Medicines Care and Review (MCR)

What is MCR?

The NHS Chronic Medication Service (CMS) 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.

Who can register for MCR?

You can register for MCR 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

How does it work?

A serial prescription will be issued for 6-12 months which 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.

Patients registered for MCR will still be recalled for an annual medication review (see Medication Reviews for further information).

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

Please contact your pharmacy of choice if you wish to find out more or register for this service.