Setting up a repeat prescription for diabetes
You need insulin. Pharmacists have insulin. How do you get it from their fridge and into yours?
My chemist speaks in a really quiet voice and pronounces my surname wrong, but I don’t mind because he gives me precious, life-saving insulin. Setting a repeat prescription up will save you so much time and stress, and it’s an absolute cakewalk to get it sorted.
How do you get a repeat prescription for diabetes?
Step 1 - Register with a GP
You can’t get a prescription without a GP. To register, you’ll need to find your nearest one. You can use a handy site from the NHS to see where yours is.
They’ll give you a form and ask you to fill in some details. Return this form to them.
Job done.
Step 2 - Go to an appointment
After you’ve registered (or if you already are registered, but have recently been diagnosed as diabetic) you’ll need to arrange an appointment to get your prescription set up. If you’re a new diabetic, your specialist will have done this for you. If you’ve been diabetic for a while, you’ll just need to ask for the stuff you’ve already got.
Most doctors will be able to see your recent prescriptions and copy this information over.
Step 3 - Nominate a pharmacy
Once your prescription is set up, you’ll need to tell your doctors where you want to collect it from. You can get it from the surgery, but they’ll give you a paper prescription that you then have to take to a chemist. Hassle.
If you nominate your nearest chemist, the doctors will send the prescription there every time you order it, meaning you can just go along a couple of days later and pick everything up.
See, simple.
To order a prescription, you’ll either have to ring your doctors up or use their website. Some chemists can even set up a regular collection for you. It’s always worth asking.
Prescriptions can take two working days to process, so make sure you order yours in plenty of time.
You might want to read about: Spotting diabetes | Carb counting | Fixing lows | Correcting highs | Illnesses