Monitoring and Follow-up for Medicines

Some medications are safe to start and continue with minimal monitoring. Others require checks to ensure they remain safe, effective, and appropriate over time. Monitoring is not about making treatment difficult, it is a routine part of good prescribing.

This page explains why monitoring is sometimes needed, what follow-up usually involves in primary care, and why prescriptions may be paused if checks are overdue.

These articles are intended as educational sources, not diagnostic nor taking place of a proper medical assessment. If you need help, please book an appointment with one of our GP’s.

Book a GP appointment

Why monitoring matters

Monitoring helps a GP to:

confirm a medicine is working as intended
detect side effects early
reduce the risk of harm
decide whether the dose or plan should change

Monitoring is especially important when medicines affect organs such as the kidneys or liver, influence blood pressure, or carry risks that increase over time.

What monitoring can include

Monitoring depends on the medicine and the condition being treated. It may include:

blood pressure or pulse checks
blood tests, for example kidney function or liver function
weight or symptom review
ECG monitoring for certain medicines
review of side effects, adherence, and benefit

Not every medicine needs all of these, and many people only need occasional review once stable.

Why follow-up is part of safe prescribing

Follow-up is where the prescribing plan is reviewed and adjusted if needed. It is common for medicines to be started as a trial, then reviewed to confirm:

symptoms have improved
side effects are acceptable
the medicine is still needed
there is a clear plan for continuing, changing, or stopping

For long-term treatment, follow-up ensures the medication remains appropriate as circumstances change.

What happens if monitoring is overdue?

If monitoring checks are overdue, a GP may recommend review before continuing prescriptions. This is not a punishment or a refusal to help. It is usually a safety requirement.

In some cases, a short supply may be issued to allow time for monitoring to be arranged. In others, continuing without checks may be unsafe and the medication may need to be paused until review is completed.

Monitoring in remote GP care

Remote GP consultations can support many medication reviews, particularly when symptoms and side effects can be discussed clearly. Some monitoring requires in-person measurements or tests, such as blood pressure readings or blood tests.

If tests or observations are needed, a GP can advise on the safest way to arrange these and how to follow up with results.

Shared care and specialist monitoring

Some medicines are started by specialists and require shared care arrangements. In these situations, monitoring responsibilities may be shared between specialist services and primary care.

A GP may need clear specialist guidance before continuing certain treatments, particularly where specific monitoring schedules are required.