Hi there, can someone please help or advise me on this as I am losing the will to live......I currently get all my diabetes medicine (I am type 1), via boots sent electronically from my GP. As of today I have been told by my my GP surgery that the needles for my insulin pens and sharps bins now come under controlled drugs and they can no longer send them electronically so I now have to collect my paper prescription for these items but everything else can go electronically and in turn be delivered to me at home!!!! How does this make sense? So I can get the insulin but not the needles to administer it? This is seriously driving me nuts and I am really getting fed up of being a go between with my pharmacy and GP. I have contacted CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) who have assured me this should not be an issue but for the second time it is....any advise would be appreciated as I don't understand how this system works...many thanks Sonia
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Advise please
- Thread starter sonniek08
- Start Date
catapillar
Well-Known Member
Your gp is talking nonsense.
There are limitations on certain drugs being dispensed via electronic prescription. It is not currently possible to use EPS to dispense schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs - https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/news/no-controlled-drugs-eps-until-2018
But, and this is the big important but, needles are not in any way, shape or form a controlled drug. You can buy them without a prescription on Amazon. Needle are not a schedule 2 and 3 controlled drug, the only drugs currently excluded from EPS.
If you have confirmation from your CCG that this should not be an issue, get that confirmation in writing from the CCG.
Write to your GP practice to get them to put in writing why they aren't dispensing needles via EPS.
Then you can put in a complaint to show that they are contravening the expectations of the CCG, complain to the practice and the CCG because I imagine the CCG will give them a kick to get them to resolve it.
In the meantime, do you actually have to pick up the paper prescription? I don't use EPS because I'm easily defeated by technology. All I do is take my repeat into boots with what I need ticked off. Boots take the prescription to the GP surgery, get it signed and collect it to dispense the meds and the text me when everything's ready to collect. Can you have a chat to the chemist to see if the offer something like that to at least cut down some of the steps your having to go through while you GP practice gets over their weird needle phobia?
There are limitations on certain drugs being dispensed via electronic prescription. It is not currently possible to use EPS to dispense schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs - https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/news/no-controlled-drugs-eps-until-2018
But, and this is the big important but, needles are not in any way, shape or form a controlled drug. You can buy them without a prescription on Amazon. Needle are not a schedule 2 and 3 controlled drug, the only drugs currently excluded from EPS.
If you have confirmation from your CCG that this should not be an issue, get that confirmation in writing from the CCG.
Write to your GP practice to get them to put in writing why they aren't dispensing needles via EPS.
Then you can put in a complaint to show that they are contravening the expectations of the CCG, complain to the practice and the CCG because I imagine the CCG will give them a kick to get them to resolve it.
In the meantime, do you actually have to pick up the paper prescription? I don't use EPS because I'm easily defeated by technology. All I do is take my repeat into boots with what I need ticked off. Boots take the prescription to the GP surgery, get it signed and collect it to dispense the meds and the text me when everything's ready to collect. Can you have a chat to the chemist to see if the offer something like that to at least cut down some of the steps your having to go through while you GP practice gets over their weird needle phobia?
sorry to hear how bad you feel...
when it comes to rules and authorities ..... there is not always any logic... politicians that do decide how little money they´ll spend on people often do a lot of mischmasch.....
are you trapped in your home or is it a long way to go to get what you need dear Sonnie ?
when it comes to rules and authorities ..... there is not always any logic... politicians that do decide how little money they´ll spend on people often do a lot of mischmasch.....
are you trapped in your home or is it a long way to go to get what you need dear Sonnie ?
I have 2 items of controlled drugs plus about 8 others. I order the whole lot on line, The 8 go electronically to the pharmacy, and that triggers them to collect the hard copy of the controlled drugs from the surgery. Then the Pharmacy deliver the whole lot to me.
That’s the theory. We get occasional glitches, but a quick phone call hets it sorted.
I your current pharmacy doesn’t offer this service there may be another near you which does.
I don’t know about sharps and sharp bins, as I’m Type 2 and don’t get these on prescription.
Margaret
That’s the theory. We get occasional glitches, but a quick phone call hets it sorted.
I your current pharmacy doesn’t offer this service there may be another near you which does.
I don’t know about sharps and sharp bins, as I’m Type 2 and don’t get these on prescription.
Margaret
I have 2 items of controlled drugs plus about 8 others. I order the whole lot on line, The 8 go electronically to the pharmacy, and that triggers them to collect the hard copy of the controlled drugs from the surgery. Then the Pharmacy deliver the whole lot to me.
That’s the theory. We get occasional glitches, but a quick phone call hets it sorted.
I your current pharmacy doesn’t offer this service there may be another near you which does.
I don’t know about sharps and sharp bins, as I’m Type 2 and don’t get these on prescription.
Margaret
That’s the theory. We get occasional glitches, but a quick phone call hets it sorted.
I your current pharmacy doesn’t offer this service there may be another near you which does.
I don’t know about sharps and sharp bins, as I’m Type 2 and don’t get these on prescription.
Margaret
I have 2 items of controlled drugs plus about 8 others. I order the whole lot on line, The 8 go electronically to the pharmacy, and that triggers them to collect the hard copy of the controlled drugs from the surgery. Then the Pharmacy deliver the whole lot to me.
That’s the theory. We get occasional glitches, but a quick phone call hets it sorted.
I your current pharmacy doesn’t offer this service there may be another near you which does.
I don’t know about sharps and sharp bins, as I’m Type 2 and don’t get these on prescription.
Margaret
That’s the theory. We get occasional glitches, but a quick phone call hets it sorted.
I your current pharmacy doesn’t offer this service there may be another near you which does.
I don’t know about sharps and sharp bins, as I’m Type 2 and don’t get these on prescription.
Margaret
Resurgam
Master
- Messages
- 10,132
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
I suggest contacting your GP directly - it is probably a clerk or receptionist who made the decision rather than anyone in authority.
