Repeat prescriptions

News:

Probus Surgical Centre is now directly bookable through Choose and Book

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Peninsula Ultrasound
The surgery now offers diagnostic ultrasound services on a weekly basis for our patients and also accessible for patient referrals from other GP practices. Appointments are directly bookable through Choose and Book.

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The practice is planning to join the campaign to reduce the practice's C02 emissions by 10% in the year 2010.

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We are EEFO Level 1 approved - the young person friendly services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. For more information go to www.eefo.net

Announcements

01 Sep - 01 Oct
NHS Smokefree

Find out about all of the free NHS services available to support you as you go try to give up smoking.

01 Aug - 01 Oct
NHS Summer Health

Stay safe in the sun, including sunscreens, sunburn relief, heat exhaustion, eczema and moles. Summer holidays are great fun for children, but can bring risks. Find out more

01 Jul - 01 Oct
Change for Life

Would you like loads of tips and help to make changes for a healthier future? As part of Change4Life, you will receive tons of helpful information, recipes, tools, tips, and games for the kids.

BBC Health

Diabetes drug advice 'not heeded'

A type two diabetes drug is still being prescribed in the UK two months after it was recommended for withdrawal, BBC Panorama learns.

Junior medics 'leaving training'

Nearly one in four junior doctors drop out of their NHS training after two years, figures show.

Gum and heart link 'breakthrough'

Scientists say they have established one reason why gum disease may increase the risk of heart disease.

Reading Arabic 'hard for brain'

Israeli scientists believe they have identified why Arabic is particularly hard to learn to read.

'No evidence' implants are toxic

Tests on a type of breast implant filled with an unapproved gel have shown no evidence they are unsafe, UK experts say.

Research into age-related illness

Edinburgh scientists are attempting to find the trigger which leads older people to develop dementia.

Clue to egg flaws in older women

British scientists say they are closer to knowing why older women trying to fall pregnant are more likely to produce abnormal eggs.

Bone drug linked to cancer risk

Long-term use of bone-strengthening drugs may boost the risk of oesophageal cancer, a study suggests.

'Big drop' in alcohol consumption

Alcohol consumption has fallen faster than ever, figures from the British Beer and Pub Association suggest.

Urine wanted to test odour device

Bristol researchers developing an odour detector to help incontinence sufferers offer volunteers vouchers in exchange for urine.

Yahoo Health

Cholera outbreak in Cameroon 'worst in 20 years' (AP)

AP - UNICEF says more than 300 people have died in the West African nation of Cameroon from the country's worst cholera outbreak in 20 years.

WHO wants faster, more flu vaccine production (AP)

CVS employee Mambo Muntanga, left, receives a flu shot from nurse practitioner Susan Brown, Friday, Aug. 27, 2010, in Rockville, Md. It's flu-shot season again, and for the first time health authorities are urging nearly everyone to get vaccinated — and people 65 or older even can choose to try a new high-dose version. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

AP - The vaccine used to contain the recent swine flu pandemic was effective, but health authorities will need to ramp up the speed and volume of production during the next global outbreak, a World Health Organization official said Monday.

Expert warns of complacency after swine flu fizzle (AP)

Robert Webster, chairman of the Department of Virology and Molecular Biology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., attends the Options for the Control of Influenza conference in Hong Kong Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010 in Hong Kong. Webster urged health authorities around the world to stay vigilant even though the recent swine flu pandemic was less deadlier than expected, warning that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

AP - A leading virus expert urged health authorities around the world Sunday to stay vigilant even though the recent swine flu pandemic was less deadly than expected, warning that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak.

Cholera kills 41 in Central African nation of Chad (AP)

AP - Health officials in Chad say an outbreak of cholera in the Central African nation has killed at least 41 people.

Can home cooking be hazardous to your health? (AP)

AP - Could your kitchen at home pass a restaurant inspection?

Botox maker to pay $600M to resolve investigation (AP)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Margaret Hamburg speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, Wednesday, Sep. 1, 2010, regarding a major settlement with a pharmaceutical company for False Claims Act and off-label marketing violations. Allergan Inc., the maker of wrinkle-smoothing Botox, has agreed to pay $600 million to settle a years long federal investigation into its marketing of the top-selling, botulin-based drug. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

AP - Allergan Inc., the maker of wrinkle-smoothing Botox, has agreed to pay $600 million to settle a yearslong federal investigation into its marketing of the top-selling, botulin-based drug.

Study: Diet Drug Meridia May Boost Heart Risks (Time.com)

Time.com - A new study finds that some users of the weight-loss pill Meridia may have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke

For Bonobo Males, Mom Is the Best Wingman (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - To most human males, the thought of your mother anywhere near your sex life is probably horrifying. Not so for the bonobo, one of our closest primate relatives. A new study confirms that hanging out with mom boosts male bonobos' chances of getting intimate with a fertile female.

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 3, 2010 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

More parents 'redshirting' kindergartners (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - As schools start back into session around the country, some parents of young children face a difficult question: Send their little ones to kindergarten as soon as they become age-eligible, or hold them back in hopes that an additional year of maturity will give them an academic boost?

MedPage Today

Investigation Reveals More Woes for Rosiglitazone

(MedPage Today) -- On July 15—a day after the FDA completed two days of hearings on rosiglitazone (Avandia)—a British advisory commission on drugs concluded that the product should be withdrawn from the market, according to an investigation conducted by BMJ.

Washington Week: Insurance, State Actions Top News

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- Several studies highlighting insurance issues were released this week, including one on federal programs for kids and two others focused on employer-provided medical coverage.

FDA Approves New Eye Pressure Drop Formulation

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The FDA approved a new formulation of the drug bimatoprost (Lumigan) in a 0.01% solution as a first-line treatment to reduce elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Kids on HAART Would Benefit from Revaccinations (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Children with HIV who received standard childhood immunizations before starting on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) could benefit from revaccination, a review suggests.

New Guidelines Out for Pneumococcal Vaccine (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Adults with asthma and those who smoke should receive the 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine to prevent pneumococcal disease, according to new recommendations from the CDC.

OSHA Should Dictate Residents' Hours, Group Says

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The consumer group Public Citizen is urging the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to regulate the work hours of resident physicians.

Four Factors Increase Risk of Opioid Dependence (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- A combination of four factors appears to significantly increase the risk of opioid dependence among patients taking prescription painkillers, researchers have found.

Low IgG Poses Infection Risk With Rituximab (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Certain subgroups of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, particularly those who have low levels of IgG, are at risk for severe infections when treated with rituximab, French investigators found.

ESC: Stockholm Take Home Message -- Watch the 'Not' Warfarins

STOCKHOLM (MedPage Today) -- An investigational antiplatelet -- ticagrelor (Brilinta) -- emerged as a big winner from the five-day long European Society of Cardiology congress, but the buzz here focused instead on a trio of investigational oral anticoagulants -- dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban.

Admitting Clinical Errors Not Always Best Policy

(MedPage Today) -- Wide-scale disclosure of clinical errors seems intuitively to be the ethical choice for hospitals and physicians, but researchers from the University of Washington suggest that disclosure should be decided on a case-by-case basis rather than a one-size-fits-all solution

The Dispensary

Repeat Prescriptions

Prescriptions Fees

Click here to access the online repeat prescription form

The Dispensary

pills The Dispensary liaises closely with the Doctors, Practice Nurses, District Nurses, Macmillan Nurses, Receptionists and Administrators.

Dispensing facilities are available for most patients who live more than one mile from a chemist; you will be advised of your eligibility when you register as a patient.

Below you will find details of our opening hours, a variety of ways to request repeat medication plus details of the additional services and information available from our dispensary.

Delivery Service

Regular repeat medication drops are made to the following locations on Tuesdays and Fridays: Tregony (Post Office), Summercourt Surgery (Memorial Hall), Grampound Road (Shop), Ladock (Shop), Sticker (Londis) and Tresillian, (Post Office).

In addition, a delivery service is available for patients who are housebound and further information is available from the dispensary regarding this service.

Emergencies

If you have any problems, queries or difficulties, or if you have accidentally run out of your medication, a dispenser will be available to offer advice and assistance. Please contact the dispensary through the usual surgery telephone numbers at Probus and Grampound.

Health Awareness

We have a team of very experienced and fully qualified dispensers who liaise closely with other members of the Practice team, including the doctors and practice nurses. Healthy living advice is available upon request, along with a wide range of supportive literature and leaflets. The Dispensary aims to ensure that all patients receive excellent patient care, including regular check-ups and regular tests as required by the doctor.

Queries & Questions

If you have a query about any aspect of your medication or care, please ask a member of staff. If they do not know the answer, they will speak to the appropriate person and get back to you within a reasonable period.

Repeat Prescriptions

thepill Repeat prescriptions can be ordered quickly and easily through a variety of methods listed here:

Royal Mail

Prescription requests are made using the prescription counterfoil provided with each prescription. Please clearly tick the items that are required and post to the Dispensary, Probus Surgery, Tregony Road, Probus, Truro, TR2 4JZ or Dispensary, Grampound Surgery, Mill Lane, Grampound, Truro, TR2 4RU.

Hand Delivery

Prescription requests are made using the prescription counterfoil* provided with each prescription. Please clearly tick the items that are required. This slip can be placed in the post box provided just inside the main front doors at Probus or Grampound Surgery during working hours, or placed in the post box outside of either premises (on the right hand wall of front door at Probus) outside of working hours.

Fax

Prescription requests are made using the prescription counterfoil* provided with each prescription. Please clearly tick the items that are required. This slip can be faxed at any time of the day or night to Probus on 01726 883945 or Grampound on 01726 883536.

Internet

Click here to access the online repeat prescription form

Monthly Prescriptions

Please ensure that you do not run out of medication by ordering your repeat prescription in plenty of time. We require at least two working days' notice (not including weekends). During busy periods, such as before and after Bank Holidays, we would appreciate being given extra time. However, please do not over-stock or "stock up" on medicines.

Co-Ordination of Monthly Prescriptions

The dispensers would welcome the opportunity to liaise with any patient to co-ordinate their medications so that they can all be ordered regularly once a month. Having different medications due at different times of the month is time-consuming for patients and their carers and often necessitates more than one request and trip to the surgery premises every month.

Prescriptions Charges and Exemptions

Extensive exemption and remission arrangements protect those likely to have difficulty in paying charges (NHS prescription and dental charges, optical and hospital travel costs).

The NHS prescription charge is a flat-rate amount which successive Governments have thought it reasonable to charge for those who can afford to pay for their medicines. Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) offer real savings for people who need extensive medication.

NHS charges

From 1st April 2009, the charges are:

Prescription (per item): £7.20
12-month prepayment certificate (PPC): £104.00
3-month PPC: £28.25

If you will have to pay for 4 or more prescription items in 3 months, or more than 14 items in 12 months, you may find it cheaper to buy a PPC. The charge for a single prescription item is £7.20, whereas a three month PPC will cost you £28.25 and a 12 month PPC £104.00.

Telephone advice and order line 0845 850 0030
General Public - Buy or Renew a PPC On-line

There is further information about prescription exemptions and fees on the NHS website

Further Information

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS Direct