Your Guide to Prescriptions and Medication at Lambourn Surgery
Collecting Your Prescription
Lambourn Surgery is a dispensing practice, which means we can supply medication directly to patients who live more than a mile from their nearest pharmacy. If this applies to you, you can collect your prescription from our dispensary hatch, located just inside the entrance on your left. For patients who live closer to a pharmacy, prescriptions are usually sent electronically to your nominated pharmacy. You can manage or change this preference using the NHS App. While most of our non-dispensing patients use Lambourn Pharmacy, you are welcome to choose an alternative local or online pharmacy.
What to Do If You Have Questions or Side Effects
If you have any concerns about your medication or experience side effects, start by reading the information leaflet provided with your medication. If you still have questions, your local pharmacist is a good next step. Should you need further support, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Starting a New Medication
New medications are typically prescribed on a short-term (or “acute”) basis to see how well they work for you. Your clinician will explain when they would like to review your progress—usually after a few weeks. Before more can be prescribed, you will need a medication review, ideally with the same clinician. This review can be done over the phone. Please complete the online medication review form at least 10 days before your supply runs out so we can arrange an appointment. During the review, you will discuss how the medication has been affecting you. If it’s working well, it may be moved to a repeat prescription. If not, the clinician might suggest a different dose or alternative treatment.
What Is a Repeat Prescription?
A repeat prescription means your medicine has been found to be effective and suitable for ongoing use. It can then be requested regularly without needing to speak to a clinician each time. Medicines on repeat are usually supplied in one-month quantities, in line with safety guidelines. Please note that controlled drugs are not eligible for repeat prescriptions due to stricter monitoring requirements. All repeat prescriptions must be reviewed and reauthorised each year to ensure they remain safe and effective.
Ordering Repeat Medication
Please order your repeat medication around one week before your supply runs out. The best way to do this is through the NHS App or SystmOnline. If you are unable to use these, you can drop your repeat slip into the box at Lambourn Pharmacy or outside the surgery. We do not accept requests by telephone.
Birthday Month Reviews for Long-Term Conditions
If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma or COPD, you’ll be invited to an annual Birthday Month Review with one of our nurses. This counts as your annual medication review. After the nurse appointment, a prescribing clinician will reauthorise your medication for the year. If necessary, a follow-up appointment will be arranged. If you don’t attend your review, your repeat medication may be delayed or reduced.
Annual Reviews for Other Long-Term Conditions
If you are on long-term medication for other conditions, you can check your review due date on your prescription or in the NHS App. Please contact us at least 10 days before your supply runs out to arrange a review. If we’re unable to fit you in before your medication runs out, we may be able to issue a one-month supply to tide you over. Your review may be conducted by a doctor, clinical pharmacist, or another prescribing clinician.
What to Expect at a Medication Review
During your medication review, you’ll talk to the clinician about how you’ve been feeling and any concerns you may have. If your medicine isn’t working as expected or your needs have changed, the clinician may recommend a new dose or an alternative treatment.
Why Some Medications Are Not on Repeat
Not all medicines are suitable for repeat prescriptions. This includes:
- Short courses for temporary issues
- Medicines that are still being adjusted
- Controlled drugs
- Situations where a review is overdue
- Cases where the medicine hasn’t been taken as prescribed
How to Order and Track Repeat Prescriptions
Using the NHS App or SystmOnline is the safest and most efficient way to request medication. These apps handle medication reviews slightly differently, but both are reliable. If your medication doesn’t appear, or is marked “on hold”, complete the online medication review form or contact us to arrange a review. Once you’ve submitted your request, the app will show the prescription as “issued”—this means it has been sent for processing. Please allow three working days before collecting.
Prescription Processing Times
Repeat prescriptions take three working days to process.
For example:
- Requests made before 11am on Monday will be ready after 4pm on Thursday
- Requests made before 11am on Tuesday will be ready after 4pm on Friday
Please avoid last-minute requests. Every prescription requires care and attention and cannot be rushed.
What If You Run Out of Medication?
Please plan ahead and order your next supply when you have about a week left. We process a high volume of requests every day, so urgent prescriptions can only be issued in exceptional circumstances. We have a list of medicines that can be supplied at short notice due to safety concerns, but most will not be available without adequate notice.
When Can You Collect Your Medication?
The dispensary hatch is open from 10:00 to 12:30 and again from 14:30 to 18:00. Outside of these times, the hatch is closed so staff can prepare medication safely without interruptions. If you’ve seen a doctor and been prescribed something for immediate use, you may collect it straight away during normal surgery hours.
