Electronic Repeat Dispensing

If you are a patient that gets regular or repeat prescriptions and are compliant with taking their medications, we offer the electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) service. This allows you to save time and effort by reducing the number of times you need to submit prescription requests.

eRD sends your prescriptions for 3,6, or 12 months electronically from your GP surgery to a pharmacy of your choice.

It’s easy to use and you don’t need a computer or electronic device,

eRD allows your GP to prescribe your regular medicines in 28 day batches for up to a year. It’s reliable, secure and confidential. Your regular prescriptions are stored securely on the NHS database, so they’ll be ready at the pharmacy each time you need them.

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
• pick up your prescriptions directly from your pharmacy without having to visit your GP
• spend less time waiting for your prescription in the pharmacy or GP practice
• save paper – you won’t need a paper prescription to collect your medicine from the pharmacy

 How does it work:

 Step 1

We will contact you if we believe that you would be suitable for this service or you may talk to your GP or the person who prescribes your medicines and ask them if you can use electronic repeat prescriptions. Your prescriber will usually be your doctor or practice nurse.

If your prescriber thinks that you could use electronic repeat prescriptions for your regular medicines, they will ask you for permission to share information about your treatment with your pharmacist. This will help your pharmacist to give your prescriber feedback about your treatment and provide you with useful advice.

Your GP or prescriber will then authorise a number of electronic repeat prescriptions. This will be based on your circumstances and clinical need. These electronic repeat prescriptions will then be supplied to you by your pharmacy at regular intervals.

Step 2

Collect your first electronic repeat prescription from your pharmacy.

Step 3

When you need more medicines, go back to your pharmacy. Before dispensing the next issue of your prescription, your pharmacy will ask:

• have you seen any health professionals (GP, nurse or hospital doctor), since your last repeat prescription was supplied?
• have you recently started taking any new medicines – either on prescription or that you have bought over the counter?
• have you been having any problems with your medication or experiencing any side effects?
• are there any items on your repeat prescription that you don’t need this month?

If you don’t need all of the medicines on your prescription, let the pharmacy staff know, so that they only supply the medicines you need. This will help to reduce waste and save the NHS money.

Step 4

When your pharmacy supplies your final electronic repeat prescription in the series that your GP has authorised, they will advise you to contact your GP practice. Your doctor or practice nurse may want to see you to review your medication before they will authorise more electronic repeat prescriptions.

More Information:

For more information about eRD and how it works:

Visit the NHS website: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/eRD-patients

Or view this video: https://vimeo.com/291921078