Repeat Prescriptions without seeing Doctor

Gael23

How many months repeat prescriptions can a doctor give you before they will need to see you?

I had to change doctor recently and my new doctor is of the opinion that theres no need for me to come in to him unless i'm unwell.He said I can just phone reception and ask for what I need. Before now, I was reviewed either monthly or every 3 months so the Docoor would give my a script then.

Xeyn

ryanf1 wrote: »

How many months repeat prescriptions can a doctor give you before they will need to see you?

I had to change doctor recently and my new doctor is of the opinion that theres no need for me to come in to him unless i'm unwell.He said I can just phone reception and ask for what I need. Before now, I was reviewed either monthly or every 3 months so the Docoor would give my a script then.

It absolutely depends on what treatment you're receiving. Some have side effect profiles that require regular monitoring and others don't.

Gael23

For me its more that there is not much research on one of my things for long term use. My last GP, who was brilliant to me, changed my treatment and introduced this new stuff.
Now that I have had to leave him, I'm heading to a dermatologist shortly anyway.

I suppose I have just gotten so used to follow ups fairly often I find it a change with not having it so much but know too when I see a dermatologist shortly I should be able to manage without the need to have them so much.

medicine12345

In fairness there's probably not much point in going to see him every month then unless something changes or you become unwell. I'd say it wouldn't be any longer than every 6 or 12 months though, but depends on your condition and the medication.

Gael23

I'm going to go in and talk to him about being sent to a dermatologist in a few weeks time. The way I left it with my previous GP was that we would ask the dermatologists advice on this particular medicine at a certain point anyway, will be a small bot later than we agreed but nothing I can do about that.
I think he may have been getting advice from the consulatant without me actually seeing him over the past year but now that he's gone I need to go myself to give me back the confidence he gave to me.

Nonoperational

6 months is the longest a prescription can be valid for by law.

Gael23

Nonoperational wrote: »

6 months is the longest a prescription can be valid for by law.

I have often handed in prescriptions older than that but then I've been on the same or similar things for 11 years now so I'm sure a pharmacist would know they are being used for the same condition and these are for management rather than cure so I always need them

locum-motion

ryanf1 wrote: »

I have often handed in prescriptions older than that but then I've been on the same or similar things for 11 years now so I'm sure a pharmacist would know they are being used for the same condition and these are for management rather than cure so I always need them

Whether you always need them or not, it doesn't change the fact that the previous poster was right. By law, no prescription is valid for longer than 6 months.