How to switch pharmacies in Bath (it takes about two minutes)

Plenty of people in Bath collect their prescriptions from a pharmacy they picked years ago, or one their GP surgery happened to mention once. If that pharmacy now means a bus into town, a queue at the counter, or medicine that never seems to be ready, it is worth knowing this: you can move your prescriptions to any pharmacy you like, for free, and it takes about two minutes. Here is how it works.

What a pharmacy nomination is

The NHS runs something called the Electronic Prescription Service, or EPS. Instead of printing a paper prescription for you to carry around, your GP sends it electronically to a pharmacy of your choice. That chosen pharmacy is your nomination. Once it is set, every prescription your GP issues arrives there automatically, and all you do is collect your medicine, or have it delivered. There is no form to fill in at the surgery, no fee, and it has nothing to do with which GP you are registered with.

Three ways to switch

1. Online. Fill in the two-minute form on our nominate us page and we set up the nomination on the NHS system for you. We will call if anything needs checking.
2. In person or by phone. Any pharmacy can set your nomination while you wait. Pop into 2 Hayes Place, or ring us on 01225 427456 and it is done before you hang up.
3. In the NHS App. If you use the NHS App, you can view and change your nominated pharmacy yourself in the prescriptions section.

What happens after you switch

The change applies to prescriptions your GP issues after the nomination is set, which in practice usually means your very next prescription. Two things are worth knowing. First, anything already sent to your old pharmacy stays there, so if something is waiting for you, collect it before you stop going in. Second, you do not need to tell your old pharmacy at all. The change happens on the NHS system and there is nothing to cancel. If you ever change your mind, you can switch again, or switch back, at any time.

Why people around Bear Flat are switching to us

We are an independent pharmacy on Hayes Place, at the foot of Wellsway, and since taking over in spring 2026 we have been steadily improving how the place runs. A few honest reasons people give for moving their prescriptions here:

• Free local delivery. If getting to us is the hard part, we bring your medicine to your door around Bear Flat and south Bath at no charge.
• No trip into town. If you live in south Bath, collecting from Hayes Place beats queueing in the city centre.
• Walk-in help through Pharmacy First. Our pharmacist can assess and treat seven common conditions on the NHS, no GP appointment needed.
• A modern prescription system. We track prescriptions digitally and can email you when yours is ready to collect.
• You will be a name, not a number. We are small enough to know our regulars, and that is exactly how we like it.

The questions we hear most

Does switching change my GP?

No. Nomination only decides where your prescriptions are dispensed. Your GP registration is untouched, and nothing changes about your care at the surgery.

Do I need my NHS number?

No. Your name, date of birth and postcode are enough for any pharmacy to find you on the NHS system. The NHS number just speeds things up if you happen to have it, and you can find it on any old prescription slip.

Can I switch for someone else?

Yes, with their agreement. People regularly set up a parent's or partner's nomination, and carers do it all the time. Use their details and your own contact number.

What does it cost?

Nothing. Switching is free, prescription charges are the same wherever you collect, and delivery from us is free too.

Ready to move? Nominate us online, ring 01225 427456, or call in at 2 Hayes Place and we will sort it at the counter while you wait.