Chronic Medication Service

The NHS Chronic Medication Service is a voluntary service for people with long-term conditions. It's available at all community pharmacies across Scotland.

You can only use this service if you've registered with a community pharmacy.

Who can use this service

You can use this service if you:

• get regular prescriptions to treat a long-term condition
• are registered with a GP practice in Scotland

You can’t use this service if you:

• are a temporary resident in Scotland
• live in a care home

The NHS Chronic Medication Service can help you manage your medicine through your local pharmacist while your doctor continues to provide your medical care.

You can choose which pharmacy to register with but can only register with one pharmacy at a time. Once registered, you'll only be able to access this service from your chosen pharmacy.

There are 3 parts to this service:

• Medication review
• Care plan
• Serial prescriptions

Reviewing your medication

When you've registered for the service, your pharmacist will:

• look at how you use your medicines
• ask you about the medicines you are prescribed for your condition
• ask about any problems you have with them

Following this review, your pharmacist will decide if a care plan would be helpful.

Care plan

A care plan helps your pharmacist give you more regular care and advice about your medicines.

Your care plan will include:

• information about any problems or side-effects with your medicines
• what your pharmacist would like to do to help you
• what you and your pharmacist both need to do to help
• a record of when problems have been solved or something else needs to happen

Managing your care plan

If you need a care plan, your pharmacist will:

• work with you to develop the right outcome and may share some information with your doctor who will decide, with you, about any changes to your medicines
• review your plan with you regularly to make sure it is helping deal with any problems with your medicines and will update your care plan when your health care needs change
• look at your plan when you collect a prescription and may ask to speak with you in private about your plan

Serial prescriptions

A serial prescription is a prescription for medicines to treat long-term conditions. These prescriptions last for 24, 48 or 56 weeks.

With a serial prescription, you can get medicines directly from your pharmacist without the need to ask your doctor for a prescription. A serial prescription can only be dispensed from the pharmacy where you are registered.

Collecting a serial prescription

Your doctor will decide how often you should collect your prescription, for example every 4 or 8 weeks.

Your pharmacist will know when your supply is low and should have your prescription ready for you when you need it. Your pharmacist will also use this to have a short discussion with you in relation to your care plan.

Ordering a serial prescription

At the end of your prescription, your pharmacist will ask you to sign the serial prescription form and will tell your doctor you have require a new prescription.

Your pharmacist may ask your doctor for a new serial prescription, or give you a re-order form to take to your doctor’s surgery. Your doctor may request that you attend for a review in the surgery before they issue the next prescription as part of your ongoing medical care.

Changes to medication

Your doctor can stop or change your serial prescription at any time. If this happens:

• your doctor will tell you and your pharmacist
• you'll no longer be able to get these medicines from your pharmacist as part of your CMS serial prescription
• the doctor may change your medication back to a normal repeat until he is happy that the medication is best for you

You must register before you can use the NHS Chronic Medication Service. You can do this at any time. There's no need to book an appointment.

How to register

To register, your pharmacist will complete a form and will need to know:

• your name
• date of birth
• address including postcode
• your gender
• your Community Health Index (CHI) number

You'll also be asked to confirm that you:

• want to register for the service
• have registered with a doctor’s surgery in Scotland and have a long-term condition
• agree for your doctor and pharmacist to share some information about your medicines

Once complete, your pharmacist will ask you to sign the form and notify your doctor that you've registered for the service at their pharmacy.

Cancelling your registration

You can cancel at any time by letting your pharmacist know you want to cancel.

They'll ask you to sign a withdrawal form and tell your doctor that you're no longer registered at their pharmacy.