Emergency medicine supply

It is an NHS service that lets a pharmacist at Crewe Pharmacy give you a limited quantity of a medicine you already take, without a new GP prescription. It exists to bridge the gap when you have genuinely run out and cannot reach your surgery in time. After a short, private check that the medicine is safe and right for you, we can supply enough to tide you over.

Use it when you have unexpectedly run out of a regular medicine and cannot get a fresh prescription quickly — typically when your GP surgery is closed in the evening, at weekends or on bank holidays. It is for ongoing treatments you already take, not for starting something new and not for serious illness. If you can reach your GP in time, a routine prescription is usually the better route.

Contact NHS 111 online at 111.nhs.uk or by phone and explain that you have run out of a regular medicine. They assess your situation and, if appropriate, refer you electronically to a pharmacy such as ours. When you arrive at Crewe Pharmacy we already hold your referral details, so the supply is quicker. You can also call us first on 01270 215837 and we will guide you.

It follows the normal NHS prescription charge rules. If you usually pay for your prescriptions, the standard charge may apply for each medicine supplied; if you are exempt — for example, due to age, an exemption certificate or a qualifying condition — there is no charge. The pharmacist will tell you clearly whether anything is payable before supplying.

Medicines you are already prescribed and take regularly can usually be supplied, such as blood pressure tablets, asthma inhalers, thyroid medicines or other ongoing treatments. The pharmacist confirms your eligibility after a short assessment and checks your records where possible. The aim is to keep your existing treatment going, not to begin a new medicine you have never taken before.

Some medicines fall outside the service. Most controlled drugs cannot be supplied this way, and where the law does allow it the quantity is strictly limited and certain ones are excluded entirely. New medicines you have not been prescribed before, and some specialist or hospital-only treatments, also cannot be given. The pharmacist will explain if your particular medicine is one we cannot supply and what to do instead.

Only a limited quantity — enough to keep you going safely until you can arrange a routine prescription from your GP. The exact amount depends on the medicine, the pack size and your circumstances, and is decided by the pharmacist. For controlled drugs that are eligible, the law caps the amount more tightly, so you may receive only a few days' worth.

Bring as much detail about the medicine as you can: its name, strength and dose, ideally on a repeat prescription slip, an old box or label, or shown in your NHS App. Let us know which GP surgery you are registered with. If NHS 111 has referred you, there is nothing else to prepare — just call in during our opening hours and we will take it from there.

Yes — this service is most useful exactly when your GP surgery is shut, such as evenings, weekends and bank holidays, provided you reach us during pharmacy opening hours. NHS 111 operates around the clock and can refer you to a pharmacy that is open. Call us on 01270 215837 to check our hours, or contact NHS 111 if we are closed when you need help.

Yes, repeat prescription medicines you take regularly are exactly what this service is designed for when you have run out and cannot order in time. It is a short-term bridge, not a replacement for ordering your repeats — so once you have your emergency supply, please request a fresh repeat prescription from your GP so you do not run short again.