Medicines and prescription information for patients
People in Calderdale must order repeat prescription directly from your GP surgery . Pharmacies, online pharmacies and suppliers of medical appliances cannot order repeat prescriptions on your behalf.
Prescription medication can be ordered from your GP by:
- your GP’s online ordering service (if available through your practice), either by computer or a smartphone application
- by handing in the white, tear-off part of your repeat prescription to your surgery
- by letter
For more information you can speak to your GP practice staff or pharmacist.
This approach to prescribing:
- Reduces medicines wastage from orders that are not required by patients.
- Reduces NHS spending on prescribing of unwanted medicines.
- Reduces the potential for stockpiling medicines and the associated risks.
- Reduces GP practice and community pharmacy workload, so ore time can be spent consulting with people who need medical care and advice.
- Empowers patients to be in control of their own medicines.
- Promotes effective repeat prescribing systems including use of online ordering, Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) and repeat dispensing systems including Electronic Repeat Dispensing (ERD).
Frequently asked questions
How do I order my repeat prescription?
Patients should order their repeat prescriptions when they have 7-10 days of medication left, by:
- using GP online services or downloading the ‘SystmOnline’ or ‘Patient Access’ (depending which clinical system your practice uses) app onto your mobile phone or tablet device
- handing in the tear-off part of their repeat prescription to your GP surgery
- writing a letter to your GP surgery
Do I have to collect my repeat prescription from the GP surgery and then take it to a pharmacy myself in order to obtain my medicines?
No, the only aspect that will be changing is how your repeat prescriptions are ordered.
Pharmacies that collect prescriptions from GP practices will still do so and those who deliver medication to your door if required will continue to do so.
How do I order prescriptions online if I have never done so?
You will need to contact your GP practice in the first instance; they will provide you with details of how to set up online services.
You will also be able to book GP appointments online.
How can somebody else order repeat prescriptions on my behalf?
If you provide consent to your GP practice, family members, carers and care home managers will be able to request access to online services on your behalf.
This will enable you to nominate someone to assist with the online ordering process if required. For more information about this please speak to your GP practice.
Can I order repeat prescriptions for my child(ren)?
Parents can be given proxy access to their child’s online record which would allow them to order repeat prescriptions online.
Ask your GP practice for further information.
What if I forget to order my repeat prescription and the GP practice is closed?
GP practices usually take two working days to generate a prescription. Once a repeat request has been made by a patient/pharmacy, this will still apply.
However, ordering online provides more flexibility and enables patients to order medication outside GP opening hours.
If you have run out of your medication and your GP practice is closed, you should contact your usual community pharmacist who may be able to assist you or contact 111.
Am I able to order an item online that is not on my repeat medication list but something I have had issued through my GP before?
There is a free text box when ordering online in which you can request an item that is not on your repeat list.
This does not necessarily mean your GP will be able to issue this item. It will be decided on a case-by-case basis by your GP.
What if I or someone I know still needs assistance with ordering their repeat prescriptions?
We recognise that some patients may still require assistance with ordering their repeat prescriptions, for example, due to age, mental illness or capacity.
In these circumstances, and with the agreement of the GP practice, the pharmacy or appliance contractor may carry on ordering on the patient’s behalf.
If a family member, or carer, knows someone who they think needs help ordering prescriptions they should speak to the GP practice or pharmacy as soon as possible.
How do give feedback or make a complaint?
Patients should speak to their GP practice if they have any concerns or complaints about the new system and the procedures that the practice has put in place for repeat prescription ordering.
If you wish to raise a formal complaint specifically about the decision to change the process, contact the CCG using the details given on this site’s Contact Us page.
