Add your repeat prescription to your Christmas list: order early with the NHS app
With the festive season fast approaching, the NHS in Sussex is urging people to remember to order their repeat prescriptions as soon as they can, to make sure they have enough of their medication over Christmas and the New Year.
The NHS is reminding patients, their families, and carers to add “order repeat prescriptions” to their Christmas to-do list and check their medication supplies now to ensure they have enough to last through weekends and bank holidays.
Many people will be travelling or caught up in holiday preparations and may not realise they’re running low on essential medications. Ordering repeat prescriptions ahead of time is the best way to stay prepared and avoid unnecessary stress during the festive season.
Across Sussex, 59% of people in Sussex are now registered with the NHS App – more than one million people.
As part of our winter preparations, health partners are calling for people to use the NHS App for the wide range of services it can provide.
This reminder is especially important for working-age men and women, who are the most likely to forget to order repeat prescriptions while balancing work and Christmas preparations. In fact, around 8% of all calls made to NHS 111 are for repeat prescriptions, with the highest volume of calls coming from people aged 20 to 49. Men are 37% more likely to call NHS 111 for repeat prescriptions than women.
Over Christmas, NHS 111 and out-of-hours services can become even busier with the Christmas bank holiday and weekends. Last-minute calls for repeat prescriptions only add to the demand, when they could be prevented.
Using the NHS App is a quick, secure, and convenient way to order repeat prescriptions, check available medicines, and choose a pharmacy for collection. With no need to wait for GP surgeries to open or make a call, the app allows prescriptions to be ordered at any time. For those who don’t have access to the app, repeat prescriptions can also be managed online through the NHS website.
Louisa, a resident of Brighton and Hove, shared her experience with the NHS App: “The NHS App saves me lots of time. I mainly use it to book doctor's appointments, order repeat prescriptions, and find NHS services near me.
“It saves me from having to call my doctor or wait to speak with a receptionist, and ordering repeat prescriptions is really easy. I can set my preferred pharmacy and check to see when my GP has accepted my request. I can also quickly find pharmacies and urgent care locations near me.”
NHS Sussex Chief Medical Officer, Dr James Ramsay, said: “Christmas is a busy time for everyone, but it’s crucial to plan ahead when it comes to your health. Running out of medication while travelling or during a bank holiday can lead to unnecessary stress and place extra pressure on NHS 111 and out-of-hours services.
“Ordering your repeat prescriptions well in advance helps ensure you’re covered and allows the NHS to focus on those with urgent health needs.”
The NHS App is free to download from app stores and is available to anyone aged 13 or over who is registered with an NHS GP surgery in England or the Isle of Man. Patients without access to the app can still manage their NHS account via the NHS website.
For support with using the NHS App or setting up an NHS account, visit www.nhs.uk/nhs-app