Life is, at the best of times, busy.
As such, it can be easy to overlook certain things, such as when you next need to order a repeat prescription from your GP. So, the first time you may notice that you need to order your next prescription is when you have taken the last pill in the box!
Or perhaps you had your medication and have recently moved home, causing you to misplace your entire supply.
Either way, losing access to your medication to manage a health issue is not a good day and, rather than panic, there are some steps you can take to make sure your medication is with you as soon as possible. So, read on to learn more about what to do if you lose your prescription.
How To Get an Emergency Prescription
If you have lost your repeat prescription or have run out of medication, you can use the emergency prescription service to get access to an immediate supply. This applies whether the medication was prescribed via the NHS or from a private surgery.
To do this, you need to search online for the 111 online emergency prescription service. Depending on the medication being ordered, you will usually be given a seven-day emergency supply, which will act as a buffer between getting your next prescription filled.
It should be noted that if you pay for your prescription(s), you will be charged the normal fee. If you have medical exemption or you have a prepayment prescription set up, then any emergency medication will be free.
The 111 online service will as you some questions about the medication you need access to, such as when you are due to take it next. The service will also ask you your location, and will then suggest how to get it. In many cases, you will be referred to your nearest pharmacy. It is worth calling the pharmacy ahead of time to check that they have the medication that you need access to.
If you have been prescribed your medication that same day, so it is not a repeat prescription, you should call 111 to discuss your options or contact your NHS GP for help. If it is outside of the normal opening hours of your GP, then there should be an answering machine message that will provide you with details of their out-of-hours options for health care in your area.
Urgent Treatment
If you have run out of your medication in the middle of the night, or after hours, then you may not be able to access it via a high street pharmacy. If this is the situation you are in, you to go to your nearest urgent treatment centre or your local A&E to get access to the medication.
When Not To Use 111 For Emergency Prescriptions
You cannot use the 111-emergency prescription service to get access to antibiotics, which may have been prescribed for a new or recent issue. You also cannot use the 111 service to access drugs that require identification to collect, such as emergency contraception or asthma medication.
If you need any help accessing your prescription or are having issues navigating getting your prescription ordered, please contact us here.
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