Pharmacy Opening times over the festive period

Pharmacy Opening times over the festive period – click here

Repeat Prescriptions

If you are on regular medication, and after consultation with your doctor, repeat medication may be requested. This can be by personal attendance at reception during opening hours, by letter, or by registereing for online services ( see link above).

If you have received your login details for SystmOnline from the practice and are logging in to SystmOnline for the first time please look at our How to Guide below:

Please note that for safety reasons we are unable to take telephone requests for repeat medication.

Please allow 2 working days before collecting the prescription from the health centre, or 3 days if you prefer to nominate a local pharmacy collect the dispensed medication from. Some of the pharmacies will provide a home delivery service for housebound and elderly patients.

Electronic Prescribing Service

This practice is set up for the electronic prescription service.

This means that for most patients we can send your prescription to your chosen chemist directly saving you having to come down to the surgery.

To get your prescription sent to your chosen pharmacy you will have to ask reception to sign up.

We would like to encourage all patients to nominate a pharmacy that we can electronically send your prescription to meaning you will not have to come back to the practice, instead you can go straight to your nominated pharmacy to collect your medication. The chemist can be one close to home, close to where you work, in the supermarket where you do your weekly shop etc.

For more information please click here

Urgent Prescriptions

The doctors have provided a list of truly urgent medications to the reception team – it is VERY short.

We can no longer accommodate patients visiting the practice, asking for an urgent prescription (unless your medication is on the list provided by the doctors) and requiring the receptionist to leave her desk and interrupt a doctor to issue the prescription. 

If you really cannot wait the standard 2-3 days for your prescription and you make your request for your prescription before 2pm, we will endeavour to accommodate your request but please note your prescription will not be ready for collection from the practice before 6pm on the day of request. 

If your request for your urgent prescription comes in to the practice after 2pm your prescription may not be ready for you until the following working day. 

Prescription Fees

Help with NHS costs

In England, around 90% of prescription items are dispensed free. This includes exemptions from charging for those on low incomes, such as:

  • those on specific benefits or through the NHS Low Income Scheme
  • those who are age exempt
  • those with certain medical conditions
  • More information is available at NHS Choices

NHS Charges

These charges apply in England only. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prescriptions are free of charge.

  • Prescription (per item): £9.35
  • 12-month prepayment certificate (PPC): £108.10
  • 3-month PPC: £30.25

If you will have to pay for four or more prescription items in three months or more than 14 items in 12 months, you may find it cheaper to buy a PPC.

  • Telephone advice and order line 0845 850 0030
  • General Public - Buy or Renew a PPC On-line

There is further information about prescription exemptions and fees on the NHS website.

Over The Counter Medicines & Gluten Free Foods

Prescriptions for Over the Counter Medication

Following the consultation the CCG’s Board has agreed to cease funding (and therefore for GPs to stop prescribing) over the counter medicines on NHS prescription for conditions that can be managed through self-care. This change became effective from 1 July 2017.

Where a treatment is needed for a long-term chronic condition or there are legal restrictions on the amount of medicine that can be purchased over the counter, then the patient's regular clinician will still be able to prescribe.

The type of medication that you might have expected to receive on prescription but that will no longer be available to you include:

  • Hayfever medication
  • Pain relief medication (such as paracetamol, ibroprufen)
  • Children’s pain relief medication (such as suspension (liquid) paracetamol, ibroprufen)

For more information please refer to http://www.miltonkeynesccg.nhs.uk/procedures-of-limited-clinical-value/ or contact MKCCG on 01908 278660

Prescriptions for Gluten Free Foods

The CCG’s Board agreed to cease prescribing gluten free foods on NHS Prescription, but a patient’s GP will be able to apply for prescription in exceptional circumstances, where they believe a patient is at real risk of dietary neglect, for whatever reason. This change became effective from 1 July 2017.

For more information please refer to http://www.miltonkeynesccg.nhs.uk/procedures-of-limited-clinical-value/ or contact MKCCG on 01908 278660

Questions About Medication

Making smart use of your time and your doctor’s time

Before telephoning the practice and asking to speak to a doctor if you have a medication query we would ask you to first contact your local chemist.

Pharmacists are much more likely to know more about medications, side effects, how/when best to take medication, contra indications and so on. The training a pharmacist undergoes is long and extensive and totally focussed on medicines, their uses, their benefits, their risks and so on.   When patients ask their doctor about a medication, the Doctor will often telephone the local pharmacist for advice.

You do not need an appointment to speak with your pharmacist and so a quick telephone call or visit direct to the chemist could save you an awful lot of time.

If however you really do need to speak with the practice about your medication you will need to use the online enquiry service (Klinik) or telehone the practice where you will need to provide the following information:

  • What is the name of the medication you would like to talk about

AND

  • Details about why you need to talk to a clinician i.e.: an overview of your concern or suspected side effect of the medication.  

The Duty Team will be informed of your request for advice. The Duty Team will review your request and decide if it is urgent for that day, or whether it can wait and be dealt with by your usual doctor when s/he is next in the practice.

You will then be contacted by email, text or telephone but it may not be the same day.