WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU
SUBMIT A PRESCRIPTION?
Understanding
YOUR ROLE
and the
PRACTICE ROLE
in processing your prescription
Camrose Medical Partnership, St Andrews Centre,
Western Way, Basingstoke, RG22 6ER
Tel: 01256 324666
Fax: 01256 810849
Email: [email protected]
www.camrosemedical.co.uk
THIS VERSION OF THIS LEAFLET IS
IN LARGER PRINT FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
A COPY OF THIS LEAFLET IS ALSO
AVAILABLE AS AN A5 BOOKLET
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INTRODUCTION
This leaflet is designed to help us help you.
Camrose Medical Partnership has 11,500 patients and deals with
approximately 200 prescription requests per day.
Mondays and Fridays are the busiest times.
(Prescription collection is not available on Saturday mornings)
Traditional prescribing requires that you contact the Practice every
time you need a new prescription and then take this to the Pharmacy
to have the medicines dispensed.
Repeat prescribing is when your GP authorises a repeat of regular
medication supplied on a previous prescription. Repeats usually run
for a set period e.g. 3, 6, 12 months and each month you submit a
request to your GP for further medication. Some patients ask their
Pharmacy to submit the request for them. This enables Pharmacists to
dispense regular medication to suitable patients, removing the need
for you to go to the Practice on each occasion a repeat medicine is
required. Whether requested via the Practice or Pharmacy all
prescriptions require authorisation by a GP.
It is preferable that prescriptions are submitted via the Practice as this
is where your clinical record is stored, so it ensures that the
prescription reflects any changes to medications.
Three quarters of the prescriptions generated by our GPs are repeat
prescriptions. Repeat dispensing can save time, improve choice and
offer convenience for you. It reduces GP workload and makes more
efficient use of Practice staff time.
The Practice prescribing process works well for many people using
both the traditional process and repeat prescribing, but it can be time
consuming for the GPs, Practice Staff and Pharmacy and may require a
number of journeys for you if the process is not managed well.
This leaflet explains the prescription process and what is involved.
A flow chart of the process is provided in the centre.
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TEN TOP TIPS TO HELP US HELP YOU
GET YOUR MEDICATION WHEN YOU NEED IT
 When requesting your prescription please use the white part to find
the name and dose of the medication.
 Please tick only what you need to reduce wastage and unnecessary
cost which can be a drain on NHS resources.
 When looking at your prescription “Last issue” on the white part means
the date you previously collected the medication.
 Check how many issues of each medication you have already had e.g.
1/3, 2/3, 6/6, 3/12, 3/3.
 If “Last issue” on the prescription you submit says for example (2/3)
this means the previously collected medication was the 2nd issue of 3,
so you are now asking to collect the 3rd and FINAL issue in the set.
 If “Last issue” on the prescription you submit says for example (3/3)
this means the prescription has EXPIRED as you have already collected
the 3rd and FINAL issue. You can still submit a request but it will be
passed to your GP for re-authorisation of a NEW prescription
 A YELLOW SLIP attached to your FINAL issue e.g. (3/3) prescription
when you collect the medication means that your GP wants you to
have tests and/or make an appointment before you can have any
more. This is to ensure that the medication is still right for you.
 Please book an appointment(s) to have the tests or review as soon as
you receive a YELLOW SLIP to avoid running out of medication.
 Please request your medication at least 6 working days before it
completely runs out. The Practice needs 3 working days to process your
prescription. The Pharmacy also need time to prepare your medication.
 Please keep track of how many medication “issues” you have had and
how much you have left to avoid running out and having to request
your prescription urgently.
A poster version of these tips is on display in the Practice waiting area.
More detail on these tips is provided on pages 6 and 7
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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SUBMIT A PRESCRIPTION?
Understanding YOUR ROLE and the role of the Practice in processing your prescription
Patient requests prescription by using one of the following methods:
•Prescription post box in the Surgery •Online/email •By post •By fax
•Telephone voicemail service •Via the Pharmacy ordering service
Prescription is received into the Practice by the Prescriptions Team
Request for
medication has two
or more issues
(supplies) remaining
e.g. (0/3) (1/3) (4/6)
This info is found on
the white part of
the prescription
next to the
medications and
shows the date of
the “Last (previous)
issue” (i.e. the date
medication was
previously supplied)
Prescription Team
print required
medications onto
prescription via
patient’s clinical
record
Prescription is
checked and signed
by a GP and given
back to the
Prescription Team
Request for medication is the
FINAL issue (supply) in the set
e.g. the white part says
“Last issue (2/3)” [or (5/6) (11/12) etc]
This means the last (previous) issue
was the 2nd and this request is the
3rd and FINAL issue in the set
Prescription is marked for
usual GP’s attention
If patient requires
appointment
/ tests the GP will
write this on a
YELLOW SLIP and
attach it to the
signed prescription
for THE PATIENT to
organise and carry
out before the next
request is due
If no appointment
/ test is required,
prescription is
signed by the GP
Request for medication has already
EXPIRED completely
e.g. the white part says
“Last issue (3/3)” [or (6/6) (12/12) etc]
This means you have
already had your
rd
3 and FINAL issue in the set
A request for a NEW prescription is
passed to the usual GP
Patient has had
appointment
/ tests,
if required
GP will then
authorise a NEW
prescription
e.g. reset back
to (0/3) (0/6)
and adjust
medication
based on results
of appointment
/ tests as well as
patient’s
response to the
medication
The staff member checks the prescription for the preferred collection
method e.g. the Practice collection box or by a specific Pharmacy
The Pharmacies collect prescriptions once a day, signing for them to
document that the prescription has left the Practice
It is then the responsibility of the relevant Pharmacy, not the Practice
Patient has not had
required appointment
/ tests. GP will not
authorise a NEW
prescription e.g. reset
back to (0/3) (0/6) until
patient has done so.
GP may authorise a short
supply of medication
if appropriate / safe
until appointment / test
has been carried out
Patient will be informed
again via further
YELLOW SLIP when they
collect the prescription
If short supply cannot be
authorised patient is
informed that they need
to make an appointment
or have tests first
Help us to make sure that you receive your prescription
when you need it – how it works in more detail….
 When requesting your medication please use the white part of your
prescription.
 If you do not have the white part of your prescription please ensure
that you know the name and dose of the medication to avoid confusion
when ordering (the name and dose can be found on the medication
box).
 Please remember to tick what you need and also ensure that you only
tick the items of medication that you require, in order to reduce
wastage and unnecessary cost which can be a drain on resources.
 You can keep an eye on when your medication is due for re-authorising
by looking on the white part of your prescription slip which states how
many issues of each medication you have had e.g. 1/3, 2/3, 6/6, 3/12,
3/3.
 “Last issue” on the white part means the date you previously collected
the medication.
 If the “Last issue” on the prescription you submit says (2/3) [or (5/6),
(11/12) etc] this means the previous collected medication was the 2nd
of 3 and this request, when you collect the medication, will be your 3rd
and FINAL issue in the set.
 If the “Last issue” on the prescription you submit says (3/3) [or (6/6,
(12/12) etc] this means your prescription has EXPIRED as you have
already had the 3rd and FINAL issue in the set. A request for a NEW
prescription will be passed to your usual GP to re-authorise.
 Please be aware of the expiry process and that repeat medications
clinically require re-authorising by a GP after a set amount of issues
(supplies). Therefore you may be required to have an appointment /
tests at the GP’s request before re-authorising can take place. This is to
ensure that the medication is still appropriate / safe for you.
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 If your GP requests via a YELLOW SLIP attached to your FINAL issue e.g.
(3/3) prescription when you collect it (or collect the medication at the
Pharmacy if your prescription has been sent directly to them) that you
need to have an appointment / tests before your next set of repeat
prescriptions can be re-authorised e.g. issues reset back to 0/3, 0/6,
0/12, then please book an appointment(s) to have the tests / review as
soon as possible and before you run out of medication. We suggest
you book your appointment when you collect your prescription or
medication and see the YELLOW SLIP.
 If the medication is no longer appropriate / safe for you, the
prescription will not be authorised and you will be asked to make an
appointment with your GP.
 Prescriptions are authorised by your usual GP. If your usual GP is on
annual leave then the prescription is allocated to another GP.
 Please request your medication at least 6 working days before it
completely runs out as the Practice turnaround time for your
prescription is 3 working days. This does not include the time that the
Pharmacy requires to prepare your medication.
 Note that once your prescription has been passed to the Pharmacy it is
then the responsibility of the relevant Pharmacy, not the Practice. The
Pharmacy and Practice are two separately managed services.
 Please keep track of how much medication you have left to avoid
running out of medication and subsequently having to request your
prescription urgently.
 We appreciate that occasional circumstances may require you to
request your medication urgently but please try to avoid this.
 If the Pharmacy requests your repeat medication for you then please
make sure that they are aware to order only the items that you
require.
If you have any questions please ask at reception
or discuss with your GP at your next appointment.
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YOUR VIEWS ARE
IMPORTANT TO US
IF YOU HAVE
ANY COMMENTS
ON THIS LEAFLET
PLEASE LET US KNOW
THANK YOU
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