Community pharmacy

If you take medicines regularly, you'll usually have them prescribed as a repeat prescription. This means you can order your medicines when you need them without having to see a GP until your next medicine review.  There are three ways to order a repeat prescription from your GP surgery.

Using your NHS account

You can order a repeat prescription by logging into your NHS account using the NHS app or NHS website. The site offers you an opportunity to nominate a community pharmacy of your choice. You'll be able to collect your medicine in person when it's ready. Some community pharmacies also offer a delivery service.
Order a repeat prescription using your NHS account
•    Log in
•    Create an account

Using other online services or apps

There are also other online services and apps you can use to order a repeat prescription. These include services that are part of your GP surgery’s computer system. Ask your GP surgery which service they use. Most prescriptions are generated electronically and can be sent electronically to the community pharmacy of your choice.

By speaking to your GP surgery

You do not need to see a GP to order a repeat prescription, but you can ask for your medicine at your GP surgery if you do not want to do this online. Ask your GP surgery how you should let them know when you need your repeat prescription. They can send your request to a community pharmacy of your choice.

Nominating a pharmacy

When you order a prescription online, you can have your prescription sent electronically to a pharmacy of your choice. This is called a nomination.
Once you nominate a pharmacy:
•    you will no longer need to collect paper prescriptions from your GP surgery
•    your nominated pharmacy will receive your prescriptions until you change or remove your nomination
•    any outstanding prescriptions you have ordered may still arrive at your current nominated pharmacy

Online-only pharmacies

Online-only pharmacies will send your medicines in the post. To nominate an online-only pharmacy, you must register with the pharmacy through their website or contact them. It's not possible to nominate an online-only pharmacy in your NHS account.

Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD)

You might be able to ask your pharmacy for your medicine if your GP has set up this up (electronic Repeat Dispensing). If not, you'll need to order your medicines from your GP surgery each time. 
eRD allows your GP to send a series of repeat prescriptions to your pharmacy in one go, so there's no need for you to order them each time. It’s reliable, secure and confidential. Your regular prescriptions are stored securely on the NHS database, so they'll be ready at the pharmacy each time you need them.
More information on eRD is available here: eRD information for patients | NHSBSA
 

Guidance on the appropriate duration of prescriptions

We would advise that the appropriate duration of a prescription should be decided by the prescriber, in conjunction with the patient, taking into account the medicine being prescribed, its monitoring requirements, the condition being treated and the individual patient’s needs. 

We would also advise that a shorter duration is appropriate when a new medicine is first started or when a patient’s condition or medicines regimen is likely to change. The quantities on a prescription should reflect the required frequency of dispensing. The quantity (and cost) of wasted medicines is significant and the duration of prescriptions is one factor that affects this.

NHS prescription charges can be found here.
Information on prescription charges and how you can save money by buying a prescription payment certificate (PPC) – effectively a prescription ‘season ticket’ can be found here.
Information on who can get free prescriptions can be found here.

Pharmacy First

Pharmacy First is a new service provided by NHS England to help you get access to the right care from the right person at the right time for seven common conditions that require advice and treatment.

Instead of having to go to your GP practice for this, which potentially could cause a delay in your treatment, you can go straight to a pharmacy offering Pharmacy First, or be referred by your GP Practice, NHS111 or another medical or emergency care setting.

The seven common conditions are:

• Acute Otitis Media * (ear infections) – age range: 1 to 17 years 
• Impetigo – age range: 1 year and over 
• Infected insect bites - age range: 1 year and over 
• Shingles – age range: 18 years and over
• Sinusitis – age range: 12 years and over 
• Sore Throat – age range: 5 years and over 
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections – age range: 16 – 64 years (women only) 

* * Distance selling (online) pharmacies will not complete consultations for Acute Otitis Media

You will be able to access the new clinical pathway service by walking into the pharmacy directly (self-referral), or where appropriate, by contacting them by video consultation.
In addition, you will also be able to access the service through a referral from any of the following: 

• NHS 111 (online or telephone) 
• NHS App
• Integrated Urgent Care Clinical Assessment Services 
• Urgent Treatment Centres
• Emergency Departments
• 999
• General Practice 

To find the nearest pharmacy to you, please use the pharmacy service finder. 

Hypertension Case Finding Service

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of premature death in England and accounts for 1.6 million disability adjusted life years.

Hypertension is the biggest risk factor for CVD and is one of the top five risk factors for all premature deaths and disability in England.  An estimated 5.5 million people have undiagnosed hypertension across the country.

Hypertension Case Finding Service is a NHS England funded service. The aims of the service are: 

• Identify people aged 40 years or older, or at the discretion of pharmacy staff, people under the age of 40, with high blood pressure (who have previously not had a confirmed diagnosis of hypertension), and to refer them to general practice to confirm diagnosis and for appropriate management
• At the request of a general practice, undertake ad hoc clinic and ambulatory blood pressure measurements. These requests can be in relation to people either with or without a diagnosis of hypertension; and
• Provide another opportunity to promote healthy behaviours to patients

To find the pharmacies that offer the blood pressure checks: Find a pharmacy that offers blood pressure checks

Pharmacy Contraception Service

Pharmacy Contraception Service is a NHS England commissioned service from community pharmacy, providing patients greater choices in terms of their contraception needs. 

The service offers both initiation of oral contraceptives as well as supply of repeat oral contraception without the need of visiting GP practice or sexual health clinics. 

To find the nearest pharmacy to you, please use the pharmacy service finder. 

Emergency contraception from community pharmacy

Emergency contraception is commonly referred to as "the morning after pill" or "EC". If you have had sexual intercourse without using contraception, or think your contraception might have failed, you can use emergency contraception.  You should access emergency contraception as soon as possible.

Many community pharmacies locally are able to provide the free emergency contraception service.  More information can be found here.

Click here to go to the Local Pharmaceutical Committee, who represent local pharmacy contractors in Hampshire and Isle of Wight.