drives you may be wondering if it is safe for you to drive. The following information will help you to decide.

• You must not drive if you feel sleepy
• You must not drive after drinking alcohol or taking strong drugs which have not been prescribed or recommended by your doctor for example, cannabis.
• You must not drive if you start taking other drugs that cause sleepiness, either prescribed by your doctor or bought from the chemist for example, hay fever medicine.
• You must not drive on days where you have had to take extra (breakthrough or rescue) doses of a strong painkiller.

Under NHS legislation the NHS ceases to have responsibility for people when they leave the UK. However, if you are going to be travelling abroad and need medication for a stable pre-existing health condition, your GP may prescribe you with up to 3 months medication if they deem this medically appropriate. When determining the appropriate prescription for you, your GP needs to take into account how long you need to continue your medication for and how often your treatment needs to be reviewed, so you may be prescribed with less than the 3 months supply.

If you are going to be abroad for longer than 3 months, you will need to make arrangements to obtain a supply of medication at your destination. You can do this by either registering with a doctor in the country you are visiting, or buying the medication from a pharmacist while you are away.

Patients sometimes request a prescription for medication they think they may need when abroad, for example in case they get diarrhoea, a reaction to mosquito bites, or if their period might be due. Depending on the circumstances of the request, a GP may or may not agree to prescribe medication in these situations. If the GP does agree to prescribe medication, this will always be deemed a private prescription, and the medication will have to be paid for at the pharmacy.

Patients on Methadone

To take more than 500 mls or 15 days supply out of the United Kingdom, patients require a Home Office licence. This needs to be applied for at least 7 days before travelling. The address to which applications should be sent (stating dates of travel, form of medication, daily dose and total amount going out of the country) is:

Home Office, Drugs Licensing Section, Room 315, Horseferry House, Dean Ryle Street, London SW1P 2AW.

Patients intending to take less than 500 mls out of the country are advised to carry a letter from their GP confirming that they are in possession of the medication for legitimate medical purposes. Patients should note that there will be a charge for this letter, as the provision of this is not covered by the NHS.

Taking the above steps enables patients to take methadone out of the United Kingdom. However, patients must be aware that this does not necessarily give them the right to take it into the country they are visiting. Patients must check with the embassy or consulate of the country (or countries) they are visiting before departure to find out what restrictions may apply – and should be aware that this may take a long time!