Emergency Prescriptions

Purpose

Montpelier Health Centre experiences a large volume of requests for prescriptions every day. In order to safely and efficiently undertake this function Montpelier Health has made a standard policy framework outlining the process and what drugs constitute urgent prescriptions. The management of urgent prescriptions can help limit interruptions and allows for both Clinical and non-clinical staff to safely manage their workload.

Protocol

  • When urgent medication is requested Montpelier Health, staff will establish whether it is the fault of the Practice that the script was not produced as requested, or whether the patient has left the request too late. If it is the former and we have made an error then this can be dealt with as ‘Urgent’.
  • If the practice establishes that this is not an error on the Practice’ part, the Practice will check the request against the provided list of medications classed by the Practice as ‘Urgent’.
  • If the prescription is deemed to be urgent, it will be ready by 5pm that day (provided it is requested at least 1 hour prior to this) and sent via EPS to their nominated pharmacy.

Non-urgent advice: Please note this is not a ‘while you wait’ service

Medications other than the ones in this list will not be routinely issued on an urgent basis. Requests for routine prescription renewal would require up to 48 hours for the prescription to be processed (often done quicker).

If a patient doesn’t wish to wait 48 hours to obtain a medicine which is not in the urgent list then they should be directed to the pharmacy to obtain an Emergency Supply of that medicine.

Please note requests for routine prescriptions should be made 7-10 days in advance to avoid medical lapses.

Patients who do not comply with the policy will on the first occasion receive a SMS reminding them of the process and on any subsequent occasion will receive a letter from the practice clearly stating the process.

All requests need to be in writing.


List of medication that would be issued urgently:

Drug NameBrand NameUse/Group
AcenocoumarolSinthromeAnti-Coagulants
Adrenaline 1:1000Emerade/EpipenAnaphylaxis
AmiodaroneCordaroneAnti-Arrhythmia
ApixabanEliquisAnti-Coagulants
AripiprazoleAbilify/ArpoyaAnti-Psychotics
AtenololAnti-Arrhythmia
Belometasone/FormoterolFostairReliever inhalers and Nebulising Solutions
Budesonide/FormoterolSymbicortReliever inhalers and Nebulising Solutions
CarbamazepineTegretolAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
ClobazamFrisiumAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
Co-BeneldopaMadoparParkinsons
Co-CareldopaCaramet/SinemetParkinsons
CyclizinePalliative Care
DabigatranPradaxaAnti-Coagulants
Dexamethasone (oral)Long Term/Daily Steroids
DiamorphinePalliative Care
DigoxinLanoxinAnti-Arrhythmia
DiltiazemAdizem/Angitil/Dilzem/TildemAnti-Arrhythmia
EdoxabanLixianaAnti-Coagulants
EnoxaparinClexane/InhixaAnti-Coagulants
FlecainideAnti-Arrhythmia
Fludrocortisone (oral)Long Term/Daily Steroids
GabapentinNeurontinAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
Glyceryl Trinitrate SprayGTN/NitrolingualAnti-Angina
GlycopyrroniumPalliative Care
HaloperidolAnti-Psychotics
Hydrocortisone (Injection)Solu-CortefAdrenal Emergency
Hydrocortisone (oral)Long Term/Daily Steroids
InsulinDiabetes
IpratropiumAtrovent/Inhalvent/IpraventReliever inhalers and Nebulising Solutions
Isosorbide DinitrateIsoket RetardAnti-Angina
Isosorbide MononitrateIsmo/Isodur/Isotard/Monomax/Monomil XLAnti-Angina
IvabradineProcorolanAnti-Angina
LamotrigineLamictalAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
LevetiracetamKeppraAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
LevodopaSastravi/Stalevo/StanekParkinsons
LevomepromazinePalliative Care
LithiumCamcolit/PriadelAnti-Psychotics
MidazolamPalliative Care
MorphinePalliative Care
NeedlesDiabetes
NicorandilIkorelAnti-Angina
OlanzapineZalasta/ZyprexaAnti-Psychotics
OxcarbazepineTrileptalAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
PhenobarbitoneAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
PhenytoinEpanutinAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
Prednisolone (oral)Long Term/Daily Steroids
Propranolol (not for anxiety/migraines)BedranolAnti-Arrhythmia
QuetiapineAtrolak/Biquelle/Brancico/Mintreleq/SeroquelAnti-Psychotics
RanolazineRanexaAnti-Angina
RisperidoneRisperdalAnti-Psychotics
RivaroxabanXareltoAnti-Coagulants
SalbutamolAiromir/Salamol/VentolinReliever inhalers and Nebulising Solutions
Sharps BinDiabetes
SotalolSotacorAnti-Arrhythmia
TerbutalineBricanylReliever inhalers and Nebulising Solutions
Test StripsDiabetes
TopiramateTopamaxAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
ValproateEpilim/Episenta/EpivalAnti-Epileptics (not for pain)
VerapamilSecuron/Verapress/Vera-Til/VertabAnti-Angina
VerapamilHalf Securon/UniverAnti-Arrhythmia
WarfarinAnti-Coagulants
Water for InjectionPalliative Care