Frequently Asked Questions

How long will my prescription take?

At Snells Beach Pharmacy, we try to be as prompt and efficient as possible when dispensing your medicines. As well as packaging the correct prescription, we must assess that it is safe and appropriate for the age, weight and condition of the person taking the medicine. Sometimes we need to discuss your treatment with the person who wrote the prescription, but we will always let you know if there will be a delay.



I have a community services card, what does this do?

The Community Services Card (CSC) entitles the holder and their family to a reduction in the cost of prescriptions. If you have a prescription from specialists (orthopedics, psychiatrists, dermatologists, etc.) or dentists, your co-payment will be $5 only for fully-subsidised medicines. However, if a medicine is not fully subsidised, there may be an additional cost. Please ask our staff if you would like to know how much medicines would cost when you hand in your prescription.



What is a prescription subsidy card?

Once you have collected 20 new prescription items in a year (between 1st of February and 31st of January), you can get a prescription subsidy card. This means you won’t have to pay any more prescription charges until 1st of February the following year. This prescription subsidy card applies to pharmacies nationwide, so make sure you carry it with you, or mention it to the pharmacies that are not your regular pharmacy. Please note that as there is no prescription charge on items for children under 13 years, these items cannot be counted as part of the 20-item threshold, and some prescriptions are excempt and may occur additional charges.



How long is a prescription valid for?

Generally, a prescription is valid for government funding for 3 months (90 days) from the date it is written by a New Zealand registered Doctor. Please note, a Controlled Drug prescription (for Morphine, Oxycodone, etc.) will be valid for 7 days only.



What does it mean by 'repeats available'?

When the label on your medicine says that there is a “repeat” or “repeats”, it means that a further supply is available from that pharmacy up until the date stated on the label. The Pharmaceutical Management Agency, PHARMAC, sets dispensing frequency for some medicines to 1 month (30 days) at a time, so you can return for a further supply without presenting another prescription. Please make sure you return to the pharmacy where the original prescription was presented to collect you subsequent “repeats”.



Can I get my flu shot here?

At this point of time, we are unable to extend this service to our customers. Please refer to our 'Services' page for a comprehensive list of what we do offer.