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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How long does it take for your prescription to be processed?

60 replies

Plumface · 08/02/2022 14:00

I sent my request through to the surgery last Monday on their electronic system . Rang the pharmacy to see if it was ready and they told me it wasn't and that I should allow two weeks. It seems like a long time.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 08/02/2022 14:01

Is it a repeat prescription?
Ours take about 48 hours to be processed

NannyR · 08/02/2022 14:02

48 hours from me placing the request online to me collecting it at the pharmacy - they say to allow two working days but its usually ready sooner.

Original poster
Plumface · 08/02/2022 14:04

Yes, it's a repeat prescription. It has been getting slower and slower for them to do it over the past few months.

OP posts:
theaardaphantcometh · 08/02/2022 14:06

My repeat prescription as never been ready earlier than 7 days from ordering online with the drs- then the pharmacy text me when it is ready

Freshprincess · 08/02/2022 14:07

I think my last one was over a week. My surgery has the least user friendly repeat ordering system you could possibly imagine, so it’s usually their fault.

user1497207191 · 08/02/2022 14:07

It's about a week here between ordering it online with the GP and the pharmacy "pinging" to say it's ready. Apparently, the pharmacy don't process it "in house" at the branch, it's done at a bigger distribution centre and is then transported to the branch, which adds transport time.

Toanewstart23 · 08/02/2022 14:08

24 to 48 hours

Chloemol · 08/02/2022 14:08

Ours was two weeks when covid kicked off. Now back to 24-48 hours

Toanewstart23 · 08/02/2022 14:09

Local pharmacy so much better than boots etc

Lacedwithgrace · 08/02/2022 14:09

2-4 days, never more than 5 days even at the height of the pandemic

Chloemol · 08/02/2022 14:09

A,so I use the nhs app, not the surgery system, that might be quicker

hedgehogger1 · 08/02/2022 14:10

3 working days. Although my docs has a tendency to decide they aren't giving more without an appointment but not tell you... then not have any appointments available

uncomfortablydumb53 · 08/02/2022 14:11

Usually 3 working days

Original poster
Plumface · 08/02/2022 14:14

Weirdly, mine was ok during covid. It's only now that it all seems to be falling apart.

I did used to have a sort of regular renew thing set up with them where they request from the GP every 28 days and then tell me when it's ready but it kept on going wrong - a combination of them stuffing up and the surgery stuffing up - so I went back to just requesting it myself. But it's taking forever! I know it's a small thing in the scheme of things but it's annoying. I've already run out of one item as of yesterday - the chemist said I should have stated it was an urgent request but I didn't think wanting something to be done within a week was an urgent request. I guess at least now I know.

OP posts:
CornishGem1975 · 08/02/2022 14:14

Repeat prescription. The last time I submitted on the app at 11pm and got a text the next morning by 11am to say my medicines were ready to collect. My GP surgery is great though and it has its own dispensary, I'm very fortunate!

thepastisanothercountry · 08/02/2022 14:15

48 hours. Two weeks is ridiculous. Even during the height of covid my surgery who are poor at many things managed to send out prescriptions and pharamacy were able to process them in that time.

Is it possibly for a medication that they're having trouble hold of OP?

HollaHolla · 08/02/2022 14:16

About 3-4 days if it's going direct to the pharmacy, for the drugs to be available. If I'm just picking up the paper prescription at the GP; about 48 hours.

Mollysocks · 08/02/2022 14:16

Same OP. It’s got worse recently. A few months ago it would take 3 days from request to collection.

I requested mine recently and was told it would be there in 5 days, drove to the pharmacy, not there yet. Would be there tomorrow, called at lunch. It had arrived but was in a box somewhere apparently and wouldn’t be unpacked until the next day. Two days later it was finally available to pick up.

I get my medication through monthly. It’s getting to the point where I need to order it every 3 weeks to ensure it’s available before I run out.

Annoyingly the surgery won’t release more than a months in one go.

zighead · 08/02/2022 14:17

I think a week is standard, from ordering the rx to picking it up from the pharmacy. Never heard of any pharmacy requiring two weeks.

jimmyreckon · 08/02/2022 14:18

Nhs app - normally just after midnight on the day I'm allowed to order, gp signs it off before surgery around 7 and it's passed electronically to the pharmacy ready for collection at 8 am - I'm flagged on the system though as a priority - partners take around 18 hours usually

Pavlova31 · 08/02/2022 14:18

Gp prescription to practice pharmacy 48 to 72 hours.
Consultant prescription handed in to hospital pharmacy about an hour though often less.

Mollysocks · 08/02/2022 14:18

@Mollysocks

Same OP. It’s got worse recently. A few months ago it would take 3 days from request to collection.

I requested mine recently and was told it would be there in 5 days, drove to the pharmacy, not there yet. Would be there tomorrow, called at lunch. It had arrived but was in a box somewhere apparently and wouldn’t be unpacked until the next day. Two days later it was finally available to pick up.

I get my medication through monthly. It’s getting to the point where I need to order it every 3 weeks to ensure it’s available before I run out.

Annoyingly the surgery won’t release more than a months in one go.

Every 2 weeks that should say.
FourTeaFallOut · 08/02/2022 14:19

Two weeks? Shock

My pharmacy asks you to wait 48 hours to pick up repeat prescriptions but to give them a ring if you need it earlier than that.

Original poster
Plumface · 08/02/2022 14:22

@zighead I hadn't heard of such until today either. She told me it wasn't ready yet and I said I'd put the request in last Monday thinking it was plenty of time but obviously not so how much time should I allow. Then she said it takes the surgery 5-7 days and the pharmacy 5-7 days so I should allow two weeks.

OP posts:
gogohm · 08/02/2022 14:24

Repeats - 48 hours max, first prescriptions a couple of hours from the appointment