Chronic Medication Service (CMS)

Are you aware of the Chronic Medication Service (CMS) available from your community pharmacy?

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 use but can only register with one pharmacy at a time.

You can register for CMS if

• You are registered with a GP surgery in Scotland
• You get regular prescriptions to treat a long-term condition eg high blood pressure
• Your condition is stable and you are reviewed regularly

Your doctor may decide that your medications are suitable to be issued on a serial prescription which lasts for 12 months. It lets you pick up items directly from your regular pharmacy at agreed time intervals, normally every 2 months. You won’t need to visit/call your GP surgery to order or pick up your prescription during this period.

Each time you collect your prescription, your pharmacist will inform your doctor.

You will be able to collect medicines from your serial prescription within a few days of when you need them, as you do now. If you are going on holiday, just let your pharmacist know so that they can prepare what you need.

Please remember, however, that 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

If you are keen to find out more or register for this service please contact your local pharmacy of choice.