Your hospital appointment and prescriptions

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Why have I not been given a prescription?

There are several reasons why you may not have received a prescription after your hospital appointment: 

• No new medicines or changes to your current medicines were needed. 
• You need a new medicine or a change to your current medicine, but it is not required immediately.
  • In this case, your GP will be asked to make the recommended changes once they receive your clinic letter. 
• Electronic prescriptions may be sent directly to the hospital pharmacy. 
  Your clinician will tell you: 
  • whether your medication will be delivered to you, or 
  • where to collect it from. 
• Occasionally, pre-labelled medication packs may be supplied if available. 

If I don’t need to start immediately, when will I be given a prescription?

If your clinician recommends a new medicine or a change to your dose that does not need to start right away, your GP will receive a letter from the hospital within 7 days of your appointment. 

Please allow 2–3 weeks for your GP to receive and process this information before contacting them. Your GP cannot prescribe the medication until the letter has been received. If there is a delay in processing letter, the hospital will provide up to a 28-day supply to ensure there is no gap in your treatment. 

Please be reassured 

Any delay in starting a new treatment will only occur if your clinician is confident that it will not affect your health. 

All decisions are made in line with University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and Sussex Partner Organisations’ prescribing guidelines, which help ensure medicines are used safely and efficiently across the NHS. We appreciate your understanding and patience. 

What should I do if I have been given a prescription by the hospital clinic?

 Locations of University Hospital Sussex pharmacies. 

Hospital pharmacies:

• The Royal Sussex County Hospital: Please note there are two pharmacies on site. Outpatient prescriptions should be taken to Pharm@Sea, located opposite the main entrance on Eastern Road, next to the Outpatients building. 
• The Princess Royal Hospital: Please note there are two pharmacies on site. Outpatient prescriptions should be taken to the Ground Floor, Trust Outpatient Pharmacy, near the Main Entrance, next to the WRVS Shop.  
• Worthing General Hospital: Ground Floor of the East Wing, next to the Seafront Courtyard. Opening hours for outpatients: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm 
• St Richards Hospital: Ground Floor, next to the Outpatient Department entrance. 

White prescription forms can only be processed by a hospital pharmacy. 

Green prescription forms cannot be processed by hospital pharmacy. You can take it to your preferred local community pharmacy.