Your order is in – what happens next?

After you’ve placed your order, you might be left with some questions. “Did my order actually go through? Who checks it? Will it be approved? How long does it take?”

Waiting for these answers can leave you feeling uncertain or even anxious. That’s why we’re here to give you a totally transparent ‘tour’ of what happens behind the scenes when you place an order.

From start to finish, every step is handled with the utmost care to ensure you get the right treatment in the right way. And rest assured, we’re a team of real people, and there’s not a chatbot in sight!

Step 1: Your consultation is reviewed by a UK doctor

We don’t auto-approve prescriptions or rely on technology for medical decisions. Instead, your consultation is reviewed by an independent GMC-registered doctor who specialises in online prescribing. They carefully check your consultation answers to determine whether the medication and dose you’ve requested is suitable for you.

This clinical oversight is vital to ensure your health is never compromised.

Orders placed before 1pm are typically reviewed by a doctor on the same day. If your order is approved, we’ll send you an email with their recommendation and next steps. This includes guidance around how the medication works, how to use it safely, and what to expect.

Step 2: We might need to contact you

Part of safe, responsible prescribing is ensuring we have all the information to make an informed decision about treatment. If we need to follow up with you for any reason, we’ll get in touch as soon as possible. For orders placed before 1pm, this will usually be on the same day.

We also care about remaining discreet, which is why we prefer to reach out via email. This is so you don’t have to worry about discussing your private health over the phone while at work, the gym, or out with friends. If something is absolutely urgent, we may call you, but this is only in rare circumstances. 

Here’s when a follow-up might be needed:

• We can’t verify your ID. This might happen if you’ve recently moved house, or the name on your account doesn’t match the name on your passport.
• The dose you’ve requested is too high. If you’ve ordered a new medication for the first time, you might have selected a dose higher than what we’d usually start someone on. We’d just need to discuss this with you and explain why a lower dose is necessary.
• We need more information from you. Sometimes, the doctor might want to ask a few more questions or clarify a detail from your consultation. This is to ensure they have the full picture of your health and medical situation before issuing a prescription. 

This is a vital part of the process that acts as your safety net, ensuring nothing important slips through. It’s not always needed, but if it is, we act on it swiftly to ensure you’re not left in the dark. 

Should the doctor still decline to issue a prescription, the reason will always be related to what’s best for your health. If this is the case, we’ll contact you, issue a full refund, and offer expert guidance around your options.

Step 3: The pharmacy team gets to work

If the doctor approves your order, they’ll issue a prescription, which is sent through to our GPhC-registered pharmacy.

Our pharmacists and technicians then carry out further checks to make sure the prescription matches your consultation, and the medication is safe to send. This clinical due diligence is a critical step during dispensing, and we take it very seriously. From quantity, strength, expiry date, and dose, to making sure it’s going to the right address, we meticulously triple-check every detail.

Unlike some online providers, we don’t outsource any part of the process to a faceless distribution centre.

Everything is done by our qualified pharmacy team in Oxfordshire, who work closely together under the same roof. This gives you peace of mind your order is handled securely, and all medicines are sourced from MHRA-approved UK suppliers.

Step 4: Your order is ready for dispatch

Once your order has been carefully dispensed and final checks are complete, we’ll prepare it for dispatch. 

Cut-off time. For orders placed before 1pm, we aim to dispatch it the same day, including on weekends. Orders placed after this time will be dispatched the next day.

Discreet packaging. Your order is securely packed and delivered in plain, un-branded packaging, so there’s no indication as to what’s inside. All medications come with an information leaflet, containing details around direction of use and side effects. 

Tracked delivery. All orders are sent using Royal Mail Track 48, so you should receive your treatment within 48 hours of it being dispatched. We also offer Special Delivery and Special Saturday Guaranteed Delivery options.

Now it’s just a matter of waiting for your medication to be delivered to your door. Turnaround times vary depending on when your order is placed or if we need to reach out for more information. However, for most customers, the time it takes from consultation to receiving treatment can be as little as 3 days, sometimes even sooner if a Special Delivery option is chosen.

What if there’s a delay?

Delays rarely crop up this late in the process, but they could happen if we’re waiting for a medicine to come back into stock, or Royal Mail are experiencing issues. While a courier delay is out of our control, we’ll monitor the situation and keep you informed. If your order is likely to be delayed for less than a day, we’ll simply get it out as soon as we can. In the unlikely event it’ll be delayed for longer, we’ll reach out to explain what’s happening. 

You’re in safe hands with Oxford Online Pharmacy

From the moment we receive your order, to the moment it leaves our pharmacy, we handle everything with care, compassion, and professionalism. We work efficiently, often with same-day dispatch, but we never cut corners or compromise your health. Each step is overseen by licensed professionals who put patient safety above everything else.

Once you’ve received your order, we’ll continue to provide ongoing care and support you in your health journey.

If you’re still unsure about anything or have questions about your order, we’re here to help. Whether it’s by phone or email, there’ll always be someone to speak to.

Contact us.