Best Health for Everyone

Prescriptions

A prescription is valid for six months from the date given on the prescription, with the exception of prescriptions for controlled drugs.

The date on the prescription can be either the date the prescription is signed by the health professional who issues it, or a date the health professional indicates the prescription should not be dispensed before. If a prescription has both of these dates, the six months runs from the later of the two dates.

Repeatable prescriptions
Repeatable prescriptions that contain directions that the same prescription may be dispensed more than once must be dispensed for the first time within six months of the date given on the prescription. After this, the repeat prescription can continue to be valid beyond six months in accordance with the directions on the prescription.

What does 28 day repeat mean?
If you are being prescribed a ‘repeat medicine’ your doctor will prescribe, in most cases, enough of each medicine you receive to last you for 28 days, i.e. 4 weeks.

For example:If you are taking 2 tablets a day you will receive 56 tablets, three tablets a day 84 tablets, four tablets a day 112 tablets etc.This means that you will be able to order all of your medicines on the same day each month as they will all run out at the same time.

What are the benefits of 28 day prescribing?
Patients will always start, (and finish) their container of medicine on the same day of the week. This will reduce the number of “emergency requests” from patients running out of medicine during a weekend.

Companies already manufacture a large number of medicines in 28 day patient calendar packs. These packs have patient information leaflets inside and ideally they should not be broken into. The government is encouraging companies to manufacture more medicines in these types of packs.

It will reduce the amount of medicine which is currently wasted when medicines are stopped or changed. (About £4 Million of medicines are wasted each year in Coventry). It will also reduce the amount which is wasted when partly filled containers are thrown away, (one study found it reduced the amount of medicine wasted by one third).

It will be easier for the doctor to review all of the repeat medicines being taken and also easier for the doctor to see if a patient is not taking any of their medicines.

It will reduce the number of mistakes made by elderly patients when they take their medicine as patients will be less likely to have multiple partly filled containers of medicine at home.

Will it cost patients more?
The vast majority of patients collecting repeat prescriptions do not pay prescription charges, or they hold a prepayment certificate and so will not pay more. If you do have to pay prescription charges and you need more than 5 prescriptions items in 4 months or 14 items in 12 months, you can save money by buying a Prescription Prepayment Certificate.

You can obtain a prepayment certificate by:
Completing the form FP95 - available from pharmacies and doctor surgeries.

Send completed forms to:
NHS Business Services Authority
PPC Issue Office
PO Box 854
Newcastle Upon Tyne,
NE99 2DE
Telephone: 0845 850 0030

Tips for patients when ordering repeat prescriptions

 

• Find out from your surgery how to order repeat prescriptions.
• It is best to use the “repeat slip” which you will find on the right hand side of your repeat prescriptions.
• Do not allow yourself to run out of medicines before you order some more.
• Discuss any worries with your doctor or pharmacist
• Ask your GP about the ‘repeat dispensing’ system
• If you have any concerns about your medicines ask for a free “medicines use review “at your local pharmacy. Your pharmacist will sit down with you for a one to one discussion about your medicines, to answer your questions and to help you understand how they work, how best to take them and to check for any side effects.
• At least every 12 months your medication should be fully reviewed by your GP to make sure they are still necessary and appropriate for you.

• GP
  GP stands for General Practitioner. GPs are family doctors.