From 1st April 2023, patients that require urgent repeat medication, for example as a result of them running out of a repeat medication, or because they have damaged their medication, or because they have left home without it, have to obtain an urgent supply via pharmacies commissioned under the NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service as the local Emergency Supply Service will no longer be commissioned.
The fundamental difference is that under the NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service, patients requiring an urgent supply of repeat medication will need to contact NHS111 (by telephone or online) to be referred to a local participating pharmacy.
Patients will therefore no longer be able to be referred via GP practices, GP out of hours providers or just contact a pharmacy directly.
Whilst the supply of urgent repeat medication will continue to be available via the national NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service, it is important that patients order their repeat medication from their GP practice with sufficient time so that requests for urgent repeat supplies are minimised. When ordering repeat medication from their GP practice, patients are advised pharmacies may need a few days to process the repeat medication request once it has been processed by their GP practice.
Patients are advised to order their repeat medication 7 working days before they are due to run out.
