NHS and Private Prescription Dispensing

We have in operation a leading PMR (patient medical records) system fully approved under the data protection act and updated monthly. All possible medication interactions will be detected and interpreted professionally by your Green Light Pharmacist.

All new medication will be dispensed with explanations. We pride ourselves on making the Pharmacist available for you the customer.

If we do not have your medication in stock and the prescriptions is brought in before 12 noon we can order the medication so it will be ready in the late afternoon for you.

See also - about our Collection Service and Delivery Service. Also about Medicines Management to help you remember to take your medicines at the correct time. The latest way to get NHS prescriptions is Repeat Dispensing.

Electronic Prescriptions

The NHS is introducing an Electronic Prescription Service to which, by the end of 2007, every GP surgery and community pharmacy will have access to. One of the main benefits will be the streamlining of the current system that deals with the 70% of prescriptions that are repeat prescriptions for long-term/regular medicines.

This will mean electronic prescriptions (no paper form) can be transmitted to a nominated pharmacy for dispensing to the patient. The patient will still have the option of asking for a normal paper prescription. The benefits include no need for patients, or the pharmacy on your behalf, to visit the/ir GP surgery just to collect a prescription. Accuracy and safety will be improved because prescription information will not need to be typed in by both the GP, and then again by the pharmacist, and prescriptions will be complete with full details of the medicines being prescribed, thus speeding up the dispensing process. Finally pharmacies will be able to dispense the medicine in advance of the patient arriving to collect it.

How it works

Patients will be able to nominate a pharmacy, if there is one they wish to use on a regular basis, who will be able to receive their prescriptions electronically by downloading it from a secure central server which only accredited NHS staff/Pharmacy staff can access with smart cards. Only the same people who can currently see your prescription will be able to see the electronic version.
Patients who do not wish to nominate a pharmacy will receive a bar coded paper copy of their prescription. Any pharmacy they take it to will be able to scan this barcode and download the electronic prescription as above.
Patients will be able to change their nominated pharmacy at any time. The nomination will usually take place at the pharmacy.

For a FAQ list from the NHS site go to Electronic Prescription Service