Prescriptions

It is the patient’s responsibility to make sure that they request their repeat prescription in a timely manner so that they do not run out of their medications.

Urgent requests for medication will only be considered for the medications below:

• Inhalers
• Epilepsy medication – eg sodium valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine, levetiracetam, topiramate
• Insulin
• GTN spray
• Blood thinners – eg. warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, clexane, clopidogrel
• Water tablets – furosemide and bumetanide
• Hydrocortisone tablets or long term prednisolone tablets
• Epipen, Jext or Emerade (or similar auto-injectable adrenaline preparations)
• Medication for Parkinson’s Disease – eg. Sinimet, Madopar, Stalevo, co-careldopa, co-beneldopa
• Antipychotics – eg. Amisulpride, aripiprazole, clozapine, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine and risperidone
• Contraceptives

Urgent prescriptions will be sent electronically to the patient’s nominated pharmacy by 5:30pm on weekdays.

No other medications will be treated as ‘urgent’. This is a decision made by the GP partners to ensure safe prescribing. The reception team cannot override this decision.

Emergency supply from pharmacists

All patients can obtain a short emergency supply of prescription medications from a registered retail pharmacy. They will need to be seen face-to-face, will need proof of identity and proof that they have received the medicines they are requesting before on prescription. There will be a charge for this as it is not an NHS service. Further information can be found at Emergency prescriptions – NHS.

Over the counter medication

In line with the latest NHS guidance, we will be phasing out the prescribing of common medication available cheaply over the counter in pharmacies unless needed for a defined long-term medical condition. This will include paracetamol, Calpol, medication for diarrhoea and constipation and medication for head lice.

Further information can be found at Medicines information – NHS.

What are multi-compartment compliance aids and when may they be used?

Multi-compartment compliance aids, commonly known as blister packs or dosette boxes are containers that are filled by your community pharmacy. They are one of a range of support options available from your local community pharmacy to help you manage your medicines and should only be used for people who get the most benefit from them and not for carers to give you your medications.

A number of medicines are not suitable to be added to an MCA box, as removing the medicine from its original packaging, is not recommended as the medication may ‘go off’ e.g., may become less active/effective or possibly dangerous to you, or there are risks to a person handling it when it has been removed. Also, if your prescription changes and you have not finished your MCA pack, it is difficult to amend it. You may get confused and take the wrong medicines.

How do I get a dossette box?

The Community Pharmacist who dispenses your medicines will need to assess your situation to determine whether you may benefit from a dosette box or other support. The decision is not up to the GP Practice, social care or any other agency.

To make this decision, your Community Pharmacist is expected to undertake an assessment with you. This includes questions about:

• your medicines
• your eye sight
• your ability to open medicines from their container
• your memory regarding ordering and taking your medicines and if this is affected by physical or mental impairment or disability.

These questions will support the Community Pharmacist to determine whether you may be covered under the Equality Act (2010) which legally requires Pharmacies to make reasonable adjustments if appropriate. Reasonable adjustments can include: use of large print labels, provision of non-clicklock caps, medication reminder charts, dosette boxes.

What other options are available to help me with my medicines?

There are many options that might be helpful for you if you need help with your medicines. Please ask your community pharmacy about these. Some examples that may be available from your local pharmacy include:

• large print labels if you have difficulty reading labels
• charts that list your medicines so you can record when you take them
• ‘Easy open’ caps if you have difficulty opening child-resistant medicine caps.

Will I be charged if I am offered support with my medicines?

Historically dosette boxes were supplied free of charge to anyone requesting one but this became unsustainable and too expensive for Pharmacies.

Now the only requirement for a dosette box to be supplied free of charge is if you qualify under the Equality Act (2010) and if a dosette box is deemed the most appropriate reasonable adjustment by the Community Pharmacist.

To qualify under the Equality Act (2010) for a reasonable adjustment, a person is regarded as having a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial adverse effect on that person’s ability to carry out day to day activities. Additionally, the impairment must be either long term (lasted more than 12 months) or is likely to last more than 12 months or for the rest of the person’s life (for example multiple sclerosis). 

For those who do not qualify under the Equality Act (2010), Community Pharmacies can decide to charge for the supply of a dosette box as a ‘private transaction’ or may not offer this as a private service. This fee varies between participating Pharmacies and is beyond the GP Practice’s control.

My Pharmacy says “We do not do dosette boxes”

As detailed above, Pharmacies are legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments for those who qualify under the Equality Act (2010). Pharmacies are therefore responsible for completing an assessment for you if a medicine compliance need has been identified to determine whether you qualify.

Pharmacies should not say they do not do dosette boxes as a blanket rule without any individual assessment.  If this is happening, you should address this legal obligation with the Responsible Pharmacist/ Pharmacy Manager at the branch or head office.

My Pharmacy has stopped my dosette box- what do I do?

The Pharmacist should have assessed your situation to determine whether you qualify under the Equality Act (2010) for any reasonable adjustments before stopping your dosette box. If this has not happened, you should request this assessment from your Community Pharmacist.

If you do not qualify under the Equality Act for a free dosette box, your Pharmacist should advise you about alternative ways to manage your medicines or may offer you a dosette box and charge for this as part of a private service.

Complaints

If you don’t feel that you have been assessed in the way that has been described, please contact the Community Pharmacy in question and ask to speak to the Pharmacist or Manager and if necessary as a last resort, ask about their Complaints Procedure.

Prescriptions for patients traveling out of the country

By law, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for the medical care of patients when they leave the UK. People traveling within Europe are advised to carry an authorised European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) at all times and this gives entitlement to reduced cost (and sometimes free) medical treatment. Patients should be advised to check specific entitlements prior to travel.

• For patients who will be out of the country for less than 3 months, it is reasonable to provide sufficient medicines for an existing condition (i.e. asthma, diabetes)
• GPs are not required by their terms of service to provide prescriptions for the treatment of a condition that is not present and may arise while the patient is abroad. Persons who have left the UK, or who are intending to leave the UK, for more than 3 months are not normally allowed to continue to be registered with a practice.

For more information visit Travel Health Pro.