The Independent Pharmacy

Frequently Asked Questions

Buying medicines online

How do I find the item I am looking for?

We’ve worked hard to make our website as simple as possible to use. If you know the name of the product you’re looking for, use the search function on our homepage. If you don’t, you can easily search by the time of condition you’re looking to treat. You can also use the top navigation bar to 'Shop by Condition' to see a full A-Z list of the medicines that we can supply online and the medical conditions that we can treat.

If you still need help, simply pick up the phone or email us, and we’ll be happy to advise.

How can I check the status of my order?

You can check the status of your order at any time by logging into your account and viewing 'My Latest Order'.

You will be kept up to date at every stage of your order via email. Upon payment, you will receive an order confirmation email. We will also email you when we have dispatched your order; we aim to do this on the same, or next, working day.

Will I receive a receipt for my order?

Yes, you will receive an order confirmation via email.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept most major credit and debit cards through our website, including American Express. We are able to accept digital wallet payments via ApplePay and GPay. Unfortunately, we do not currently accept Paypal.

Can I save my payment details for faster re-ordering?

Yes, you will be given the option to save your card details after you complete your order. This means that you can quickly checkout by selecting your saved card and confirming the CV2 (the three digits on the signature strip of your card). Your card details are stored securely with Barclaycard, one of the largest global payment processing companies who use the highest levels of security and encryption.

When will my card be charged?

When you confirm your order, we will authorise a payment for your order amount from your bank. We will not charge your card at this time, however, your bank may prevent you from spending this money until the status for your order is updated. When your order is dispatched, your card will be charged. If for whatever reason, our medical team decides that we are unable to make a supply of medication, we will cancel the authorisation on your card and you will not be charged.

What are the typical expiry dates on the products sold?

We use a stock rotation system to ensure you receive products with the longest possible expiry dates. We always aim to ensure that this is a period of no less than 6 months.

Why do I have to answer questions to purchase some medicines?

Some of the medications we sell are legally classified as ‘Pharmacy’ or 'Prescription-Only' medicines. 'Pharmacy' medicines can only be sold from a registered pharmacy under the supervision of a pharmacist. 'Prescription-Only' medicines require a valid prescription to be supplied. We ask you standardised medical questions to ensure that any treatment that we supply will be both safe and effective for you to take.

Can I order by telephone?

Unfortunately, the consultation form must be completed using the online forms.

Can I order for others?

Consultations for prescription medicines must be completed by the patient. A prescription must be for a named patient who has completed the consultation themselves. This is required for us to operate safely and legally. Pharmacy medicines can be ordered for others such as family members, however, where possible we encourage the consultation process to be completed by the patient.

Can I repeat order?

Yes, it is possible to repeat order your medication. If you are ordering repeat medications and the circumstances have not changed since the last order, the process is much quicker than your first consultation. You can order repeat supplies of medicines by logging in to your account (in the top right of every page) and selecting the medication you require from the list available.

Can I order medications other than those listed?

At present we can only supply the medications for the conditions listed on our website. This is to ensure we are prescribing safely for our patients. We are always looking to improve and expand our service, so keep looking out for new conditions and services being added.
We are able to fulfil any requests for medicines that have been prescribed on an NHS or private prescription by your doctor. Please see our prescriptions page for more details.

Why has the doctor sent me a message?

Sometimes the doctors may require more information to ensure that the medication being prescribed will be safe and effective for you. Any extra information is only ever relevant for the treatment of your condition and is treated confidentially. You must provide the information required within 5 working days, otherwise, your order will be cancelled and a refund will be issued.

Why has my order been declined?

If your order has been declined this is usually because there is a clinical reason where our doctors feel that the medication would be unsuitable for you. This normally means that further investigation is required and you should see your GP or another heathcare professional.

You will receive a message from our doctors explaining any decisions regarding your consultation and a recommendation on where to seek treatment (if required) and a full refund.

Returns & Cancellations

Please see our ‘Returns Policy’ for more details.

Can I return items that I have purchased?

Yes, you can return any non-medicinal products to us that are unused and in a resalable condition as set out in our ‘Returns Policy’. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept returns of medicines or medicinal products, as they cannot be reused once they have left the pharmacy.

How do I return items?

If you wish to return non-medicinal items you should read our ‘Returns Policy’ for guidance.

Can I cancel my order?

You can cancel an order at any point before you receive an email confirming the item has been dispatched. This can be done by telephone on 0333 2200 519 or email. If you have received a dispatch confirmation mail, please contact us and we will endeavour to help.

How long will it take to receive a refund

Once your refund has been confirmed and any outstanding goods have been successfully returned to us you will receive your refund by the original method of payment within 3 - 4 working days.

Security, Privacy & legality

Please see our ‘Privacy & Security Policy’ for more details.

Is this service legal?

Yes, this service is regulated by a number of organisations to ensure the care you receive is up to the standard expected in The UK. For more information please see our ‘About Us’ page.

How can I be sure the medication is genuine?

We are a registered and regulated UK pharmacy; we source all our medications from the same wholesalers as your local chemist. We will always supply exactly what is ordered and will never substitute generic medicines unless that is what you have requested.

We are also licensed by the NHS to provide NHS prescription delivery in the UK.

Why do you need all the details required?

When we ask for any personal details and/or medical history, it is to ensure that everything that you receive from us is safe and appropriate for you to take. This is the same information that would be required to check a medicine sale or prescription in your high street pharmacy, or GP surgery if you use our Online Doctor.

Are my personal details and payment information safe?

All data, including personal, medical, and payment data, is 256-bit encrypted prior to transmission. Our servers are monitored constantly and are protected by firewalls and the latest security updates, which cannot be directly accessed via the Internet. We use Barclaycard, one of the largest payment processors in the world to handle and store your payment details to ensure that they are secure. See our ‘Privacy & Security Policy’ for further details.

Do you use cookies on your site?

Yes, we only use cookies where necessary to improve your experience as a customer on our site. Please see our ‘Cookie Policy’ for more information.

Why do you perform identity checks?

It is a legal requirement for healthcare providers to ascertain the identity of their patient. In the same way that you must provide ID to first register with your GP, we are required to carry out an identity check on our patients when they first register with us. You can read more about ID checks in our ‘Privacy & Security Policy’.

Delivery

Please see our ‘Delivery Information’ page for more details.

When will my order arrive?

We aim to ship all orders placed Monday - Friday before 3pm on the same day. Orders placed outside these times will be shipped the next working day.

All deliveries are shipped with Royal Mail, DPD or Yodel who deliver Monday - Saturday. Our delivery options have the following delivery times:

Where do you deliver?

We currently deliver to all UK postcodes. Some postcodes in rural areas may have a slightly longer delivery time.

Can I track my order?

We use tracked services for all our deliveries. We will email your tracking details when your treatment is dispatched along with an estimated delivery date. This information is also available in your account after your order.

What should I do if my order has not arrived?

Delivery is normally made very promptly after your dispatch email is received. You can check the tracking details of your parcel in your account at any point after dispatch for an update on your delivery status.

Unfortunately, sometimes packages can get lost in the delivery system, if after 10 days you have not received your delivery, please contact us and we will do all we can to resolve the problem.

How will my order be delivered?

All packaging is discreet and unmarked, so is suitable to be delivered to wherever you require (home, work or a neighbour). Your parcel will normally receive an estimated delivery window from the courier on the day of delivery.

Account

How do I set up an account?

You will be automatically asked to register and create an account when completing an online consultation.

Can I register more than one person per email address/account?

Unfortunately, due to the potentially sensitive nature of the information, each account is specific to one customer. Each person will require a separate email address to register for our website.

Can I use the same email address for different accounts?

Each account must have its own unique email address. Notification of your account will be emailed to you, therefore maintaining patient confidentiality. Only one email address can be registered to each account. Free email accounts can be easily created online with a number of different providers such as Gmail or Hotmail.

Can my details be changed on my account?

Yes, certain details, such as billing and delivery addresses, saved payment methods, medical details and account preferences can be changed at any time by logging into your account. If you need to change details that you are unable to alter yourself, please contact us on 0333 2200 519 and we will arrange for your account to be updated.

Need something else?

We stock over 1092 treatments for 90 conditions