Getting your supplies of medicines
The system for getting your medicines can be complicated. It is really important to know how it works because – for most mental health medicines - you will only get the best from your medicines if you can take them every day without any breaks. In this section we will tell you about prescriptions, emergency supplies, and if you have to pay for prescriptions.
The information is written for young people in England, but we have put notes at the bottom with any extra information we have found about Scotland and Wales. (The systems are a bit different in each country.)
Whether you are getting medicines from the hospital or your GP, there will be a prescription involved.
Many people have to take medicines for a long time for all kinds of conditions. When they need a new supply from their GP, it is done through a ‘repeat prescription’.
If you run out of your medicine before your next prescription is ready, you can go to any community pharmacy and ask for an ‘emergency supply’.
Some young people automatically do not have to pay for their prescriptions.