Prescriptions

If your doctor has advised that you need to continue your medications, it will put on a repeat prescription. You will need to monitor how much you have left and request 10 days before you run out if you need more.
You can request your medication in a number of ways
– via our online request form
– via Patient Access (forms are held at the surgery to sign up for this)
– NHS App (Anyone can download via android or iOS)
– Via the practice email – medication.thecambridge@nhs.net
Due to safety reasons, we cannot accept telephone requests for repeat prescriptions.
You will need to nominate a pharmacy for us to send the prescription electronically – we no longer routinely print the prescriptions out.

Prescription collection processing times
From the time we receive the prescription request, we aim to issue the prescription (i.e. send to the nominated pharmacy) within 10 working days.

*PLEASE NOTE* Prescriptions posted to Lower Farnham Road branch surgery will take 1 extra day to be processed

Please see the table below to work out how long it could take for your prescription to be issued.

Time medication requested via NHS app / email Friday afternoon – Monday morning Monday afternoon – Tuesday morning Tuesday afternoon – Wednesday morning Wednesday afternoon – Thursday morning Thursday afternoon – Friday morning
Expected time prescription will be issued by Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
ADD 1 EXTRA DAY IF PRESCRIPTION REQUEST HAS BEEN LEFT AT LOWER FARNHAM ROAD

If the repeat is handled via a Pharmacy then you will need to liaise with your nominated Pharmacy as to how long it takes for them to send us the request.

Please note that the Pharmacy will need time to dispense your prescription. Please check with the pharmacy how long it takes for them to get repeat prescriptions ready.

MEDICATION SYNCHRONISATION
If you have more than one medication, and you have to request them at different times, you may benefit from our medication synchronisation service. You will need to count up all the tablets you have and fill in a medication synchronisation form. Please ask to speak with a prescription clerk, or visit your pharmacy, if you would like help with this.

URGENT PRESCRIPTION REQUESTS

Please see the tab on the left for more information and the urgent request form

A request is only deemed urgent if you have run out of medication on the day and the medication is required the same day. You must fill out a form and the reason for an urgent request must always be stated. Urgent requests will not be processed without an accompanying form.
Medications we will not issue and urgent prescription for:
• Medicines that can be purchased over-the-counter
• Statins
• Z-drugs e.g. Zolpidem/Zopiclone
• Antidiabetic medication (with the exception of insulin and sulphonureas)
• Contraceptive Pill

Medications that will be considered as part of an urgent request:
• Inhalers for any respiratory condition
• Antidepressants
• Medications for epilepsy
• Warfarin and other anticoagulants
• Palliative care medication
• Anti-psychotics
• Insulin
• Adrenaline
• GTN
• Prednisolone and other corticosteroids

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and requests will be considered individually.

Once the form is submitted it is at the clinicians discretion to decide whether the medication is deemed urgent or not. If it is issued you will be notified.

FAQ
Where is my prescription?

Was the request definitely handed in or submitted correctly? Any email submitted to the practice generates an automatic reply. If you did not get one you may not have sent the request to the wrong email address.

Are you chasing your prescription too early? Most requests are processed within 72 hours.
If it has been processed through the pharmacy, or it has been left at Lower Farnham Road Branch surgery it could take an extra working day to reach the prescriptions team.

Is the medication requested one that hasn’t been requested for some time? If so, we might be running some extra checks before it can be issued.

Do we have your correct contact details? There might be an issue with the prescription request, but we may be unable to contact you. Please ensure we have an up to date mobile number – we can often contact you quicker and easier using texts.

Is the medication out of stock? Different pharmacies use different suppliers and we don’t always know who has what in stock. Sometimes we are asked to provide an alternative, or an alternative dose which takes time to be communicated both ways.

Why has my medication been rejected?
We will endeavour to contact you if there is a problem with your prescription request, and what the reason is.

At the practice we are bound by certain rules and regulations to ensure that medications are being prescribed safely. These regulations often come from the latest research and NHS England, so we may have to discuss these medications with you again, even if you have been taking them for many years.