Prescriptions

If you have a query then please contact the practice by phone or via this link. 

Requesting Repeat Medication

You can request your repeat medication by:

• Using apps such as the NHS App

• Post your repeat prescription request into the box on the wall of the surgery near the entrance.

• Post your repeat prescription request to: Bridge End surgery, Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham, DH3 3SL

• Moving to Electronic Repeat Dispensing of Prescriptions (eRD)

Nominated Pharmacy

Your prescriptions will be sent to your nominated pharmacy, if you want to change pharmacy then try the NHS Pharmacy finder.

Prescriptions will be ready in two working days.

On rare occasions, the doctor may decide not to issue your prescription. This may be because you ordered too early or the doctor may want to discuss the request with you. A note will be attached to your script or the receptionist will be able to tell you the reason. If requested online, there will be a reason on the reply form. 

Home Delivery Service

Some local pharmacies offer a home delivery service for prescriptions, please ask them.

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.

NHS charges

These charges apply in England only. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prescriptions are free of charge.

• Prescription (per item): £9.90
• 12-month prepayment certificate (PPC): £114.50
• 3-month PPC: £32.50
• a 12-month PPC for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) only is £19.30

If you will have to pay for four or more prescription items in three months, or more than 15 items in 12 months, you may find it cheaper to buy a PPC.

• Telephone advice and order line 0845 850 0030
• General Public - Buy or Renew a PPC On-line

There is further information about prescription exemptions and fees on the NHS website

Below are some useful points to remember when you are thinking about your medication

• Please let your GP or Pharmacist know if you’ve stopped taking any of your medicines
• Check what medicines you still have at home before re-ordering
• Discuss your medication with your GP or Pharmacist on a regular basis
• Think carefully before ticking all the boxes on your repeat prescription forms, tick those you really need
• If you don’t need the medicine please don’t order it! If you need the medicine in the future you can still request it.
• If you need to go into hospital, please remember to take all your medicines with you in a clearly marked bag.
• Please also remember that your medicines are prescribed only for you; it’s not safe to share them with anyone else.
• Even if you never open them, once medicines have left the Pharmacy, they cannot be recycled or used by anyone else.
• Please take your unused medicines to the Pharmacy for safe disposal. If your medicines change, return old medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal to avoid mixing them up with your new medicines
• NEVER dispose of your unused or unwanted medicines down the toilet
• Don’t stockpile medication – it is a safety risk for children and others who might take them
• Store medicines in an appropriate place out of reach of children
• Once your medications are due for collection; please try to collect them with reasonable promptness. This avoids build-up of uncollected medicines in the Pharmacy.

Travelling out of the country for less  than 3 months
For patients who inform us they will be out of the country for less than 3 months, we will provide sufficient medicines for an existing condition (e.g. asthma, diabetes…) for the period while the patient is away where it is safe to do so.  Drugs that require frequent monitoring may not be prescribed where there are safety concerns.  1 months supply only will be issued for drugs normally available over the counter, such as paracetamol.

Travelling out of the country for more than 3 months
Patients who inform us they will be leaving the country for more than 3 months will be prescribed sufficient medication to enable them to make alternative arrangements at their destination (up to 3 months supply where safe to do so).

Patients and relatives should not seek medication for themselves while they are abroad as this constitutes NHS fraud.

Prescriptions for medicines in case of illness while abroad.

GPs will only prescribe NHS prescriptions in this case for exacerbations of pre-existing illnesses; E.g. antibiotics for patients who have frequent infections secondary to an underlying lung condition.

GPs may provide private prescriptions if it is clinically appropriate and they can be self-administered safely without medical assessment while abroad. These prescriptions are not free.

Patients should be aware that some drugs commonly prescribed in the UK may be illegal in certain countries and you should check with that countries embassy before you travel.

We strongly recommend you check - www.gov.uk/travelling-controlled-drugs

Green Prescribing Project

At Bridge End we are trying to deliver Green Prescribing and we have compiled a short video in which Dr Brown explains what we have done and why and will upload it here but we have a link available 

 Presentation-20240124_144725-Meeting Recording.mp4

What is Green Impact for Health?

Green Impact for Health is a tried and tested formula developed by the RCGP and NUS/SOS. In 2020/21 it was by used by over 1000 General Practices across the country.

Put simply it is an online DIY guide to help you make General Practice more environmentally sustainable. Green Impact for Health provides guidance about the small changes that should improve the environmental sustainability and is something that Bridge End is striving to deliver.