Electronic Repeat Dispensing

If you get regular or repeat medicines, you might be suitable for eRD. Using eRD, you can: 

  • save time by avoiding unnecessary trips or calls to your GP every time you need to order a repeat prescription
  • order or cancel your repeat prescriptions online (if your GP practice offers this service)
  • pick up your repeat prescriptions directly from your pharmacy without having to visit your GP
  • spend less time waiting for your prescription in the pharmacy or GP practice, which means you can stay at home and avoid face-to-face contact when you need your repeat prescription during the coronavirus pandemic
  • save paper – you won’t need a paper prescription to collect your medicine from the pharmacy

Due to the current circumstances and pressures on the NHS, NHS England has advised to change the way patients withcurrently order your regular medication. Your GP or healthcare practitioner will issue a repeat dispensing prescription which will have a number of prescription issues on it e.g. a minimum of 3 months of medication to be collected monthly. This “batch” of prescriptions will be sent electronically to your existing nominated pharmacy. This means that you simply collect your regular medication from your usual pharmacy without having to order it each month.

If you wish to change your pharmacy later; you can ask the new pharmacy to set your nomination with them. Your regular medication will then be available at that pharmacy.

When your pharmacy supplies your last electronic repeat prescription, they will inform you. You will then have to contact your GP practice to ask for another set of electronic repeat prescriptions. You may need to be seen for a review before another batch of electronic repeat dispensing prescription is authorised.

It is important to let your pharmacist know if you are taking any other medicines or if your medical condition changes. If you have any questions about your medicines, ask at the pharmacy, they will be happy to help you.

If you consent to this, you do not need to do anything as the practice has set this up for you using your current preferred pharmacy, however, if you feel this is not suitable or you have any concerns or questions regarding this change please contact the surgery as soon as possible.

For further information and a step-by-step guide as to how this works please refer below.

Should you have any questions or concerns please do contact your surgery.

Step by Step Guide to how to obtain your medication using eRD prescribing system

 

STEP 1

If you have received a text from the surgery saying your prescription has been moved to this method of ordering you do not need to do anything and can go to STEP 2.

For patients who wish to move to eRD:

Talk to your healthcare practitioner prescriber and ask them if you can move to Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD). If your prescriber regards you to be eligible, your permission will be requested to share information about your treatment with your nominated pharmacy (any pharmacy which dispenses NHS medication). This enables your pharmacist to communicate to your prescriber about your treatment and the ability to provide you with tailored advice. Your prescriber will then authorise a number of eRD prescriptions (to cover a determined number of months). The duration will be based on your circumstances and clinical need.

STEP 2

Request and collect your first eRD prescription from your chosen pharmacy.

STEP 3

When you need your next month’s prescription, contact your pharmacy / go back to your pharmacy to request and collect.

Your pharmacy will ask you the following questions prior to issuing you your medications:

  1. Have you seen any health professionals (GP, nurse or hospital doctor), since your last repeat prescription was supplied and has your health conditions changed?
  2. Have you recently started taking any new medicines – either on prescription or that you have bought over the counter?
  3. Have you been having any problems with your medication or experiencing any side effects?
  4. Are there any items on your repeat prescription that you don’t need this month?

Please inform the pharmacy of only the medications you need, so they can issue what you require. This will aid waste reduction and save NHS resources.

If you have any questions about your medicines, just ask at the pharmacy; they’ll be happy to help you.

STEP 4

When your pharmacy supplies your last prescription, they will advise you to contact your GP practice to arrange for your medication to be reviewed and if it is clinically appropriate to issue another eRD prescription.

Should you have any other questions or concerns regarding this process please contact your Surgery or Pharmacy.