Repeat Prescriptions + Chronic Medication Service (CMS)

If you forget to obtain a prescription for repeat medication and thus run out of important medicines, you may be able to get help from your Pharmacy. Under the Urgent Provision of Repeat Medication Service, Pharmacists may be able to supply you with a further cycle of a previously repeated medicine, without having to get a prescription from your GP. 

If you have run out of important medication, telephone your usual Pharmacy to check that they offer this service; if they don’t, they may either direct you to another Pharmacy who does provide it, or ask you to phone 111 where you can request details of a local Pharmacy that provides the service.

You must then take with you to the relevant Pharmacy, proof of both your identification and of your medication (for example, your repeat prescription list or the empty box which should have your details printed on it). Please note that controlled drugs and antibiotics are not provided through this service, you will need to ring 111 for these.

If you receive stoma products from your Pharmacy or other supplier and/or receive items such as continence products, please ensure you have sufficient supplies as you may encounter difficulties in obtaining these over Bank Holidays, or when the Surgery is closed.

You can post your prescription slip or written request to us at the Practice or directly into our letter box

You can order in person by returning the right-hand half of a previous prescription for the required medications, or by submitting a handwritten request. The practice has two blue mail boxes, one is located on the external wall of the premises, the other within the front foyer. Alternatively, you may hand your request to your local Pharmacist and they will forward it to the practice.

We do not dispense medicines at the practice. There is a pharmacy in Fochabers and Lhanbryde. The pharmacist can give you advice on minor illnesses as well as give you the tablets prescribed by the doctor.

Pharmacies offer a prescription collection service from our Practice. They can also order your medication on your behalf. This saves you time and unnecessary visits to the Practice. Please contact the Pharmacy of your choice for more information if you wish to use this service.

We do accept requests for repeat prescriptions by telephone between 9 am and 4pm at present, however this will be changing in the future as it will prevent dangerous errors being made and leaves the telephone lines free for urgent matters.

Are you aware of the Chronic Medication Service (CMS) available from your community pharmacy?

CMS is an NHS service for patients with a long-term condition in order to help them get the best from their medicines.

You can register for CMS if

• You are registered with a GP surgery in Scotland
• You get regular prescriptions to treat a long-term condition
• Your condition is stable and you are reviewed regularly

After you register, your doctor may decide your medications are suitable to be issued on a serial prescription which lasts for 12 months. It lets you pick up items directly from the pharmacy where you are registered at agreed time intervals, normally every 2 months. You won’t need to visit/call your GP surgery to order or pick up your prescription during this period.   

Each time you collect your prescription, your pharmacist will inform your doctor.

You will be able to collect medicines from your serial prescription within a few days of when you need them, as you do now. If you are going on holiday, just let your pharmacist know so that they can prepare what you need.

If you are keen to find out more or register for this service please contact the pharmacy of your choice.

PATIENT INFORMATION 

We are writing to inform you that you have been selected as being eligible and have been set up for a new prescription service offered at your Community Pharmacy called Medicines: Care and Review (MCR), previously known as the Chronic Medication Service (CMS).

This service means that you no longer need to order your repeat medication via the Health Centre, instead a prescription for 6 or 12 months has been sent to your chosen pharmacy, they will then dispense a supply of your medication when you request it, which can be collected every 4 or 8 weeks.

You no longer need to contact us to order your medication, but we will continue to review your medication/Chronic Disease annually at the Practice. All you need to do it contact your Community Pharmacy before your next prescription is due, they will be able to advise how to order your medication from now on. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Pharmacy Team within the Practice or ask at your Community Pharmacy.

If you wish to opt-out and would prefer to order your medication online, please contact the Health Centre and we can advise you on how to do so.

Many Thanks – Fochabers Pharmacy Team

When you are discharged from Hospital you should normally receive seven days supply of medication.

On receipt of your discharge medication, which will be issued to you by the Hospital, please contact the Surgery to provide them with this information before your supply of medication has run out.

Hospital requests for change of medication will be checked by a prescribing clinician first, and if necessary a prescribing clinician will provide you with a prescription on request. 

The Doctors at the Practice regularly review the medication you are taking. This may involve changes to your tablets and is in accordance with current Health Authority policies. Please be reassured that this will not affect your treatment. We may sometimes call you in for a medication review and this may involve blood tests. It is very important that you attend these appointments, as it keeps you safe whilst taking medication.

Non-repeat prescriptions, known as ‘acute’ prescriptions are medicines that have been issued by the Doctor but not added to your repeat prescription records. This is normally a new medication issued for a trial period, and may require a review visit with your Doctor prior to the medication being added onto your repeat prescription records.

Some medications are recorded as acute as they require to be closely monitored by the Doctor. Examples include many anti-depressants, drugs of potential abuse or where the prescribing is subject to legal or clinical restrictions or special criteria. If this is the case with your medicine, you may not always be issued with a repeat prescription until you have consulted with your Doctor again.

You may have noticed that the label on your painkiller medicine says: “May cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinery. Avoid alcoholic drink.”

Your doctor or nurse may also have discussed side effects of your painkillers with you.gen

Strong painkillers (or opioids) affect each person in a different way. They can make some people drowsy and reactions can be slower than usual. This may be worse if you take other medicines that cause drowsiness or if you drink alcohol. If you are someone who drives you may be wondering if it is safe for you to drive. The following information will help you to decide.

• You must not drive if you feel sleepy
• You must not drive after drinking alcohol or taking strong drugs which have not been prescribed or recommended by your doctor for example, cannabis.
• You must not drive if you start taking other drugs that cause sleepiness, either prescribed by your doctor or bought from the chemist for example, hay fever medicine.
• You must not drive on days where you have had to take extra (breakthrough or rescue) doses of a strong painkiller.