Ordering repeat prescriptions
The easiest way to order repeat prescriptions is using the NHS Wales App.
This account shows you all your repeat medicine and dosage and you can choose the ones you need.
You can also:
- place your request for your next prescription at the point of collection, and the items will be dispensed awaiting collection in 4 weeks time. You will receive confirmation of the collection date in the form of a date slip and be notified by text if the practice holds a mobile contact for you
- speak with your nominated pharmacy
- drop your completed request slip to the dispensary in Brecon or reception in Sennybridge Health Centre
- post your request to the surgery
We do not take repeat prescription requests over the phone or email.
If you no longer take medication that appears on your slip, please advise the doctor when you next see him/her.
Collecting your prescription
Acute prescriptions can normally be dispensed immediately after the surgery consultations.
You can usually collect your prescription 3 working days after you have ordered it.
You will need to choose a pharmacy to collect your prescription from. We call this nominating a pharmacy.
You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time:
- on the app or website where you order repeat prescriptions
- at any pharmacy that accepts repeat prescriptions
Dispensary opening times
Our dispensaries in Ty Henry Vaughan Surgery and Sennybridge Health Centre are open as follows:
Brecon (Ty Henry Vaughan)
Monday to Friday 8:30am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm.
Sennybridge
Open for collection of repeat medication on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am to 12:30pm.
Pharmacy collection service
If you are a non-dispensing patient and have to take your prescription to the chemist, you can arrange with your local community pharmacy to collect your repeat prescription for you. Please contact them for further information.
Questions about your prescription
If you have questions about your medicine, your local pharmacists can answer these. They can also answer questions on medicines you can buy without a prescription.
If you would like to speak to someone at the GP surgery about your prescription:
- fill out an ask a medication question form
Medication reviews
If you have a repeat prescription, we may ask you to come in for a regular review. We will be in touch when you need to come in for a review.
What to do with old medicines
Take it to the pharmacy you got it from or bring it in to the surgery. Do not put it in your household bin or flush it down the toilet.
About pharmacists
As qualified healthcare professionals, pharmacists can offer advice on minor illnesses such as:
- coughs
- colds
- sore throats
- tummy trouble
- aches and pains
They can also advise on medicine that you can buy without a prescription.
Many pharmacies are open until late and at weekends. You do not need an appointment.
Most pharmacies have a private room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff.
Prescribing of sedatives
For CT and MRI scans
We at Brecon Medical Group Practice are unable to prescribe sedative drugs for our patients to take prior to having a CT or MRI scan for the following reasons:
The Royal College of Radiologists sets out clear guidance that safe and effective sedation for radiological scans should be delivered by an appropriately trained and credentialed team, with a pre-procedure assessment, sedation plan and checklist completed for every patient, and that there should be appropriate monitoring and availability of resuscitation equipment and reversal agents throughout the scan.
Small doses of sedatives such as 2mg diazepam are probably not sufficient for effective sedation in most adults. They can sometimes cause adverse reactions and even small doses can cause agitation in some individuals.
Taking sedatives before a procedure which is then delayed can lead to unpredictable dosing requirements; additional doses may increase risks and possible side effects.
Sedation for procedures is not something that GPs are trained to do. Hospital consultants who request and oversee scans are able to prescribe medications which might be used for sedation in these situations. If you are concerned about requiring sedation for a scan which we are requesting, please let us know so we can communicate that concern to the radiology department at the time of requesting the scan.
For Fear of flying
We at Brecon Medical Group Practice are unable to prescribe sedatives for fear of flying. This is for the following reasons:
Sedatives such as benzodiazepines can make you sleepy and more relaxed, which is why people request them for times of anxiety. If there is an in-flight emergency they can impair your ability to react appropriately and follow instructions. This could have serious safety implications.
Sedative drugs can make people fall asleep, however this is not a natural sleep and people who have taken sedatives tend to move around less. This can cause in increased risk of developing a blood clot in the leg or lung, which can be very dangerous. The risk of blood clots is already higher during a long haul flight.
Some sedative drugs can cause increased agitation and aggression, which can prove dangerous during a flight.
Prescribing guidelines laid out in the British National Formulary do not list phobias as a licensed use for sedative drugs. If you have a phobia of flying, which we appreciate can be very difficult, there are Fear of Flying courses run by airlines, which can have a more long-lasting impact.