Electronic repeat prescription: what to know

A repeat prescription is intended for a medicine you have already been prescribed as part of an ongoing treatment plan. The clinician may review your previous prescription, current symptoms, other medicines, allergies, and any monitoring that the medicine requires before approving another supply.

The prescription is sent electronically to the pharmacy or dispensing service selected through the available system. You may receive a message, digital reference, or other collection instructions. The pharmacy still needs to check the prescription and confirm that the medicine is available. An electronic prescription does not replace clinical judgement, and it does not mean that every request will be approved without a review.

A repeat supply can be unsuitable if your dose has changed, your condition has worsened, you have troublesome side effects, or you have stopped taking the medicine. Tell the clinician about these changes rather than requesting the previous item unchanged.

Check the medicine name, strength, directions, remaining supply, and the pharmacy you plan to use. Request it with enough time for a clinical review and dispensing, especially if the medicine is taken every day. Keep taking it exactly as directed while you wait, unless a clinician has told you to stop.

Include any recent change in your health, missed doses, new medicines, pregnancy, allergies, or unwanted effects. If you need a dose adjustment, a new medicine, or advice about symptoms, arrange a consultation instead of relying on a repeat request. A GP consultation can provide a fuller assessment when the treatment plan needs reconsideration.

When collecting the medicine, compare the label with your usual prescription and ask the pharmacist about any difference in appearance, instructions, or quantity. Do not share your medicine, use someone else’s prescription, or double a dose to make up for a missed dose without specific advice.

Contact a healthcare professional promptly if the prescription is delayed and you may run out, the pharmacy cannot supply it, or you are unsure whether to continue it. Give the medicine name and strength, your last dose, and the reason for the request so the team can guide you safely.

Seek urgent help for severe breathing difficulty, swelling of the face or throat, fainting, sudden confusion, severe chest pain, or a rapidly worsening reaction after taking a medicine. Use local emergency services for symptoms that may threaten life. Do not wait for an electronic repeat prescription to address an emergency.

Ask whether this medicine still suits your current health, whether you need monitoring before the next supply, what to do if a dose is missed, and which symptoms should prompt a review. Confirm how the electronic prescription will reach the pharmacy and what to do if the selected pharmacy cannot dispense it.