Prescriptions

The dispensary is open during normal surgery hours. 

Monday-Friday 8am-6pm except Wednesdays when it is extended until 7.30pm

Saturday mornings 9am-12pm 

Chew Medical Practice is a fully dispensing practice. This means that we can supply all medication for most of our patients, directly from the surgery.

The key benefits of dispensing with us are:

• Medication can be available within 20 minutes of leaving the doctor or nurse, often quicker, without the need to go elsewhere to collect it
• There is a very close relationship between our dispensary and the doctors - queries are dealt with quickly and effectively, with minimal delay and absolute clinical safety
• Huge stock - we have one of the biggest dispensaries in the country
• If something is out of stock, then a substitute can often be offered safely and quickly
• We offer a home delivery service free of charge to any patient who doesn't pay at the point of collection (ie under 18, over 60, medically exempt or with a pre-payment card)

All patients can choose whether they use the dispensary or a local pharmacy, but we encourage you to sign up as a dispensing patient, to give you the greatest flexibility.

The only patients who are not eligible to use the dispensary at the surgery are those who live less than a mile from a community pharmacy other than Chew Pharmacy. Everyone who lives within a mile of Chew Pharmacy is still eligible for dispensing services from the surgery.

The dispensary provides funding to enable us to provide the wide range and high quality of services that our patients expect. Your support is greatly appreciated.

The easiest ways to order repeat prescriptions are:

• using your NHS account (through the NHS website or in the NHS App)
• using the GP online system via the link at the top of this page

These accounts show you all of your repeat medications and dosages and you can choose the ones you need.

You can also:

• By hand - tick the items you need on your repeat slip and hand it in to the dispensary or put it in the box on the dispensary counter when you collect your last prescription. If the surgery is closed post it through the letter box. This will be counted as being received on the next working day. If you do not have your repeat slip, you can fill in a prescription order form from the dispensary.
• Post your repeat slip with the items you require ticked off. Alternatively if you prefer you can send us a note to request the items. Please don't forget to include your full name, address and date of birth.
• Email - Please remember that this method is via normal email and therefore complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. BSWICB.dispensarychew@nhs.net. Please specify the items you require and your full name and address and date of birth. Please make it very clear if you are ordering for more than 1 person. Please do not use this email for anything other than prescription requests.A number of personal computers are able to advise you if your email has been received and opened. We recommend that you utilise this on your home PC. Ask your internet provider for details of how to set this facility up.
• Telephone - This service is available weekdays, between 12pm and 2pm. Choose Option 3 on the main telephone line.Unlike many practices Chew Medical Practice has decided to keep a dedicated phone line service between 12pm and 2pm. This service has been appreciated by many patients over the years. It is important that calls are received by an experienced Dispenser. This service is specifically for carers, house bound and elderly patients. Please note: there is no ring back facility on this number. We are unable to accept prescription requests on the main surgery number outside these hours.

Please allow two full working days for prescriptions to be processed and remember to take weekends and bank holidays into account.

If you run out of medication when we are closed you should ring 111 to access BANES Doctors Urgent Care (BDUC).  You will need to collect a written prescription from them and take it to a pharmacy to enable them to dispense your medication.

If you have a repeat prescription, you may need to come in for a regular review. 

Find out more about prescription charges (nhs.uk).

Take it to the pharmacy you got it from or bring it in to the surgery. Do not put it in your household bin or flush it down the toilet.

Where possible, please remove the dispensing labels from the packaging. 

If you have questions about your medicine, your local pharmacists can answer these. They can also answer questions on medicines you can buy without a prescription.

The NHS website has information on how your medicine works, how and when to take it, possible side effects and answers to your common questions.

• Go to Medicines A to Z (nhs.uk)