Prescriptions

Dispensing

We are a dispensing practice and your medication can usually be supplied at the surgery after your appointment or 5 days after ordering your repeat medication.  If you run out of medication over the weekend or Bank Holiday then you can contact the out-of-hours team by dialling 111.

Sherburn Dispensary

The dispensary is open Monday to Friday between 8:30am to 12 noon and 12:30pm to 6pm.

Rillington Dispensary

All dispensing is now done centrally at Sherburn Practice, prescriptions are delivered to Rillington branch for patients to collect. Patients will be advised of what day to pick up medication when they order. 

Controlled drugs can no longer be collected from our Rillington branch. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, we can arrange for controlled drugs to be collected from Sherburn. Please discuss any concerns with dispensary team.

Delivery Service

If you normally have your medication dispensed by the surgery, we may be able to deliver it to you free of charge.

This service is available to patients who are temporarily or permanently housebound, other clinical circumstances will be considered. Please speak to the dispensary team for more information and to check whether you are eligible.

Please note that this service is not available to all patients and is offered at the practice’s discretion.

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 Medicines A to Z (nhs.uk)

If you would like to speak to someone at the GP surgery about your prescription:

• Contact us about your request (accurx.com).
• Phone reception and ask to speak to the dispensary team (repeat ordering via telephone between 10am-12noon only – medication queries can be discussed outside of this time slot).

Quantities Policy

With a small number of exceptions, such as contraception and hormone replacement therapy, we prescribe ongoing medication in 28 day amounts, which has been shown to reduce wastage for the NHS (this is common practice).  Patients who are not exempt from prescription charges should consider purchasing a pre-payment certificate if they are on two or more regular medications.

Prescribing Policy for travelling abroad

This policy outlines the procedure for patients travelling abroad for short and long periods of time.

• NHS Policy

By law, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for the medical care of patients when they leave the UK.  In addition GP’s 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 responsibility 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 they are only entitled (at NHS expense) to a sufficient supply of regular medication in order to get to their destination, where they should find an alternative supply of that medication.

• Sherburn and Rillington Surgery 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).

• 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.

GP’s may provide private prescriptions if it is clinically appropriate and they can be self-administered safely without medical assessment while abroad. These 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.

For more information visit the NHS website or click on the links below:

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad

Can I take my medicine abroad? – NHS (www.nhs.uk)