Batch or Repeat Dispensing

Studies in the UK and abroad have shown significant savings and a reduction in waste with 28-day prescribing.

Please watch the above video where our Clinical Pharmacists, Graham and Bianca explain how batch prescribing works.

To make it easier for you to collect your medications on a 28 or 56 day cycle we shall be issuing prescriptions of regular medications using “Batch Prescribing also known as Repeat Dispensing”.

Your doctor will provide you with a prescription for an interval that they believe to be most clinically appropriate for you, taking into account all sort of issues, such as how stable your condition is, how long they expect you to take the medicine for, any side effects you may experience, whether or not your medicine may change in the future, and any monitoring required. For some patients on certain medicines at a stable dose (e.g. contraceptives & HRT), your doctor may decide it is appropriate to issue prescriptions for prescribing intervals longer than 56 days and for medicines that are taken “as required” or for creams and certain inhalers your medicines may only be available on the normal repeat basis when you will make the request in the usual way either via the NHS app, our online services or in writing by post.

Batch or Repeat Dispensing will allow your GP to issue up to 12 months of medicines that you are taking on a regular basis in one go. This will be sent to your pharmacy electronically. When you are about to run out of your medicines towards the end of the 28 or 56 day cycle all you need to do is contact your pharmacy for a further one month’s supply without the need to contact your surgery. Pharmacies have slightly different processes for this so please discuss with your pharmacy.

You will of course still have to comply with NHS regulations for a periodic, usually annual, medication review and any regular checks up that you may need.

This policy is at the discretion of individual doctors to be implemented when appropriate for suitable patients.

Most patients collecting repeat prescriptions do not pay prescription charges; therefore there will be no difference to these patients in terms of cost due to 28-day prescribing. If you do have to pay prescription charges, then it may be beneficial for you to buy a Prescription Prepayment Certificate especially if you are taking 3 or more medicines on a regular basis – ask your pharmacist for more information or contact the NHS Business Services Authority on 0845 850 0030.

For more information on how this works, please see the Repeat Dispensing Scheme Patient Information Leaflet.

You may wish to purchase a pre-payment certificate. For more information, please see www.gov.uk/get-a-ppc.