Acute prescriptions are medications that have been issued by your GP but not added to your repeat prescription list.
This could be for several reasons, for example:
- it could be a new medication that the GP needs to monitor for a period of time to ensure that it is appropriate for you
- it is a short-term medication that is not needed regularly
- it is a high-risk medication that the GP wishes to monitor closely
In some instances, where an acute problem has not yet resolved or has recurred, the medication can be requested without the need for a further appointment.
Patients can do this by:
- submitting a written request to the surgery
- by using the custom request box on SystmOnline
- submitting an eConsult.
Please note there is not a function to request acute or one-off prescriptions using the NHS app.
A clinician will assess your written request for acute medication and the reason that this is required, and one of two outcomes will be decided:
- The requested medication is issued. This process can take up to 3 working days.
- The request for medication is refused as a further consultation or clinical assessment is required
