Services
Electronic Prescription Service
Page Contents
Overview
Choosing a Pharmacy or Dispenser
Cancelling or Changing your Pharmacy or Dispenser
Unhappy with the Electronic Prescription Service?
The NHS is continuing to roll out its Electronic Prescription Service across the United Kingdom. This means that your General Practitioner (GP) will stop providing paper prescriptions as most are now currently signed, sent, and processed electronically. This provides you with two options for getting your prescription medicine(s).
- You nominate a pharmacy or dispenser to dispense all your prescriptions. When you receive a prescription, it will automatically be sent to your chosen pharmacy. You can then collect your medicines at the pharmacy without having to provide a paper prescription.
- You decide where to go to get your prescription dispensed each time you are provided with one. When you are issued a prescription, you will be provided with a paper copy that you can take to any pharmacy in England. The paper copy contains a unique barcode that the pharmacy scans to download your prescription from the NHS database.
Despite most prescriptions now being processed electronically, paper prescriptions will continue to be available for special circumstances.
Choosing a Pharmacy or Dispenser
If you regularly receive prescriptions or are currently using a prescription collection service, where a pharmacy collects your prescriptions from your doctor for you. Then choosing a specific pharmacy to dispense all of your prescriptions may save you time and money.
If you are receiving repeat prescriptions at present, you will still need to order those in the same fashion as you are currently, but your prescription will be sent electronically to the pharmacy or dispenser of your choice. Saving you the trip to collect a paper repeat prescription from your general practitioner, if you currently collecting any prescriptions yourself.
If you wish to nominate P&S Chemist to dispense your prescriptions, please speak to us at our pharmacy, or alternatively, you can register for a patient account on our website here. From this account, you can nominate P&S Chemist as your electronic prescription dispenser. Plus, you can also book appointments for many of our services such as travel vaccinations, flu vaccinations, and testing for cholesterol, blood pressure and sexually transmitted infections, etc.
Cancelling or Changing your Pharmacy or Dispenser
You can change the choice of your prescription dispenser, at any time you choose, simply speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you order your next prescription. Please allow a suitable time for the update to take place before you order your next prescription, otherwise, it may be sent to the wrong pharmacy.
Unhappy with the Electronic Prescription Service?
If at any point you are unhappy with your experience with the electronic prescription service, you can complain to your dispenser, your general practitioner's practice, or your local integrated care board (ICB). As an NHS service, delivered by pharmacies throughout England, you may wish to find out more about the NHS complaints procedure, which can be found here.
Page last reviewed: 17/11/2022
Next review date: 17/11/2024