We have had some feedback recently from patients who were surprised that their medication was not ready immediately after being advised that it would be available.
Key points to note for patients:
Processing time: Prescriptions are not necessarily processed instantly by the practice script team due to the volume of prescriptions that we process each day. Pharmacy workload: Community pharmacies also need time to prepare medication, and this may vary depending on their capacity. Urgent vs routine needs: The time taken process the prescription will vary depending on whether the medication is urgent (same day if clinically necessary) or routine (usually available within 3-5 working days). Repeat prescriptions: Patients are encouraged to request repeats in good time to avoid running out.
We hope that by setting out a realistic timeline and managing patients expectations, we can help reduce unnecessary calls and visits, support our pharmacy colleagues, and maintain patient trust.