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** Possible Boots The Chemist Alert **

L

librarising

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,116
Location
High Wycombe
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Over my four years as an non insulin-dependent diabetic, I got to learn that my local Boots experienced more 'delay' with prescriptions from my GP's surgery than any other : (
I was started on insulin 29/03 and am having to get to grips with this 'delay' in a more urgent way.
I can request a repeat via GP's website, then sit back and wait... and wait. Eventually Boots send me a text to say ready for collection.

This Bank Holiday weekend was a busy one, and I failed to notice my Levemir would run short Monday night. I had ordered more two weeks previously, but no text.
Called in to Boots this morning. There was my Levemir with a date from last week ! After discussion with the pharmacist, he told me that Boots were having problems with texts being received.

So be aware, if your prescriptions are handled by Boots, and advised by text, you may need to check personally if they are ready for collection.

Living and learning : ))

Geoff
 
I only use my local chemist .. its an independent chemist and the service is better than any of the big chains
 
I and my wife both use Boots in our town. We both have a regular wallet made up mine 4 weekly, my wife is weekly. We get free delivery to the door, and it works well.

Where it has fallen down in the past is with 'as required' items that are not in the medi-wallet. Things like test strips, lancets etc. I get my GP to send a scrip to Boots, but it goes to a different branch in another town some 15 miles away, and there it sits until my next scheduled delivery of meds. So if I need something urgent (like I needed UTI treatment), then I have to go to my local Boots, who will ring the remote Boots, and organise a special delivery for me
I have tried to get my GP to send these one offs to the local pharmacy, but it seems their computer only understands one supplier registration, and cannot be tweaked. So Boots has in the past arranged for scrip to be faxed to remote branch, who then fax it to my local branch, so I can make an OTC collection in person. Silly software writers!. (Oops was tempted to say something stronger there, but my blood sugars are ok this morning!)
 
Due to living in the remote backwoods of Kent we have a pharmacy built into the local surgery. You can walk down the corridor from the Doctor's office and ding the bell on the counter. They still ask for two days notice. They perform well though.
 
Squire Fulwood said:
Due to living in the remote backwoods of Kent we have a pharmacy built into the local surgery. You can walk down the corridor from the Doctor's office and ding the bell on the counter. They still ask for two days notice. They perform well though.
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Sounds a bit like my setup - repeats are 3-4 days wait, though I can generally get doctor issued non-repeat prescriptions immediately.

Our previous pharmacist was an absolute angel and when I was having treatment for a serious and long term eye condition she always went that extra mile for me to make sure I got my eye drops the same day - request in the morning - out of stock - available for me to collect after afternoon delivery. A couple of times she rang round all the other chemists in the area when there were production issues and shortages of some of my medication.

Robbity
 
I stopped using Boots as there was a problem every time I tried to pick up mine, or my children's meds. I now use the Asda pharmacy - and haven't had any problems yet. I order my prescriptions online with my surgery and pick up my meds from Asda.
 
No problems with Boots in Hazlemere, Bucks. Maybe it's just your Boots.
 
DavidGrahamJones said:
No problems with Boots in Hazlemere, Bucks. Maybe it's just your Boots.
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I use the Park Parade Boots Strangely, got a text today for my new sharps container, but the Boots text thread on my phone shows no texts between 05/04 and today. I've picked up both Novorapid and Levemir (per original post) flexpens since 05/04, both by asking at the counter, since the pens had run out. Neither was advised by text. I've even checked possibly blocked texts. Nothing.
I accept the pharmacist's explanation of text problems.

Geoff (waving fromWidmer End)
 
I used to collect from nearest Boots (8 miles). Whilst in the queue all I would hear was complaints about non-fulfillment of scripts - and non-sympathic excuses from the staff. Mind you, the staff must have been so fed-up with these daily interactions. I then found an outlying part-time associated surgery to mine - with their own pharmacist. Brilliant service!

Walgreens Boots Alliance. Owen Espley, Senior Economic Justice Campaigns Officer at War on Want feels that it is “high time that Boots paid its fair share of UK taxes. It is simply unacceptable for a company that receives about 40% of its UK income from the NHS”. Espley goes on to talk about NHS patients who loyally use Boots to fill their prescriptions, arguing that they don’t want to see their charges and taxes ‘disappear in to tax avoidance schemes” http://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2015/03/20422-boots-tax-avoidance-causes-fury
 
I've also had problems with our local Boots. Order repeat script on, say, Monday - collect Wednesday...not always ready and told to call back later! Also, if I order script a week before I run out, I am told I ordered 'too early' and have to call back! What happens if I go on holiday and need my meds early?
 
We have had nothing but trouble with boots. One store gave me rhe wrong dosage of medication and with the second the scrips were either not ready or they couldn't find them! We gave up and now go to our local Well pharmacy as they are brill.
 
Sounds as if the standards vary, depending where you are, which I suppose is true of many large stores with lots of outlets. I had problems with my local Boots on filling prescriptions since they started the on-line ordering and collection service. When it came to collection time, they blamed the surgery for none-action and the surgery blamed them. I had this run-around, to-ing and fro-ing for about 6 months, till I finally gave up and took my custom elsewhere. On a couple of occasions, there were other customers alongside me, who were also being given the same run-around, so it wasn't just me. I still don't trust the on-line process yet. At least with the paper system I know exactly where I am and exactly when my stuff will be ready, and that it will be there waiting for me.

I think that living in the smaller more close-knit communities does encourage a better and personal service
 
I use a local pharmacy and they are great. I can take a script to them and within 10 minutes I have the medication in my hand! If they don't have anything vital in stock they contact Boots to see if they have it.
 
I don't know where you live but I live in Harmanswater, Bracknell and my local Boots is just the same, there seems to be no urgency at all in them sending out a text or for that matter fulfilling a prescription with any sense of urgency. I thought it was just the ineffiency of the branch that I use but seemingly its a common fault.
Greg
Bracknell
 
I use my local Boots and it is brilliant. The staff go out of their way to help. Text messages are received in plenty of time. Before the system was fully computerised the pharmacy assistant used to walk down the road to the surgery a couple of times a day to collect scripts to make sure they were processed quickly. There have been no problems with mine at all since the change over.
 
librarising said:
Geoff (waving fromWidmer End)
Click to expand...

Small world! I did have problems when I was at the Roberts Ride Surgery, and not just with prescriptions. I seemed to be for ever going between surgery and pharmacy. It was their advice (I'll not mention Dr's name) that I should not cut carbs under any circumstances. Sorry, slightly off topic. Have a great day!
 
I use Tesco in Cambridge, never more than 20 minutes at any time of the day, so pop off for a green tea/coffee then collect.
 
My local chemist is great. If, for some reason, they haven't got my prescription ready and I've ran out of something, they always give me a few days supply to tide me over. Then they just reduce the amount I get in my prescription.
 

Now that is interesting!
 
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