PHARMACY AND MEDICINES

The pharmacy is responsible for dispensing your prescriptions but also offers a number of services to treat minor ailments and illness without seeing a doctor.

Emergency medication supplies

If you run out of a medication or lose your medications and need an urgent supply when your GP is open, you should contact them and ask for an emergency prescription. You will usually have to collect it and take it to the pharmacy at the end of the day.

If you run out of and need your medication during the night or at the weekend when the GP isn’t open, you should go to the nearest pharmacy and see if you can get an emergency short-term supply from them. You should take your previous prescription and the box with your name on, if you have it. For some medications, they’ll need a prescription from a doctor. They’ll advise you to call NHS 111 if you need to see an out of hours doctor.

If you run out of a medication or lose your medications and need an urgent supply when your GP is open, you should contact them and ask for an emergency prescription. You will usually have to collect it and take it to the pharmacy at the end of the day.

If you run out of and need your medication during the night or at the weekend when the GP isn’t open, you should go to the nearest pharmacy and see if you can get an emergency short-term supply from them. You should take your previous prescription and the box with your name on, if you have it. For some medications, they’ll need a prescription from a doctor. They’ll advise you to call NHS 111 if you need to see an out of hours doctor.

Info for International Students

If you have been prescribed medication from a doctor in another country, you may be unable to get this in the UK. If you are an international student, discuss your move to the UK with your home doctor and check that your medication is licensed for the UK. If necessary you should also discuss alternative treatment in the UK if you can't get your medicine here and where possible change to the UK version whilst still being monitored by your home doctor. This will ensure a seamless transition when you arrive in St Andrews.

You can contact the Student Health Hub on 01334 465777 for advice on this.

Remember, it is illegal to have medicines mailed to you from another country to the UK.

Getting prescriptions

If you need medication, a doctor or nurse will prescribe it for you. You then need to take the prescription to the pharmacy: there is one outside the hospital (Lloyds), at Morrisons, and in Boots on Market Street.

The GP is unlikely to prescribe medication (particularly antibiotics) for a minor illness like a cough, cold, or flu as these often clear up on their own - instead you should go straight to the pharmacy and speak to the pharmacist about what over-the-counter medication can help ease your symptoms.

If you need a medication long-term, the doctor will give you a repeat prescription. This prescription comes with a special slip where you can tick off the medication you need when you want to reorder it. You can then take that slip to the pharmacy (instead of going all the way to the practice) and they will fax it to the GP to get a prescription ready in a few days. You can also order repeat prescriptions online - details of how to sign up for this service is on the practice website.

If you regularly take prescription medication, you should bring three months supply with you to St Andrews. You should then make an appointment with a GP as soon as possible to discuss getting a new prescription. Do not wait until your medicine runs out as there may be a delay in getting your prescription.

NHS Chronic Medication Service

If you have multiple medications you need to take long-term, then the NHS Chronic Medication Service can help you manage your medicines at your chosen pharmacy. To register for the service, go to the pharmacy you would like to register at and ask for a form to register.

Once you’re registered, the pharmacist will review your medicines, how you use them, and ask you about any problems you may have with them. They can then give you support and advice with your medicines, like looking to reduce side effects or make them easier to take. They can coordinate this with your doctor for you.

They can also organise a serial prescription for medicines to treat long-term conditions. Not all medications are available on this service. These prescriptions can last for 24, 48, or 56 weeks. With a serial prescription, you can collect your medicines straight from the pharmacy instead of having to go to the doctor. Your doctor will decide how often you need to collect your prescription, but the pharmacist will always have a supply of medication when you are due.

Medicines available without prescription

Some health issues can be treated with over-the-counter medicines available to purchase at the pharmacy. Medications like paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, and cough medicines are available to purchase in any pharmacy. If you’re not sure what medication you might need, all pharmacists are trained to offer advice on this.

Many pharmacies also offer a range of other services to stop you needing to see the doctor like flu vaccinations, emergency contraception, and prescription treatments for things like sore throats, UTIs, earache, and rashes. If you’re not sure where to go, call the Student Health Hub or look for a pharmacy in Fife that offers the service you need here (most of these services are offered at pharmacies in St Andrews).