Ordering Prescriptions From Whitby Group Practice
On This Page
Ways To Order Your Prescriptions
Dispensing Policy - Who We Can Dispense To vs
Who Needs To Go To The Chemist
Dispensing Policy - Quantities
Prescription Charges
Urgent Prescriptions
Ways To Order Your Prescriptions
Click here for our page about ordering your prescriptions online
Repeat prescriptions are ready for collection at our dispensaries 24 hours after ordering (ie next working day; doesn't include weekend or Bank Holidays). If you are collecting your prescription from the chemist please allow 2 working days. You need to arrange collecting your prescription from the chemist with the chemist, not the practice.
You can order your repeat prescriptions by ticking the relevant item on the tear off slip that came with the previous prescription and handing it in, or posting it, to the surgery. The dispensary has its own mailbox.
Alternatively you can phone the dispensary;
Whitby dispensary 01947 820444 Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm (closed for staff training every Wednesday 12.30pm - 1.30pm)
24h voicemail (Whitby dispensary only) 01947 824124 24h and leave a message
- This service is for repeat prescriptions only
- You will need to tell us your name, your date of birth, your EMIS reference number (which is on your repeat prescription slip) and what you need
Robin Hood's Bay Dispensary 01947 880230 Mon-Fri 8.30am-12.30pm or 2-5pm (not Wednesday afternoon)
We also offer online prescription ordering, which can be done securely (requires you to request registration details personally from the practice first). When you have registered for secure prescription ordering, you will also be able book appointments to see your doctor online.
Dispensing policy
NHS regulations mean that any patient who lives within one mile of a chemist shop has to get their medicines dispensed by a chemist (any chemist, not necessarily the nearest one). Some chemists arrange to order and pick up their customers' prescriptions and may deliver to some elderly or housebound customers. These services, if offered, are the responsibility of the chemist, not Whitby Group Practice.
Patients who live more than a mile from a chemist can collect their medicines from the practice's dispensary. This is also the case for temporary residents (ie patients visiting the area who need treatment before they can see their own doctor).
For our patients this means that most pateints who live in Whitby town need to get their medicines from a chemist but we can dispense for most other patients living in the surrounding villages and countryside.
We hold stocks of common treatments, but where we do not stock an item it can be ordered for the next day or you can take your prescription to a chemist's shop. The important exception to this is that we do not dispense controlled drugs for the treatment of addiction (eg methadone).
Rowlands pharmacy, which is on the same premises as our main surgery, is an independent pharmacy and not part of Whitby Group Practice.
Policy about quantities
With a small number of exceptions, such as contraception & combined hormone replacement therapy, we prescribe ongoing medication in 28 day amounts, which has been shown to reduce wastage for the NHS (this is common practice). Patients who are not exempt from prescription charges should consider purchasing a pre-payment certificate if they are on 2 or more regular prescriptions.
Prescription Charges
People age 16 or less and those aged 60 or more are exempt from prescription charges in England.
People with some illnesses are exempt from prescription charges. If you have one of these conditions you need to apply for medical exemption - you can get a form from our dispensary. Examples of exempt conditions include;-
Cancer
Diabetes
Epilepsy
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
Maternity
Stomas
Some people are exempt because of incapacity or benefits that they claim.
This is not an exhaustive list; if you aren't sure then please ask the doctor or our dispensing staff and we'd be glad to help.
Everyone else has to pay a prescription charge of £7.40 per item (and some combination therapies count as two items).
If you are on more than one item per month you should consider buying a prescription pre-payment certificate. We have forms at dispensary. It is valid from the date of application so if you have a large number of prescriptions you can apply for a pre-payment certificate to cover those items.
A 3 month prescription pre-payment certificate
costs £29.10
A 1 year prescription pre-payment certificate costs £104.00
Urgent Prescriptions
If you need to obtain your medicines urgently
please speak directly to one of the Dispensers or phone the surgery main
reception on 820888
