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What Are Emergency Supplies, and How Can They Help Me?

If you’ve run out of your regular medication and can’t get a prescription in time, don’t panic. Life is unpredictable, and sometimes repeat requests get delays, or you may forget to order. The good news is that there are systems in place to help, and the NHS offers an emergency supply service to make sure you don’t go without essential medication.

What is the NHS Emergency Supply Service?

The NHS emergency supply service is designed to support patients who’ve temporarily run our of their prescription medications. It provides a short-term solution to ensure your health and well-being are not compromised while you wait for a your prescription from your GP.

This service is offered through selected community pharmacies and approved online providers. Emergency supplies can be requested either directly (as a patient), or through an authorised prescriber. Once received, a request will be reviewed and assessed by a qualified pharmacist who will determine if supplying the medication is safe and appropriate, based on NHS guidelines and professional clinical judgement.

What Can Be Supplied?

Emergency supplies are typically for essential medications that you’ve been regularly prescribed. They are not intended for new treatments or one-off (acute) prescriptions. The amount provided should be enough to last a few days, just enough to bridge the gap until you can get your full prescription.

Some medications, such as controlled drugs, specialist treatments, or medications requiring ongoing clinical monitoring may not be eligible for emergency supply. Each case is assessed individually, and while we do our best to help, some requests may be declined if they fall outside of guidelines, or pose a risk to patient safety.

What Information Will We Need from You?

To help us provide a request, we would need to know:

Which medication you’re taking
How much you have left (if any)
The reason you’re requesting an emergency supply

To ensure safe prescribing, we will also require recent evidence of the medication (such as a photo of the packaging or an old prescription), and, where necessary, access to your medical history.

How Much Will an Emergency Supply Cost?

There is no fee for the emergency supply service itself under the NHS. However, you may need to pay for the cost of the medication supplied. The price may vary depending on the type of and quantity of medicine supplied. You will be advised of the cost before the medication is dispensed.

Delivery of Approved Supply

Approved emergency supply requests are treated with urgency. Medications are dispatched using the quickest delivery method available using an appropriate courier. Delivery for all NHS prescriptions and NHS services is free of charge.

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What Are Emergency Supplies, and How Can They Help Me?