I'm Away From Home But Need Medication!

I’m Away From Home But Need Medication!

It is NOT our protocol to issue prescriptions for repeat medication for temporary patients as per ICS policy

It is important that you remember to take enough medication with you when you travel away from home. If you are away from home and have run out or forgotten to bring medication with you, you should contact the surgery where you are registered. You can ask them to forward a prescription (either electronically or by fax) to a pharmacy near to where you are for you to collect.  

It is up to you to locate a pharmacy and obtain their address, including postcode and  Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) details.  You will need to pass these details to your GP surgery as they will not be able to forward a prescription without this information. You should not register as a temporary patient at a local GP surgery in order to obtain repeat medication. 

Please note, Wales and Scotland do not have access to EPS service.  In circumstances like this please call 111 to see your options.

If you are unable to contact your GP (e.g. it is out of hours) you may be able to get an emergency supply of your medicine either from an NHS walk-in centre or a local pharmacist subject to certain conditions.

You must have been prescribed the medicine before. In addition to this, the pharmacist:

  • will usually need to see you face-to-face
  • must agree that you need the medicine immediately
  • will usually need evidence that you have been prescribed that medicine before
  • must be satisfied with the dose that is most appropriate for you to take

The pharmacist will then make a note of:

  • your name and address
  • the nature of the emergency
  • the date of the emergency supply
  • the name, quantity, form (e.g. capsules, tablets or liquid) and strength of the medicine

Is it an NHS service?

No. Supplying medicine for people who have forgotten or run out of their regular medication whilst away from home is a private service that is not funded by the NHS. This means that pharmacists can charge for it. The charge will vary and will depend on the medicine and the pharmacist’s policy.

For more information on temporary registrations and obtaining medications please see the following links:

How can I see a GP if I am away from home?

Where can I get emergency medication?