Prescriptions

PRESCRIPTION TYPES:

There is often confusion regarding the prescription arrangements at any surgery but we have developed a system at the Aveley Medical Centre that, we believe, is acceptable to our patients and yet meets the strict guidelines laid down in law by various bodies.

There are two types of prescription

The Acute Prescription

When a patient comes to the surgery and is seen by a doctor they are given what we refer to as an acute prescription. This is a one-off.  It could be a course of antibiotics or it could be a medication the doctor wishes the patient to try.  We are all different and different medications work with some people and not with others. If patients come back to the surgery and ask for more of the medication prescribed as acute our staff cannot produce this as a repeat and only the doctor can authorise this.  If you with another prescription of the acute type you must fill out a form at reception and the receptionist will ask the doctor for his medical opinion when he has finished surgery.

The Repeat Prescription

There are certain medications that have to be given on a regular basis and the doctors have identified these medications and will put them on ‘repeat’.  This means patients can bring the other half of their prescription from back to the surgery , tick the appropriate medication and this will be provided on an on-going basis.

Repeat prescriptions are NOT taken over the telephone, as we cannot verify from a phone call the exact person and the exact dose of the medication required.  We do not wish to make any mistakes and we have been informed that taking prescriptions over the telephone is no safe practice.

How to order a Repeat

A repeat prescription can be ordered as follows:

By bringing the other half of your last prescription to the surgery with  the medication required ticked, and hand in at the reception or put in the grey box in the entrance lobby.  This box is emptied at the start of each practice day.

OR

By sending your requirements in the post and if you require it to be sent back to you remember to enclose a stamped addressed envelope. Please leave sufficient time when sending items through the postal system.  We will produce your request on the day and post it straight back you, remember we do not have control over the post therefore it may take a few days before it reaches you.

OR

  Please remember that it takes two working days to produce a prescription so you should put in your request in good time.  Once again we do not wish to rush and produce the wrong medication, so please give us the full two working days notice.

OR

email to : aveleymed.repeats@nhs.net

Good Medical Practice

At Aveley the doctors take great trouble with your medication and we wish to make sure that the medication you receive is appropriate for you. For many years our patients have been asked to  make appointments to have a medication review  that will make sure you still have the right level of medication for you.  The local Health Trust have endorsed this practice of reviews and have formalised it making sure that after a reasonable number of repeats a review takes place.

We have had many patients who have joined us from other practices where a review has not been the normal procedure and they have been somewhat annoyed when have asked to review their medication.  ‘ I’ve always had this and my last practice never asked to review my needs’ if often the comment we receive.  The medication review is only for your benefit to  make sure the medication you receive is still the right one for you.  It may be necessary to increase or decrease the dose, but unless the doctor can see you to discuss this they cannot do so.  So please do not be offended if we ask you to attend a medication review as it is for your own good.

When we have stamped your prescription asking you to make an appointment for medication review please mention this when making your appointment.  We hope that this will speed up your consultation with the doctor if they have some idea what the appointment is about.

Please do not get annoyed with our receptionists if they ask several questions when you pick up a prescription, it is only to ensure the person receiving the prescription is the one is made out for. There are many patients in the practice who have the same name so it is only the receptionists’ way of making sure the prescription goes to the right person.

If you are in any doubt as to the medication you think you should receive or you want something different we have a special form where you can put down your requirements and at the end of the  morning surgery we will pass this to the doctor who looks after the prescriptions that day.  The doctor will either sanction , change or maybe say no to your request or maybe suggest a different mediation.  They may even ask you to come in to carry out tests before they issue a particular type of medication.

Details of any medication given to you by the hospital may take some time to reach us and be entered on to your records. On occasions we may ask you make a medication review appointment regarding the medication given by the hospital.

We trust this information will help to show you that we are doing all we can to make sure you get the right medication at all times.  Many of the systems we have in place are now recognised as ‘good practice; and have been adopted by other practices.

When you collect your prescription you will find, in the case of repeat medication, that we have attached the old form you have ticked to the new one so that you can check when you collect your prescription that you have all that you ordered.

PRESCRIPTION GUIDELINES

To improve the efficiency of requesting prescription, please follow the Surgery Criteria:

• Please submit your prescriptions within the timeframe displayed
• If you have any prescriptions queries, either by phone or in person, we will be happy to assist you after 11am
• Prescriptions requested more than two weeks in advance of the ‘due date’ will not be processed
• Uncollected prescriptions, which are more than two months old, will be destroyed
• If the Doctor or Nurse request you to attend a ‘Medication Update’ please make an appointment straight away. This is to ensure your medication is compatible with your current health status. Failure to comply with this request may result in a medication suspension, until you see a Doctor or a Nurse