Prescriptions for patients living or travelling abroad or otherwise absent from the UK
Patients travelling outside the UK
Under NHS legislation, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for people when they leave the UK, however to ensure good patient care the following guidance is offered:
• To ensure continuity of care for patients on a stable medication regimen, the NHS advise that a GP may provide a routine repeat prescription usually for one, but NOT more than three months. Therefore if a person is going to be abroad for over 3 months then all they are entitled to, at NHS expense, is a sufficient supply of regular medications to get to the destination and find an alternative supply of that medication. Patients should check arrangements for obtaining prescribed medicines in the country they intend to visit before leaving the UK using the NHS choices website (
• Prescriptions cannot be ordered using the online system outside of the UK. Patients should not request a prescription through a locally based individual; such requests will be refused. Patients should use the NHS choices information above to identify medical services local to where they are. The practice can offer to supply appropriate medical notes and a list of current medicines to a local qualified medical practitioner should this be required, but a fee may apply.
• GPs are not responsible for prescribing items required for conditions which may arise while travelling e.g diarrhoea. These should be purchased locally.
• Countries have different rules and regulations about the types and quantity of medicine allowed to be taken into a country. Patients should check the rules for all the countries they are going to, including countries that they pass through. The gov.uk/travel website has a full list of foreign embassies (
• Medicines for the prevention of malaria (except Malarone, mefloquine and doxycycline) are available for purchase over the counter at a community pharmacy. A pharmacist can advise travellers accordingly. Items for which a prescription is required can be obtained from the centralised MASTA travel service, please contact reception for further information.If you request a private prescription from a GP an administration fee will apply.
Travelling with medication
• Patients entering or leaving the UK for 3 months or more with personal medication containing a controlled drug, must get a licence. Online applications must be made to the Home Office website at least 10 working days before travel. (
• Patients entering or leaving the UK for less than 3 months who have medication containing a controlled drug, do not need a licence, but should have a letter from a doctor with the following information: patient’s name, travel itinerary, list of prescribed CDs being carried, dosages and total amounts for each drug.
Further information is available at NHS Choices here:
Evidence to support this decision
Responsibility for prescribing, including the issue of repeat prescriptions and the duration of prescriptions, rests with the doctor who has clinical responsibility for that particular aspect of a patient's care. It is recommended, and is the Practice policy for 28 day prescribing for patients. Issuing shorter prescriptions gives the doctor the opportunity to review on-going medication, which is important for some groups of patients especially for drugs which require monitoring. The clinician signing the prescription needs to be confident that satisfactory arrangements can be put in place for any drug monitoring required within the period for which they are prescribing.
A full list of all Doctors at the Practice is available at Reception or via the Website
Branch surgeries at:
37, Station Road, Pannal
The Village Hall, Spofforth