Repeat Prescriptions

Requests for repeat medication can be made by returning the prescription counterfoil or a written request to the practice.

Please allow 48 hours (excluding weekends and Bank Holidays) to action your prescription.

If you wish your prescription returned by post, please enclose a stamped addressed envelope.

Chemists can also arrange collection and delivery of your prescription drugs, please contact them directly.

Prescriptions have to be carefully prepared, but normally:

Repeat prescriptions are not written over the weekend. If you need your prescription on  Monday, please ask for it by 10.30am Friday.

The practice does not take requests for repeat prescriptions over the telephone.

You should never leave it until your medication runs out before re-ordering your prescription.

You will observe from the times above that the practice is working to a 24 hour turnover for prescriptions. However due to increase to our patient list size and the volume of requests the practice may have to extend this to 48 hours turnover at times of exceptional demand.  In order to achieve this target, we can no longer answer patients' queries on whether a prescription is ready for pick up. We ask for patients' help in this matter.

My Health Online

You may also wish to sign up to My Health Online. It is an online service where you can order repeat prescription. Please see My Health Online information page.

Medication Reviews

Patients on repeat medication will be asked to see a doctor, nurse practitioner or practice nurse at least once a year to review these regular medications and notification should appear on your repeat slip.

Please ensure that you book an appropriate appointment to avoid unnecessary delays to further prescriptions.

Drugs & Driving: The Law

It’s illegal to drive if either:

• you’re unfit to do so because you’re on legal or illegal drugs 
• you have certain levels of certain drugs in your blood (even if they haven’t affected your driving)

Legal drugs are prescription or over-the-counter medicines. If you’re taking them and not sure if you should drive, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare professional.

If the police stop you and think you’re on drugs they can do a ‘field impairment assessment’. This is a series of tests, like asking you to walk in a straight line.

If they think you’re unfit to drive because of taking drugs, you’ll be arrested and will have to take a blood or urine test at a police station. You could be charged with a crime if the test shows you’ve taken drugs.

Prescription Medicines from March 2015

From March 2015 it will be illegal in England and Wales to drive with certain illegal drugs in the blood, even if you’re not unfit to drive.

It will also be illegal to drive with certain levels of certain legal drugs if you’re unfit to drive.

Talk to your doctor about whether you should drive if you’ve been prescribed any of the following drugs:

• clonazepam
• diazepam
• flunitrazepam
• lorazepam
• methadone
• morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs
• oxazepam
• temazepam

You can drive after taking these drugs if:

• you have been prescribed them and advised how to take them by a healthcare professional
• they aren’t causing you to be unfit to drive

You could be prosecuted if you drive with certain levels of these drugs in your body and you haven’t been prescribed them.

The law doesn’t cover Northern Ireland and Scotland but you could still be arrested if you’re unfit to drive.

Penalties for Drug Driving

If you’re convicted of drug driving you’ll get:

• a minimum 1 year driving ban
• a fine of up to £5,000
• up to a year in prison
• a criminal record

Your driving licence will also show you’ve been convicted for drug driving. This will last for 11 years.

The penalty for causing death by dangerous driving under the influence of drugs is a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

Other problems you could face

A conviction for drug driving also means:

• your car insurance costs will increase significantly
• if you drive for work, your employer will see your conviction on your licence
• you may have trouble travelling to countries like the USA

Other sources of advice

More information on the drug driving legislation can be found online at https://www.gov.uk/drug-driving-law