Urgent Prescription Requests 

• Requests for prescriptions outside the normal prescription protocol impacts significantly on both doctors, and administration staff time as well as increasing the risk of a medication prescribing error.
• Unless a medication is clinically urgent as per the medication list on this page, requests will be processed routinely over 2 working days.
• As a surgery, we require a minimum of 2 working days to process a patients request for medication routinely.

Please respect our staff

• Our patient support staff are to always follow this policy and they are not authorised to make any exceptions.
• This policy is put in place to protect our patients and our staff, and we will not tolerate any abuse to or of our staff as they are following policy

If you forget to obtain a prescription for repeat medication and 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). Controlled drugs and antibiotics are not provided through this service, you will need to ring 111 for these.

Hospital Prescriptions

• When you are seen at the hospital and are given a hospital prescription, you should not leave the hospital without attending the hospital pharmacy to collect the medication.
• A hospital prescription is not valid in community pharmacies.
• Should you wish to have the prescription fulfilled by us instead, this will be processed routinely over 2 working days. Urgently needed medication will be provided by the treating hospital.
• Some hospital medications are not licensed to be prescribed in general practice.  

Holiday Medication

• When preparing for your holiday, please remember to process a request for your routine medication allowing the normal 2 working days for processing.
• We can only provide a maximum of 3 months medication, and we may request a patient to provide documents to support this request.
• We are unable to provide emergency prescriptions for holiday medication.

The following medication may be issued on an urgent same-day basis

You could endure harm within 2 working days by missing doses of these medications.

These medications should be requested urgently if you have run out:

Group Product

Reliever inhalers and Nebuliser solutions

• Ipratropium
• Salbutamol
• Terbutaline

All anticoagulants

• Apixaban
• Edoxaba
• Dabigatrin
• Rivaroxaban
• Warfarin

Anti-epileptic medications (for epilepsy management only)

• Carbamazepine
• Gabapentin
• Lamotrigine
• Levetiracetam
• Pheobarbtone
• Phenytoin
• Topiramate
• Valproate

Anti-psychotic medications

• Aripiprazole
• Haloperidol

Medications for Schizophrenia/Bipolar/Psychosis

• Lithium
• Olanzapine
• Quetiapine
• Risperidone

Parkinson's medications

• Co-beneldopa
• Co-careldopa
• Levodopa

Long term steroids (For patients who take steroids every day)

• Dexamethasone
• Fludrocortisone
• Prednisolone

Nitrates and ant-angina medications

• Glyceryl trinitrate spray
• Isosorbide mononitrate
• Isosorbide dinitrate
• Ivabradine
• Nicorandil
• Verapamil
• Ranolazine

Anti-arthymythic drugs (For cardiac arrhythmias only - not for treatment of high blood pressure)

• Amiodarone
• Atenolol
• Digoxin
• Diltiazem
• Flecanide
• Propranolol (not for anxiety)
• Sotolol
• Verapamil

Palliative care medications (end of life)

• Anticipatory drugs
• Cyclizine
• Diamorphine
• Glycopyronium
• Levomepromazine
• Midazolam
• Water for injection

Heart failure medications

• Bisoprolol
• Furosemide
• Bumetadine

Diabetic medications (for type 1 diabetics only)

• All insulin
• Metformin
• Needles
• Test strips
• Sharps bins

Anaphylaxis injections

• Epi pens
   

Specialised baby milks

The easiest ways to order repeat prescriptions are:

• using your NHS account (through the NHS website or in the NHS App)
• using the GP online system, Patient Access, via the link at the top of this page

These accounts show you all your repeat medicine and dosage and you can choose the ones you need.

You can also order:

• In person - use the pre-printed form attached to your prescription (or a request form available from reception)
• By post - Abbey Road Surgery, 1st Floor Alfred Barrow Health Centre, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 2LB with a stamped addressed envelope or a postage stamp
• Email - LSCICB-MB.prescriptionsabbeyroadsurgery@nhs.net 

We do not take repeat prescription requests over the telephone.

Please allow two full working days for prescriptions to be processed (postal requests may take up to 5 working days) and remember to take weekends and bank holidays into account.  In an emergency we will try to provide same day collection.

If you are requesting an item which you have not had for some time please specify in your request the reason why this item is needed.  There may be a time delay in processing these types of requests if sufficient information is not supplied in your initial request or the doctor may wish to speak to you before issuing.

Prescription Enquiries

If you have a query regarding your prescription or your medications please telephone the surgery between 08:30 - 13:00 using option 1.

If you have questions about your medicine, your local pharmacists can answer these. They can also answer questions on medicines you can buy without a prescription.

The NHS website has information on how your medicine works, how and when to take it, possible side effects and answers to your common questions.

• Go to Medicines A to Z (nhs.uk)

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.

Prescription charges

Find out more about prescription charges (nhs.uk).

Take it to the pharmacy you got it from or bring it in to the surgery. Do not put it in your household bin or flush it down the toilet.

About pharmacists

As qualified healthcare professionals, pharmacists can offer advice on minor illnesses such as:

• coughs
• colds
• sore throats
• tummy trouble
• aches and pains

They can also advise on medicine that you can buy without a prescription.

• Find a pharmacy (nhs.uk)

Many pharmacies are open until late and at weekends. You do not need an appointment.

Most pharmacies have a private consultation room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard.

Cumbria (Furness) Pharamcy Details 

Click here for information about "Over the Counter" medicines