Reviewed by The Wellness Team. Last reviewed October 2026.
Yes. A GMC-registered online doctor can prescribe most medicines after a telephone or video consultation, provided they have enough information to judge that the medicine is needed and safe. The prescription is sent to a UK pharmacy of your choice. The Online GP by The Wellness offers new prescription consultations from £85 and repeat prescriptions from £45.
Key points
- UK regulators apply the same prescribing standards to remote consultations as to face-to-face care, since GMC prescribing guidance updated in April 2021.
- Before prescribing remotely, a doctor must make an adequate assessment, establish a dialogue with the patient and obtain consent.
- Controlled medicines and medicines open to misuse must not be prescribed remotely without access to relevant medical records, except in emergencies.
- Almost 3.5 million online or video GP appointments took place in England in April 2026, up from about 2.3 million a year earlier.
- The Online GP by The Wellness offers repeat prescriptions from £45, new prescription consultations from £85 and urgent refills from £110.
How does an online prescription work?
An online prescription follows a consultation with a doctor by phone or video. The doctor takes your history, checks your current medicines and allergies, decides whether a medicine is appropriate, then sends a private prescription electronically to a pharmacy. You collect the medicine or arrange delivery and pay the pharmacy for it.
- Message the team on WhatsApp and choose a new prescription, repeat prescription or urgent refill.
- Complete the short intake form sent after booking, including your current medicines and allergies.
- Speak to a GMC-registered doctor by phone or video.
- The doctor issues a prescription where clinically appropriate.
- Collect your medicine from a UK pharmacy.
Request a prescription consultation on WhatsApp.
What rules does an online doctor have to follow?
An online doctor must follow the same prescribing standards as a doctor in a clinic. GMC guidance, updated in April 2021, applies equally to all prescribing in any setting, including remote consultations. The doctor must be satisfied the medicine is needed and safe, explain the risks and benefits, and keep a full record.
The high level principles for remote consultations and prescribing, agreed by UK healthcare regulators, also ask doctors to give their name and registration details and to recognise when a remote assessment is not enough.
The medical defence organisation MDDUS advises clinicians to issue a prescription after a remote consultation only when they have sufficient information to justify that the medication is needed and safe, according to its guidance on remote prescribing.
What can an online doctor prescribe?
An online doctor can prescribe most everyday medicines, including treatments for infections, skin conditions, allergies, digestive problems, contraception, migraine, and ongoing medicines for long-term conditions such as high blood pressure, asthma and thyroid problems. The doctor decides what is safe after assessing you.
Repeat prescriptions are one of the most common reasons people book. Running out of a regular medicine while travelling, working long hours or between appointments is stressful, and a short consultation solves it the same day.
What can an online doctor not prescribe?
An online doctor should not prescribe controlled medicines or medicines open to misuse without access to the patient's medical records, except in emergencies, under GMC guidance. They will also decline to prescribe when a physical examination or test is needed first, or when the request is not safe.
Pulse reported in 2021 that the GMC's updated guidance tells doctors not to prescribe controlled drugs remotely when they cannot see relevant information from the patient's records.
At The Online GP by The Wellness, controlled medicines and mental health prescriptions are issued only after a video consultation. Bring your medical records or a summary from your own GP to make this possible.
Ask a doctor on WhatsApp whether your medicine can be prescribed online.
Can I get a repeat prescription online if I am away from home?
Yes. If you are in the UK and have run out of a regular medicine, an online doctor can usually issue a repeat prescription after a short consultation, provided you can confirm the medicine, dose and reason for taking it. A photo of the packaging or your repeat slip helps the doctor confirm details safely.
The Online GP by The Wellness offers repeat prescription refills from £45 and urgent refills from £110 for medicines needed the same day. Visitors to London can use the same service. Our guide to seeing a doctor in London as a visitor explains how this works.
How much does an online prescription cost?
At The Online GP by The Wellness, a repeat prescription refill costs from £45, a new prescription consultation from £85, and an emergency or urgent refill from £110. A telephone consultation for a wider problem starts from £59 and a 30-minute video consultation from £150.
The pharmacy charges separately for the medicine itself. Private prescription prices vary between pharmacies, so it is worth asking the pharmacy for a price before collection. Book a prescription consultation on WhatsApp.
Can a doctor tell me if my medicine can be prescribed online?
Yes. The Online GP by The Wellness offers a free suitability review. Send the name of the medicine, why you take it and when you last had it prescribed on WhatsApp. A doctor tells you whether an online prescription is possible or tells you plainly if an in-person review is needed.
Start your free suitability review on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Is an online prescription legal in the UK?
Yes. A private prescription issued by a GMC-registered doctor after an adequate remote consultation is legal and can be dispensed by UK pharmacies.
Can I get antibiotics online?
A doctor can prescribe antibiotics after a phone or video consultation when a bacterial infection is likely. Many infections are viral, and the doctor will explain when antibiotics will not help.
How quickly will my prescription reach the pharmacy?
Prescriptions are usually sent to the pharmacy shortly after the consultation, often the same day. Urgent refills are prioritised.
Will my own GP know about the prescription?
With your consent, the doctor can send a summary to your registered GP so your records stay complete.
Can I get a prescription without speaking to a doctor?
No. Every prescription at The Online GP by The Wellness follows a consultation with a GMC-registered doctor by phone or video.
Sources
- GMC, Good practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices, updated April 2021
- High level principles for good practice in remote consultations and prescribing, UK healthcare regulators
- MDDUS, Remote prescribing guidance, 2021
- Pulse, GMC guidance on remote prescribing of controlled drugs, 2021
- HTN, Increase in online and video GP appointments, June 2026