Appointment checklist
Before you contact your GP
A prescriber can help faster when you give specific supply information. Before calling or submitting an online request, speak to the pharmacy and write down the exact problem.
- Exact item: medicine name, strength, formulation, quantity and brand if the prescription specifies one.
- What the pharmacy tried: whether they checked another wholesaler, nearby branches, part supply or expected delivery.
- How urgent it is: how many doses you have left and when the next dose is due.
- Shortage signal: whether the pharmacist thinks this is a local stock issue or a national shortage.
- SSP status: whether a Serious Shortage Protocol appears to apply for the exact medicine.
- Patient-specific cautions: allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver problems, previous side effects or specialist instructions.
You can also check the MediWatch shortage tracker and the NHSBSA SSP list before the appointment. Do not assume a social media post or old screenshot is current.
Essential questions to ask the GP or prescriber
1. "Is this a stock problem, a prescribing problem, or a clinical review problem?"
Sometimes the medicine is unavailable because the pharmacy cannot source it. Sometimes the prescription is written too narrowly, for example a specific brand or formulation. Sometimes the NHS App or pharmacy status is blocked because a medicine review is due. Knowing which problem you have prevents wasted calls.
2. "What alternatives are clinically appropriate for me?"
Ask the prescriber to explain whether the safe options are the same active ingredient in another strength, the same medicine in another formulation, a different brand, or a different medicine. Alternatives depend on your diagnosis, other medicines, previous side effects and monitoring needs.
3. "Can the prescription be written in a way that gives the pharmacist safe flexibility?"
In some cases, generic prescribing gives the pharmacy more room to dispense available stock. In other cases, brand-specific prescribing is deliberate and should not be changed casually. This matters for some epilepsy medicines, modified-release preparations, transplants, Parkinson's medicines and other medicines where formulation or brand consistency can matter.
4. "Is there a Serious Shortage Protocol, and does it apply to me?"
If an SSP is active, the pharmacist may be able to supply what the protocol allows without a new prescription. The prescriber can still help if the SSP does not fit your clinical situation, if you decline the protocol supply, or if a different plan is needed.
5. "If I change medicine, how do I switch safely?"
Do not ask only "what should I take instead?" Ask how to move from the old medicine to the new one. Some changes are straightforward; others require a taper, overlap, washout period, dose conversion, blood tests or specialist advice. Get the plan in writing if possible.
6. "What symptoms or side effects mean I should seek help?"
A shortage switch can fail because the alternative is not tolerated, does not control symptoms, or interacts with another medicine. Ask what is expected, what is not expected, and which symptoms should trigger a pharmacist call, GP review, NHS 111 or emergency care.
7. "When should this be reviewed?"
If the alternative is temporary, ask when the plan should be reviewed and whether the original medicine can be restarted when supply returns. If the alternative becomes the long-term choice, ask whether repeat prescriptions, monitoring and medication reviews need updating.
Prescription wording that can block supply
Some prescriptions leave the pharmacy with very little flexibility. That can be correct for safety reasons, but it can also create avoidable supply problems.
| Prescription issue | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Specific brand named | "Is brand continuity clinically important for me, or can this be prescribed generically?" |
| Specific formulation named | "Can another formulation be used safely, or does this need a new prescription?" |
| Strength unavailable | "Can the same daily dose be supplied using another strength, and does the prescription need rewriting?" |
| Repeat request blocked | "Is a medication review due, or is it too soon under the surgery policy?" |
Monitoring and follow-up questions
Ask whether a change requires monitoring. The right answer varies by medicine, but useful questions include:
- "Do I need blood tests, blood pressure checks, symptom scores, glucose monitoring, ECGs or drug-level checks?"
- "How soon should the new medicine start working, and when should I worry that it is not working?"
- "Who do I contact if side effects appear: pharmacy, GP, specialist nurse, NHS 111 or emergency care?"
- "Should the pharmacist be told anything specific about the switch?"
- "Can you add a note to my record explaining that this is a shortage-related temporary change?"
High-risk medicines to flag early
Make the urgency explicit if the medicine is high risk. Reception or online-triage teams may not know from the medicine name alone that a missed dose could matter.
Say: "I may miss doses of [medicine] because the pharmacy cannot supply it. The pharmacist says a prescriber must decide. I have [number] doses left." This is especially important for insulin, seizure medicines, anticoagulants, immunosuppressants, oral steroids, lithium, Parkinson's medicines, transplant medicines and controlled drugs.
Use NHS App and pharmacy status correctly
The NHS App can help you understand whether a repeat prescription request is waiting for GP approval, approved, rejected, cancelled, ready for collection, part ready, or still being prepared by the pharmacy. NHS App guidance also says that if you need medicine urgently, contact your GP surgery; out of hours, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
If your prescription is approved but the pharmacy cannot complete all items because of stock, contact the pharmacy first. If the pharmacy says the medicine needs changing, contact the GP or specialist with the exact item and suggested route.
FAQ
Give the exact medicine name, strength, formulation, quantity, brand if prescribed, what the pharmacist said, how many doses you have left, and whether any Serious Shortage Protocol appears to apply.
A GP or other prescriber can review whether a different medicine, formulation, strength or brand is clinically appropriate. Do not switch yourself without pharmacist or prescriber advice.
Sometimes generic prescribing gives the pharmacy more flexibility, but it is not always suitable. Brand continuity can matter for some medicines, including some epilepsy medicines and modified-release products.
Use the NHS App or your pharmacy to check the prescription status where available. If it is approved but not fully ready because of stock, ask the pharmacy whether part supply, another branch or prescriber review is needed.
Ask for urgent help if you may miss doses of a high-risk medicine, if you already have symptoms, or if the pharmacist says a prescriber must decide on an alternative before your next dose is due.
Related guides
Generic vs branded medicines
When flexibility helps and when brand continuity matters
Prescription out of stock
Full action guide before contacting your GP
Emergency prescriptions
Urgent routes if you may run out today
Your rights
Escalation and complaint routes during shortages
See also
Prescription out of stock: what to do
Conversation prep before contacting your GP
Diabetes medication supply issues
Example condition where alternatives are common
A-Z medicine shortage pages
Use medicine-specific pages to guide GP questions
Written by the MediWatch editorial team. Reviewed for source alignment on 7 May 2026. This page is information, not medical advice. Always follow your pharmacist, GP, specialist, NHS 111 or urgent-care advice for your own medicine. Report an accuracy issue.