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News - 16 April 2025

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Order repeat prescriptions ahead of Easter

People in the Black Country are being reminded to order any repeat prescriptions they may need ahead of the Easter bank holiday.

GP practices and pharmacies will have limited opening hours over the Easter period, and many will be closed from Friday 18 April to Monday 21 April, making it more challenging for patients to access medicines at short notice.

Every bank holiday, NHS 111 sees an increase in people getting in touch about repeat prescriptions. Waiting and using emergency or urgent services over the Easter break puts added pressure on already busy services.

To avoid this and to ensure health is not put at any unnecessary risk, people are being asked to submit any repeat prescriptions that are due for renewal by Monday 7 April to make sure there is enough time for them to be processed and dispensed.

Dr Mona Sidhu, Medical Director of Primary Care for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “If you take any prescribed medication on a regular basis, it’s important to plan ahead and order your repeat prescription in plenty of time to make sure you don’t run out over the Easter bank holiday weekend.

“By checking your medication now, you can save yourself the worry of possibly not getting what you need on time and being caught short over the bank holiday when your GP practice will be closed.

“The easiest way to order repeat prescriptions is via the NHS App or through your GP practice website. If you do not have access to GP online services, you can phone your GP practice to order prescriptions.”

Most repeat medication requests can be made online, via local practice websites or through the NHS App. People who do not use the internet can approach their practice to access their prescriptions.

If people feel unwell over the bank holiday weekend, but it’s not life threatening, they can check their symptoms and access advice by using the NHS 111 service online or by calling NHS 111.

NHS 111 can help direct people to the most appropriate local health service if they aren’t sure where to go –this could include an out of hours GP, a pharmacy, a local NHS walk-in centre, or a hospital accident & emergency (A&E) department.
News

Get your oral contraception at a Black Country pharmacy

Women across the Black Country can now get their supply of oral contraception at a local pharmacy, without the need to see a GP.

More than 200 pharmacies in the Black Country are participating in this new service, aiming to increase choice for women in the ways in which they can access contraception.

Oral contraception, known as ‘the pill’, can now be accessed at a pharmacy without a referral from a GP. Women can also be referred to their pharmacy by their GP practice or a sexual health clinic.

The pharmacist will offer a confidential consultation and will offer the first supply of the pill, or the ongoing supply of their current oral contraception. This is an NHS service, so the supply of oral contraception will be exempt from any prescription charges.

Sukhy Somal, Head of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services for the NHS Black Country
Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “This new service is another great milestone in showing how much of an important role community pharmacists are improving wider access to healthcare services.

“This is a safe and confidential service for women across the Black Country and allows general practice and sexual health services to free up appointments for more complex assessments.

“Women will still receive their yearly pill check-up, like they would with their GP, which they will have when requesting their next supply of contraception. It is still encouraged to seek medical advice from a pharmacist or doctor if any unusual side effects continue after three months.”

Individuals do not need to be registered with a GP to access this service. Pharmacies will only inform the GP practice that individuals have accessed the service, with their consent.

Business cards are being rolled out for patients across the Black Country enabling pharmacists to write down the date of the next supply of contraception and the name of the pharmacy.

Contraception is free and confidential, including for young people under the age of 16. The doctor or nurse will not tell anyone, including parents or carer, unless they think you or someone else is at risk of harm.
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