Repeat Prescriptions

Please note: AT THE DOCTORS REQUEST - Reception staff are NOT allowed to take prescription requests over the telephone.  Please bring your request into the surgery in writing and allow 48 hours, excluding weekends and Bank Holidays, for your request to be processed. There is a box for these just inside the main door or you can use the post box (to the left of the main door) when we are closed.

Alternatively you can request your medication via online services - please speak to reception.

ORDERING REPEAT ITEMS ON LINE  

Visit our website www.westoaksurgery.co.uk   (and click on the 'online services' tab). 

Access to this facility is strictly at the discretion of the Practice and can be denied or withdrawn by us at any time.

Your online request should be automatically acknowledged but you still need to allow 48 hours for collection. 

The facility is for straight forward authorised ‘repeat’ items only – these items will appear on screen in the website once you have logged on.  Any other requests e.g. in the message box will not be issued.

 Non–repeat items . -  If it is an item that you have regularly then the Doctor may issue it - please free type in the message box if ordering online. Please be aware that the Doctor may not issue - contact the surgery to check before collection

 Password Security  - We do not know your password and it is your responsibility to prevent access by others into your prescribing record.   If you lose your password we can deny access to your record and issue another enrolment form.  Under these circumstances you should speak to reception in the first instance.

 Patients under 12 – We will allow parents to register for repeat prescription access for children under the age of 12    If a teenager aged between 12-16 requests a password, this will be at the discretion of a GP.   Access will be removed when child reaches the age of 12 and they will need to apply in person themselves.

Changes to over the counter medications on prescription for minor illnesses.

From Wednesday 1 March 2017, we will be limiting prescriptions of over the counter (OTC) medicines for minor ailments.

 This decision was made after looking at feedback from clinicians and the findings of a six week patient engagement campaign undertaken by the South Nottinghamshire CCGs (Nottingham North and East, Nottingham West and Rushcliffe).

These plans mean that instead of receiving OTC products (such as paracetamol or ibuprofen) for short-term, self-limiting conditions (see leaflet below) on prescription, patients will be encouraged to self care and buy their own from their local pharmacy.

Rather than visiting their GP, most people can take care of themselves when they have a minor ailment through a combination of self care and OTC medicines, which can be bought in supermarkets and shops as well as in pharmacies.

 Please note that:

• There are no plans to limit OTC medicines for people with long-term conditions
• GPs will be able to prescribe in circumstances of clinical need
• If symptoms persist, please book a GP appointment

There are lots of benefits to self care: Expert advice to support you. Pharmacists can offer expert advice on a wide range of illnesses and you don’t need to make an appointment. Your consultation will be confidential and discreet.

Save yourself time - There’s no need to wait for a GP appointment - a lot of pharmacies are open late and at the weekend.

Save your GP time - Choosing to self care can free up more GP time so they can spend more time with patients with more complex conditions.

 Save the NHS money - In 2015, practices across the South Nottinghamshire area (excluding Nottingham City), spent £1,966,265 on prescribing over the counter medicines. Many of these items are low cost and available from the pharmacist, and some are even available from your local shops and supermarkets. The money spent on those prescriptions, for minor illnesses, could be spent on treating more serious conditions.

Download the leaflet

For more information go to the Nottingham North and East CCG website

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.

Re: HAYFEVER MEDICATION REQUESTS

Due to recent published guidelines from NHS England, we are no longer able to prescribe over the counter hayfever treatments such as tablets, eye drops or nasal sprays for the treatment of hayfever. Guidance is to seek advice from the pharmacy before booking a GP appointment. This is because the GP appointment could be unnecessary.

Hayfever medications can be bought from any local pharmacy or supermarkets for a reasonable cost. Please see the link below for further information regarding this:-

https://www.england.nhs.uk/medicines/over-the-counter-items-which-should-not-routinely-be-prescribed

If patients are entitled to free NHS prescriptions - you can visit any pharmacy that is part of the "pharmacy first" scheme and they MAY be able to supply you with hayfever medicaction at no charge. In our local area, please note that Westdale Pharmacy is not a "pharmacy first" chemist, but most others in the area are. If you are unsure of this scheme please speak to the pharmacist or we have a leaflet in the surgery that you are welcome to collect.

HOSPITAL PRESCRIPTIONS AND PRESCRIPTIONS ISSUED BY A PRIVATE HOSPITAL / CONSULTANT

Please note that with immediate effect we are not able to transfer hospital prescriptions or scripts from private consultants, onto NHS prescriptions to be issued from the surgery.  If you have been given a prescription by the hospital it is important that you wait and collect this from the hospital pharmacy.  Please do not bring to the surgery for us to issue here.  This is due to the fact that some items are only available for issue by the hospital and not available in general practice. Also if the paper is handwritten it is not always easy to interpret what is being prescribed and errors can be made.  Again if you have an appointment to see a consultant privately - we cannot convert the script to an NHS prescription, should they issue one. Please take the private prescription directly to your pharmacy.