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Prescriptions

Guidance for GP practices when patients can’t view or order prescriptions in the NHS App, including related error codes. 

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What can you do in the NHS App

Only repeat prescriptions are orderable through the NHS App.

What you can do may be specific to your GP system supplier (EMIS/OPTUM, TPP or Medicus).

You can 
  • give patients full visibility of their repeat prescriptions 
  • control if the patient can order repeat prescriptions 
  • amend how far before the order date the patient can request their repeat prescription
  • manually amend the status of prescriptions from 'Pending' to 'Approved' or 'Rejected'
  • control if the patient has to give a reason when submitting a prescription request
  • see when a patient is due a medication review, when they last ordered the medication, and if it’s a repeat, repeat dispensing, acute or private prescription
Acute and repeat dispensing prescriptions
  • Patients can’t order acute prescriptions, but these are shown in the ‘Medicines’ section of the GP health record
  • repeat dispensing prescriptions will be visible in the NHS App, however, they can’t be ordered as this type of prescription requires a review by the GP

Patient cannot order or view repeat prescriptions online: Error code 3C

Patients will see screens indicating that they cannot order or view repeat prescriptions online, or they cannot access repeat prescriptions. 

This means:

  1. The patient is new to the surgery.

  1. The Patient Facing Service (PFS) has been switched off. 

  1. The practice has recently merged. 

  1. There has been a clinical supplier change.

  1. The patient's account has been archived due to inactivity of 12 months. 

You can:

  • check if patient facing services are switched on  

  • check if the user has the correct permissions to order of view repeat prescriptions in your GP clinical system 

  • ask your patient to log out and log in again

If the issue is ongoing, raise it directly with our service desk, quoting the error reference core or stating that the user cannot access anything. 

Patient has no repeat prescriptions available to order

This is not a technical issue. 

This means:

  1. Your patient needs a medical review. 

  1. It’s too early for them to order their next repeat prescription.

  1. Your patient has a repeat dispensing prescription. 

  1. Your patient has an acute prescription. 

You can:

  • check if the patient has repeat prescriptions available to order in your GP system 

  • check if the user has permission to order their prescriptions online in your GP system 

  • inform your patient when they can order their prescription again, if they are due a review, or if the prescription is not a repeat prescription

Note, the NHS App is only available in England and the Isle of Man.

Last edited: 2 October 2025 1:38 pm