GP surgeries closing and contraceptive prescriptions...

[EMacCoffee]

Hi, I don't know if this is the right place for this but I just don't know what to do really.

Does anyone know what will happen if GP surgeries are forced to close (which many already have) and you need a refill of a contraceptive pill prescription?

It may be a silly question but as someone who's very anxious about this whole thing my mind has found another thing to focus on today.

I believe our GPs surgery will accept requests from the local pharmacy and send through to them. Failing that, even if the doors close, you should be able to contact someone via phone or email.

They should be open for telephone consultations and could do a refill without seeing you.

When is yours due to run out?

I was just wondering this myself as I have the depo injection and it is due end of March first week of April. I am going to have to phone tomorrow and ask about it.

They will have a system in place for repeat prescriptions.

They're still operating but mostly seeing patients via phone calls for anything that doesn't require being seen. Give them a ring and I'm sure someone will have your contraceptive prescription sent to a nearby chemist for you to collect - with no need to go into the surgery. It might take a bit longer than normal due to the unprecedented workload and a lot of staff out of circulation due to self-isolation but if you plan well ahead it should be fine. How do you normally order your repeat prescription? if it's online then that should still be working too.

Baby boom expected in 9 months from now I think.

Mine is on repeat prescription so I'm hoping they'll do it this time without seeing me. I have to see a GP for it rather than the nurse and I don't know if I'll get past the triage appointment!

Can you email them and ask for a repeat? That’s what I do for repeat prescriptions anyway. If you are due for a review/blood pressure check etc, most likely they’d be willing to delay the check and just issue the prescription anyway at the moment.

You can now buy contraception from your pharmacy.

Also, it’s not really an emergency not having a contraceptive. if you don’t want to get pregnant, either abstain or use other methods (condoms etc).

I usually go into the surgery, they normally have to do my blood pressure and height and weight, why did I not think of ringing them?

They do have an online service for ordering prescriptions but I didn't think you could use it for the pill cause of the checkup thing?

They often prefer to check those things but in this situation, they’ll just give you a repeatz

It's not due for another month and a bit but I suddenly thought today what if this whole thing has got a lot worse and all the surgeries are closed.

And I know it's not an emergency - but I'm a worrier.

ask the pharmacy if they will be doing bp checks instead

I just buy mine from Superdrug online and they deliver it to my house.

Not contraception, but essential medication. The doctor has to see my Mum every year for a health check and to review symptons. She's due one next month, otherwise she won't get a repeat prescription.

She phoned this afternoon, eventually got through to what she told me was an agency (not the GP surgery) who said they would pass on details of her call to the surgery and couldn't comment what would happen, ie whether they'd phone for her to have an appointment or at least she could have her prescription renewed.

My depo jab would be an emergency to me, it stops my periods. The periods would knock me out for a week, I just could not have that in my line of work.

ask the pharmacy if they will be doing bp checks instead

I won't be given the pill in that case. My BP is always sky high when it's taken by someone else. I take it at home and my GP takes it at the surgery with both BP monitors and overrides it. I'm just going to request the prescription and hope for the best!

@AwfulSomething me too actually that's part of the reason I'm worried about it. It's not just for contraception (that part of it isn't as big an issue).

@EMacCoffee @AwfulSomething it's the same for me and I'm about to switch to a new pill as the previous one was discontinued!

I’ve been wondering about this as well. I imagine that abortions are going to difficult to access but equally this would be a terrible time to conceive.

I work at a GP practice. Contraception is still something we would see, despite triage and the front door being locked

To be honest I'd rather not go if I don't have to so I'm hoping I get away with a repeat prescription. I think it'll depend which GP gets the request

If you can put in a request online you can usually add a comment and say you are due a pill check but could they give you another 3 months and you’ll book one in for then?

That's a good idea. I really can't see me getting a GP appointment with the one that knows and actually understands the reason I need to see him. I'll probably get the one who refused to give me the pill until my BP went down in the surgery. Needless to say it got higher each time she took it...

Pharmacy do blood pressures these days so you could always write down the reading, add your height/weight/BMI & pop it through the letter box for att. Of the practice nurse requesting repeat prescription and ask her to phone you if any problems.

I work in a surgery & the nurses/drs are still there and issuing prescriptions but ours are asking you to select a nearby pharmacy so they can send your prescriptions electronically to them because our doors are already shut.