How to Request an Emergency Supply with NHS 111

NHS 111 emergency supply

If you have run out of your regular medication and cannot wait for your GP surgery to open, NHS 111 can help you secure an emergency supply. In 2026, this is primarily managed through the Pharmacy First service.

Here is exactly how the process works, what you will pay, and what medicines are excluded.

1. How to Request an Emergency Supply

There are two ways to start the process:

• NHS 111 Online: Go to 111.nhs.uk/emergency-prescription. This is the fastest method. You will answer a few questions about your medication and why you need it.
• Call 111: If you have symptoms or are calling for a child under 5, you should phone 111 to speak with an advisor.

What happens next: If your request is approved, NHS 111 will send an electronic referral to a local pharmacy. You will be told which pharmacy to visit to collect your medicine.+1

2. Rules and Limitations (2026)

To receive an emergency supply through NHS 111, you must meet these criteria:

• Regularity: The medicine must be something you are prescribed regularly via a repeat prescription.
• Urgency: You must have completely run out (or be about to run out) and be unable to get a prescription from your GP in time.
• Assessment: A pharmacist must still carry out a brief consultation (in person or by phone) to ensure it is safe and appropriate to give you the medicine.

What you CANNOT get via NHS 111:

• Controlled Drugs: Most Schedule 2 and 3 drugs (e.g., Morphine, Tramadol, Diazepam) cannot be supplied this way. (An exception is often made for phenobarbital for epilepsy).
• New Medications: You cannot get antibiotics for a new infection or any medicine you haven’t been prescribed before.
• Frequent Requests: If you use this service more than twice in a month, you will likely be referred back to your GP to discuss why you are running out.

3. Costs and Quantities

4. Direct Pharmacy Access (No Referral)

If you are away from home or it is an evening/weekend, you can walk into a pharmacy and ask for an “Emergency Supply.”

• Professional Discretion: The pharmacist can legally supply up to 30 days of most medicines without a prescription, but they are not obligated to do so.
• Cost: You will almost always have to pay the full private cost of the medicine plus a professional fee, as this is not an NHS-funded service unless you have the 111 referral.

Pro Tip for 2026

Check your NHS App first. Many GP surgeries now allow “Emergency Repeat Requests” directly through the app, which may be sent to your nominated pharmacy faster than a 111 referral during normal working hours.