Morland House Surgery > Prescriptions

Prescriptions

Ordering repeat prescriptions

The easiest way to order repeat prescriptions is:

This account shows you all your repeat medicine and dosage and you can choose the ones you need.

You can also:

We do not take repeat prescription requests over the phone.

Prescribing Policy

We will provide you with a prescription for your regular medications for a 28 day interval. For medicines that are taken ‘as required’ or for short term therapies, the quantity may be less than 28 days. Read our full prescribing policy which includes our prescribing policy for patients travelling abroad.

Prescribing Policy

Collecting your prescription

Give at least of 72 hours’ notice (3 full working days). Please allow extra time for weekends and bank holidays.

Collect your prescription from the pharmacy of your choice 3 to 5 working days after you have ordered it.

If you do not have a nominated pharmacy, your prescription cannot be sent electronically and will need to be printed. In this case you will need to come to the practice to collect it 

You will need to choose a pharmacy to collect your prescription from. We call this nominating a pharmacy. This means that you do not have to come to the surgery to collect your prescription and then take it to a chemist, and so is the simplest and quickest way to get your medicine.

You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time:

  • on the app or website where you order repeat prescriptions
  • at your GP practice
  • at any pharmacy that accepts repeat prescriptions.

Non-urgent advice: Why can’t I get a prescription for an over-the-counter medicine?

Please don’t ask your GP for medicines which can be bought at the pharmacy. A GP, nurse or pharmacist will generally not give you a prescription for over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for a range of minor health conditions.

Further information about OTC medicines is available from NHS UK

Non-Repeat Items

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 being added onto your repeat prescription records. Some medications are recorded as acute as they must be closely monitored by the Doctor. You may therefore not always be issued with your requested medication as you may need to consult with your Doctor.

Hospital Requests

When you are discharged from hospital you should normally receive five days’ supply of medication.

On receipt of your medication requirements, which will be issued to you by the hospital, please bring this to the surgery or post via S.A.E. before your supply of medication has run out.

Hospital requests for change of medication will be checked by the GP first, and if necessary your Doctor will issue you with a prescription. The Practice will endeavour to issue you with your prescription on that day, but it cannot be issued until your medical details are checked by the Doctor. Your prescription should normally be ready by 4pm on that day, or you may be advised to attend the next day.

Questions about your prescription

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 the Medicines A to Z

If you have a repeat prescription, we will ask you to come in for a regular review. We will be in touch when you need to come in for a review.

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.

Opioids provide pain relief by acting on areas in the spinal cord and brain to block the transmission of pain signals. Opioids are considered to be some of the strongest painkillers available and are used to treat pain after surgery, serious injury and cancer. Examples of these include codeine, dihydrocodeine and co-codamol (which contains paracetamol and codeine).

What dose of opioid should I take?

The correct dose of any medicine is the lowest dose that produces a noticeable benefit. It is not usual to get complete relief of pain from opioids. Your GP may recommend an “opiate trial” for 2-3 weeks, then review if the benefits of taking the medication outweigh the risks. You should always take the correct dose of prescribed medicines. If you feel the dose isn’t enough, or if the side effects interfere with your life, discuss this with your GP.

What are the possible side effects?

When you first start taking opioids you can get some side effects, which usually stop after a few days. These include:
feeling dizzy
feeling sick (nausea)
being sick (vomiting)
feeling sleepy If pain has affected your sleep, opioids may help you to recover your normal pattern of sleep, but they should not make you drowsy in the daytime. Opioid medicines can cause some problems when you take them for long periods of time.
These problems include:
constipation*
itching
weight gain
lack of sex drive
* This is common when taking opioids and does not tend to go away the longer you take opioid medicines. You may need to try laxatives to treat constipation.

Can I drink alcohol?

Alcohol and opioids both can cause sleepiness and poor concentration. You should avoid alcohol completely when you first start on opioids or when your dose has just been increased.

Will my body get used to opioid medicines?

Opioids can become less effective with time (this is called tolerance) meaning your body has got used to the pain relieving effect of the medicine. You can also become dependent on opioid medicines (dependence).

What about addiction to opioids?

It is rare for people in pain to become addicted to opioids. People who are addicted to opioids can:
feel out of control about how much medicine they take or how often they take it
crave the drug
continue to take the drug even when it has a negative effect on their physical or mental health

Can I take this medicine long-term?

While opioids can have a positive benefit for some people living with long-term pain they can have serious consequences when they are not providing sufficient benefit or are being taken in a manner that was not intended. It is important to consider the risks and benefits of continued opioid therapy with your prescriber on a regular basis. Recent medical literature suggests that the risks to your health increase significantly when prescribing opioids at high doses for a long period of time.

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 near you

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

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