Please contact your dentist for dental problems, any dental prescriptions must be done by a dental practitioner.

As general practitioners we are not qualified or insured to prescribe such medication for this purpose, and we advise you to contact either your own dentist or NHS 111.

The following link will explain the guidance General Practioners follow as per the British Medical Association (BMA) https://www.bma.org.uk/dental issues

If you are on regular medication the doctor will provide you with a computerised repeat prescription form and explain how the system works

To obtain your prescription please clearly indicate which drugs you require and/or: Post or hand in your repeat prescription form to the surgery.

If you are already registered for the online repeat prescription service, please use the link at the top of the page to access the online ordering service.

You can also use the NHS App to request your medication.

The surgery does not accept repeat prescription requests over the telephone due to the dangers of misinterpretation leading to errors.

If you or someone you care for uses the same medicines regularly, you may be able to benefit from electronic repeat prescriptions.

This means you won't have to re-order or collect your repeat prescriptions from your GP practice every time you need more medicine.

Please click on the link below to find out information on how repeat dispensing works.

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/electronic-prescription-service/explaining-electronic-repeat-dispensing-to-patients

28- Day Prescriptions

From time to time St Agnes Surgery receives requests from patients to give out prescriptions for more than one month’s medication. NHS guidelines promote 28 day prescriptions. This is  largely to reduce waste from unused medication as medicines which have been prescribed cannot be re-used if the healthcare needs of a patient change. It also reduces the dangers associated with excess drugs in the home. Our local Integrated Care Board (Cornwall & Isles of Scilly ICB) have stated that they ‘believe 28 day prescribing is the best balance between patient convenience, good medical practice and minimal drug wastage in a time of scarce NHS resources’. 

In recognition of the advice received by the Practice, our clinicians are strongly encouraged to avoid issuing longer prescriptions and to adhere strictly, wherever practicable, to St Agnes Surgery policy of routinely issuing prescriptions to patients for 28 days’ supply of repeat medications. This gives a regular routine for patients and allows for ordering in good time. It is convenient if issues of different medications regularly needed can all be brought into line and issued together so as to reduce the number of requests and achieve a more co-ordinated approach to care. (We acknowledge that there are reasonable exceptions where a patient plans to be away from home on holiday or on business, and to cover Christmas and other Bank Holidays.) 

The above policy need not cause inconvenience to the patient. Prescriptions can be sent automatically to the patient’s nominated pharmacy of choice as part of the electronic prescription service (EPS). We are also promoting ‘electronic repeat dispensing’ (ERD), whereby the surgery authorises the pharmacy to dispense on multiple occasions. This means that instead of coming back to the surgery every time for a repeat prescription, the patient can make their request directly to the pharmacy. (Patients can still request early issue from the pharmacy for the exceptional circumstances already mentioned above.) Please talk to our dispensary team if you wish to set up EPS or discuss ERD. 

NHS Policy

By law, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for the medical care of patients when they leave the UK.  In addition, GPs are not required by their terms of service to provide prescriptions for the treatment of a condition that is not present and may arise while the patient is abroad.

The NHS does accept responsibly for supplying ongoing medication for temporary periods abroad of up to 3 months.  However, if a person is going to be abroad for more than 3 months, then that only entitles them (at NHS expense) to a sufficient supply of regular medication to get to their destination, where they should find an alternative supply of that medication.

Patients residing abroad for a period of more than 3 months will be removed from the registered patient list.  Upon return to the UK the patient may wish to re-register with the practice providing their UK address is within the boundary of the practice area.

St Agnes and Mount Hawke Practice Policy

Travelling out of the country for less than 3 months

For patients who inform us they will be out of the country for less than 3 months, we will provide sufficient medicines for an existing condition (e.g., Asthma, diabetes.) for the period while the patient is away where it is safe to do so.  Drugs that require frequent monitoring may not be prescribed where there are safety concerns. 1 months’ supply only will be issued for drugs normally available over the counter, such as paracetamol.

Travelling out of the country for more than 3 months 

Patients who inform us they will be leaving the country for more than 3 months will be prescribed sufficient medication to enable them to make alternative arrangements at their destination (up to 3 months’ supply where safe to do so). 

They will also be removed from our patient list.  We will be pleased to re-register patients on their return to residence in the UK and reassure patients that their electronic notes are kept on file for reference on your return.

 Patients and relatives should not seek medication for themselves while they are abroad as this constitutes NHS fraud.

Prescriptions for medicines in case of illness while abroad

 GP’s will only prescribe NHS prescriptions in this case for exacerbations of pre-existing illnesses, e.g., antibiotics for patients who have frequent infections secondary to an underlying lung condition.

GPs may provide private prescriptions if it is clinically appropriate, and they can be self-administered safely without medical assessment while abroad.  Those prescriptions are not free.

Patients should be aware that some drugs commonly prescribed in the UK may be illegal in certain countries and you should check with that countries embassy before you travel.

These charges apply in England only. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prescriptions are free of charge.

• Prescription (per item): £9.65
• 12-month prepayment certificate (PPC): £111.60
• 3-month PPC: £31.25

If you will have to pay for four or more prescription items in three months or more than 14 items in 12 months, you may find it cheaper to buy a PPC.

• Telephone advice and order line 0845 850 0030
• General Public - Buy or Renew a PPC On-line by clicking on the following link: Buy a PPC online

As a surgery we have no control over the price increase relating to prescription charges, this is set by The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The following link can take you to the DHSC website to explain the charges: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/nhs-prescription-charges-from-1-april-2023

Help with NHS costs

In England, around 90% of prescription items are dispensed free. This includes exemptions from charging for those on low incomes, such as:

• those on specific benefits or through the NHS Low Income Scheme
• those who are age exempt
• those with certain medical conditions
• More information is available at NHS Choices

PLEASE NOTE:

From 1st May 2024 prescription charges are increasing to the following:

• Prescription (per item): £9.90
• 12-month prepayment certificate (PPC): £114.50
• 3-month PPC: £32.05
• HRT PPC: £19.90 which covers these items

Please allow 72 hours for us to process your request i.e. three full working days.  If you put in your request on Friday pm your medication will not be ready until Wednesday pm.   When there is a bank holiday it will be Thursday.   We process on average over 3000 prescriptions a month, dispensing on average 7000 items.

If you pick up your medication at the chemist please allow more time as the chemist will need time to process the prescription once it comes in.  At times your drugs need to be ordered so please allow for this when putting in your request.

St Agnes dispensary is closed all day Saturday and Sunday.

What Happens in an Emergency?

If you have any problems, queries or difficulties, or if you have accidently run out of your medication a dispenser is available to offer advice and assistance.  If they do not know the answer they will speak to someone who does and get back to you within a reasonable period of time.

If our dispensary is closed the 'out of hours' pharmacy rota is listed each week in the West Briton or you can contact our 'out of hours' service provider on 01872 863221.

Can I Co-ordinate My Medicines?

We welcome the opportunity for each patient to co-ordinate their medicines. If you have different drugs being ordered at different times of the month please mention it to one of the members of staff and we can arrange for them to be ordered all at the same time. This will hopefully save time for you or your carer and only necessitate one trip to collect your medication each month.

How can I get a Drug Review?

If you have any queries or questions regarding any aspect of your medication please come and speak to one of the doctors.  You may benefit from a 'DRUM' which is a comprehensive review of the use of your medicines. An appointment can be made with a doctor to answer any queries or questions you may have.

Some of your queries maybe as follows:

• I'm worried about when and how I should take my medicine
• Are the medicines I buy from the Supermarket all right with my prescribed medication?
• How should I store my medicines?
• I am getting side effects with some of my medicines - is this normal?

Reassuring our Patients - 'Your medication may look different on the outside - but essentially it's the same on the inside.'

Your medicine may look different from your last prescription this may mean you have been prescribed what is known as a generic medicine.

• A generic medicine contains the same active ingredient as the equivalent original branded drug
• Generic medicines are produced to the same standards of safety, quality and efficacy as original branded drugs
• Generic medicines have to demonstrate in clinical studies that they are bioequivalent to the original product: ie.,they deliver equal medical benefits to the patient
• The main benefit of generic medicines is that they are usually less expensive.  Generic manufacturers do not have to recoup research costs
• Each year generic medicines save the NHS around £9.5 billion

St Agnes and Mount Hawke Surgeries are both a generic prescribing surgery.