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.