transfer a prescription temporarily

adm

Hi
I have a repeat prescription in a dublin pharmacy. I'm in mayo at the mo and was wondering if it would be a big deal for them to allow me collect a repeat down here rather than going back to dublin.

I know I can ring them but I thought i'd ask here first.
Thanks

byhookorbycrook

my pharmacy had to fax the script to the other, but there was not any problem.

locum-motion

For general information:

If you find yourself without your prescription medicine and away from your regular pharmacy, just go into any pharmacy and ask. Make sure you have as much information as possible such as the exact name, strength, instructions etc.

In certain limited circumstances, the pharmacist is allowed to make an Emergency Supply of a prescription only medicine without seeing the actual prescription. If your circumstance qualifies, the pharmacist will be glad to make the supply. If not, they won't, but you lose nothing by asking.

In the case of one pharmacy faxing a prescription to another, all that actually does is provide evidence to the receiving pharmacist that a prescription exists. A fax is not a prescription, it is merely a copy of one. A pharmacy supplying medication based on a faxed prescription is doing so under the Emergency Supply provisions.


All of this is a very poor substitute for simply making sure that you don't run out of your prescribed meds while away from home. Here's a couple of tips to help prevent that.

Firstly, and most obviously, if you're going away, make sure that you're not going to run out while you're away. Yes, I know it sounds obvious, but an amazing number of people go away for a week with only 3 days' supply of medication!

Secondly, if you do run out of your meds, by far the easiest way to get more is to have your repeat prescription with you. When you get a repeatable prescription dispensed, the pharmacy should ask if you want them to give it back to you or to file it away for you. It is your choice. Some people prefer to hold on to their own script, but in that case they are really supposed to bring it back in with them when they want the repeats dispensed. Others don't trust themselves not to lose it , so they prefer the pharmacy to hold on to the script for them. If you're in this latter group, you can ask your regular pharmacy to give it back to you if you're going away, so that if anything unforseen happens like losing your meds, then you have it with you to get replacements. And if you're one of those that keeps your prescriptions yourself, then tuck it away in your wallet or purse before you go on hols.

Basically, what I'm saying is that with a little foresightedness, you can make sure that you're not left without your drugs, but even if you are, it's not the end of the world and you should be able to get more.

I hope that someone will find this useful!

anotherlostie

Given the current weather conditions, it is unsurprising that some people may have been caught on the hop with regard to the amount of medication they brought home with them.

Just one other point that if the prescription is a medical card repeat script, then you may have more difficulty. The pharmacy needs to have the physical copy of the prescription to dispense the medication free of charge as this is needed to claim back the cost of the drugs. If you or your family are known in the pharmacy then they may dispense free on the understanding that you will supply them with the prescription as soon as possible but this depends on the pharmacy policy.

If it's a private prescription, then ignore the above paragraph!

nesf

locum-motion wrote: »

In certain limited circumstances, the pharmacist is allowed to make an Emergency Supply of a prescription only medicine without seeing the actual prescription. If your circumstance qualifies, the pharmacist will be glad to make the supply. If not, they won't, but you lose nothing by asking.

Out of curiosity what are these circumstances? I know I've previously availed of it when I forgot my meds on weekend trip away (when you're on 300mg of Effexor you really don't want to have to go without ). Has never happened since though.

locum-motion

nesf wrote: »

Out of curiosity what are these circumstances?

Sorry, I'm not going to post them here, where anyone who who might not legitimately need meds can read them and perhaps get some ideas.

nesf

locum-motion wrote: »

Sorry, I'm not going to post them here, where anyone who who might not legitimately need meds can read them and perhaps get some ideas.

No problem.

adm

Many thanks for replies and info.
I ended up coming back to dublin before weather got really bad.