Patient Guide
Step-by-step help for using canary.
Your Prescriptions
How your scripts work
Electronic prescriptions (eScripts) can feel confusing at first, so here's a plain-English guide to how they work on canary.
Your eScript token
When your prescriber writes you an electronic prescription, an eScript token is issued — a code, often with a QR code, that is the key to your prescription. How it reaches your account depends on how canary is set up:
- Automatically — in many organisations, your clinic sends the script straight through and it simply appears in your account, ready to order. Nothing for you to do.
- Added by you — otherwise, the token comes to you by SMS or email, and you add it yourself using the Upload script button on your dashboard.
Either way, the platform checks the token with the national prescription service and shows you the details — your medication, quantity, instructions and more.
Repeats and supplies remaining
Many scripts allow more than one supply. Each time a pharmacy dispenses your medication, one supply is used up. On your script card you'll see Supplies remaining — this tells you how many supplies are left on that script. When it reaches zero, the script is finished and you'll need a new one from your prescriber.
Repeat tokens
Each time a supply is dispensed, a fresh token is issued for the next repeat. During checkout you can choose to have your repeat tokens sent straight back to your Active scripts, so they're ready for your next order automatically. If you prefer not to, the pharmacy will send the new token to you by SMS or email instead, and you can upload it yourself next time.
Scripts don't last forever
Every script has an expiry date. Once a script expires it can no longer be dispensed, even if it still has supplies remaining, and it will move to your Old scripts page. If a script expires, simply ask your prescriber for a new one.
Schedule 8 prescriptions are only valid for 6 months from the date of issue. Your script may still show as 'Active' when it is actually expired. Schedule 4 prescriptions are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
