Additional information

When you are discharged from Hospital you should normally receive seven days supply of medication.

On receipt of your discharge medication, which will be issued to you by the Hospital, please contact the Surgery to provide them with this information before your supply of medication has run out.

Specialists will often suggest particular medication at a hospital appointment and ask us to prescribe for you. To ensure your safety we do need to receive written information from the specialist before prescribing. Sometimes a medicine is suggested that is not in our local formulary. There is nearly always a close alternative, and specialists are told that we sometimes make suitable substitutions when you are referred. We will always let you know if this is the case.

The Doctors at the Practice regularly review the medication you are taking. This may involve changes to your tablets and is in accordance with current Health Authority policies. Please be reassured that this will not affect your treatment. We may sometimes call you in for a medication review and this may involve blood tests. It is very important that you attend these appointments, as it keeps you safe whilst taking medication.

Non-repeat prescriptions, known as ‘acute’ prescriptions are medicines that have been issued by the Doctor but not added to your repeat prescription records. This is normally a new medication issued for a trial period, and may require a review visit with your Doctor prior to the medication being added onto your repeat prescription records.

Some medications are recorded as acute as they require to be closely monitored by the Doctor. Examples include many anti-depressants, drugs of potential abuse or where the prescribing is subject to legal or clinical restrictions or special criteria. If this is the case with your medicine, you may not always be issued with a repeat prescription until you have consulted with your Doctor again.

If there are any medications you no longer use, please advise the receptionist who will arrange to have them removed from your repeat medications.

If you need help with NHS costs or need to find out if you can get free prescriptions please click the button below for further information.

Help with NHS Costs

OTCs are no longer supported on NHS prescriptions

Many common conditions can be treated at home with the support of your local pharmacy if needed. Over the counter products for self-care are things like pain relief and cough and cold remedies. These items can be bought from pharmacies and stores without a prescription. They are also often cheaper this way. You can get them without an appointment or seeing a doctor.

NHS Barking, Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge CCGs no longer support the routine prescribing of over the counter products for common conditions and minor ailments that are short term illnesses and/or will get better with time.

These include:

• Acne treatment
• Analgesic/pain relief treatment (short term pain, fever, headache, muscle/joint injury)
• Anti-fungal treatment (athlete’s foot, oral and vaginal thrush, ring worm)
• Antiperspirant treatment (excessive sweating)
• Cold sore treatment
• Colic treatment
• Constipation treatment
• Cough, cold and sore throat treatment
• Diarrhoea treatment
• Ear wax remover
• Eye treatments/lubricating products (Conjunctivitis/dry eyes)
• Haemorrhoid (piles) treatment
• Hayfever treatment
• Head lice treatment
• Herbal and complementary treatments
• Indigestion and heartburn (dyspepsia) treatment
• Mouth ulcer treatment
• Nappy rash treatment
• Scabies treatment
• Threadworm treatment
• Topical steroid treatment (insect bites/stings, contact dermatitis, nappy rash)
• Vitamins and minerals
• Wart and verruca

Read the full position statement from the NHS CCG (PDF, 429KB)