Pharmacies are working with GP practices to help people get their medicines at the best time for them. If you are prescribed regular repeat medicines you may be able to have a ‘serial prescription’, if it’s thought suitable for you.
A serial prescription means that you can get your repeat medicines straight from a pharmacy without having to order a prescription from your doctor beforehand.
At the GP practice, we will issue a 12 month serial prescription for your regular medication to be dispensed at eight-weekly intervals at your pharmacy.
We will send this prescription to your usual pharmacy. A serial prescription means that from now on you will request your regular repeat medicines from your chosen pharmacy and not directly from your GP practice. Your community pharmacy will be able to explain this in more detail.
You will need to order any ‘when required’ medication (medicines that you take just when you need them, for symptoms, rather than regular medicines) through the current reordering process.
There are some frequently asked questions below for your reference. If you wish to opt out of this service please contact the GP practice or speak with your community pharmacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Serial Prescription?
A serial prescription is a prescription for medicine(s) you need to treat a long-term condition. It looks like a normal prescription but typically allows you to get your medicine up to 56 weeks without the need for a further paper prescription during that time. However, you will still get your medicine supply every 8 weeks from your chosen community pharmacy. This means you will not need to order your prescription through the surgery and your community pharmacy will take this over.
What should I do if I have a question regarding my medication?
Your pharmacy will be able to provide expert advice in relation to the medicines you are prescribed and are able to communicate with your doctor if necessary.
What happens if I need my medication early?
You can let your pharmacy know if you will need to collect your prescription earlier than normal, for example, if you are going on holiday. Each time a prescription is collected, the pharmacy staff will check if you need all your medicines. On the practice record we can see you have collected your medicine.
What happens at the end of the serial prescription?
Near the end of your serial prescription, your pharmacy will review your experience of the service and whether you would wish to continue using the service. They will notify your doctor accordingly and if appropriate request a further prescription for the service to continue. The doctor may get in touch with you before issuing the next serial prescription. It would be important for you to attend your medical practice if requested to do so.
What happens if I wish to move to another community pharmacy?
If you wish to move to another pharmacy, you should speak to your current pharmacy and the GP practice.
What happens if I move to another doctor’s surgery?
If you wish to move to another doctor’s surgery, you should let your current surgery know, so they can cancel your serial prescription.
