Repeat Prescriptions

These are requested by ticking the appropriate box on your order slip and placing in the repeat prescription box (wooden box on wall) in the surgery lobby between 08:20 and 18:00 on weekdays. When the surgery is closed, please post your repeat slip through the front door letterbox.  There is no need to queue up at reception, simply place your slip in the repeat prescription box.

Alternatively you can order online by following the link at the top of this page.

Your repeat prescription can be sent electronically to partcipating pharmacies - please sign up at your pharmacy.

Your medication and replacement slip can be collected at your chosen pharmacy.  Please check with your chosen pharmacy for collection arrangements.  If you have not specified a pharmacy on request, please collect from the surgery and take to the chemist of your choice. There is a pharmacy on the surgery site, leased to Boots Chemist, but you can have your prescriptions dispensed at the pharmacy of your choice.

Prescriptions can be sent by post if you provide a stamped addressed envelope.

Medication Reviews

Medications are reviewed annually and your medication review should take place during your birth month.  The reception team will not be able to issue any repeat prescription requests once your review date has been reached.  You will need to make an appointment to have a medication review with your usual doctor and the review date will be updated accordingly.

Obviously, if there are any problems before that review date, patients are encouraged to return and see their doctor.

 The surgery requires two working days for prescriptions to be processed. Please remember to check with your pharmacy how much time they need to dispense your prescription as this can vary. Remember to take weekends and bank holidays into account.

Prescriptions Charges and Exemptions

Extensive exemption and remission arrangements protect those likely to have difficulty in paying charges (NHS prescription and dental charges, optical and hospital travel costs).

The NHS prescription charge is a flat-rate amount which successive Governments have thought it reasonable to charge for those who can afford to pay for their medicines.  Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) offer real savings for people who need extensive medication.

Information about NHS charges 

Medicines Management

Since the beginning of 2003 Northam Surgery has been taking part in a Government initiative to try to prevent wastage of unwanted medicines. It has been found that up to £4 million worth of medicines are being wasted each year in North Devon alone, and to try to reduce this, the practice have introduced some fairly simple measures.

With the co-operation of the patients, doctors will prescribe only a 28 day supply of medication (there are certain exceptions to this rule, by arrangement with the doctor). They will also try to give you the same number of tablets for each medicine so that you only have to order once a month for all your medication.

If you are not taking any medication that is still on your repeat list, please let the surgery or the pharmacy know and this can be taken off.

Please remember that any medication you order and then have to return to the pharmacy cannot be reused even if it is unopened.

In an attempt to reduce the overall cost of prescribing drugs, the practice is supporting the initiative of prescribing drugs by the compound (generic) name rather than by brand.

This will mean on some occasions the prescription you receive may be packaged differently though the drug will be the same.

If you have any queries about this, please seek advice about your medication either from your local pharmacist or the surgery.

Please allow 48 hours, excluding weekends and Bank Holidays, for your request to be processed at the Surgery. 

Please enquire at your pharmacy of choice for their individual processing times.