Prescription woes

[srobertson06]

I have given the task of getting my prescription over to a local small chemist but when I know I am getting low I go in and ask if they are ready for collection - that way if there is a problem then I still have a few days before I run out and I tell them I am close to running out and they ensure they get it in.

But I would also say that I have been to my chemists to tell them in advance that my prescription is due and I will be away and need to collect it early and they sort that for me.

My biggest problem was last year when I managed to go on holiday and forgot to pack my tablets - left them all sitting on the table............ thankfully it was only a few days because my doctors would not fax my prescription to the local doctors where I was staying they did not have a doctor after 12.30pm and this was 11.30am - it could not be resolved as they could not get me in to see the doctor and register with them as a temporary patient -- ended up going without any meds for 4 days......... - Bank Holiday weekend!

So I would say even if you give the job over to a chemist you need to stay on top of how many tablets you have - I take 4 Metformin tablets a day - that is a box a week and I do a weeks tablets at a time in preparation - so as soon as I know I only have one box left I know I need to pop into the chemist and just ask. I do not have time to keep going along to my doctors as they are not that close to home and I do not drive so it is a real inconvenience which is why I gave it over to a local chemist that I pass when I walk home.

Hoping some of this might be helpful.

 

[ickihun]

Your gp can do a script that you can submit to any chemist. Just in case.
At your next appointment ask for yours. Carry it in your purse or wallet. Doctors (nhs) only get charged for it once its processed.
No harm done.
Its cheaper for gps practice if using a discounted pharmacist thou, who they've negotiated a discount for bulk orders with. That's why they prefer to do electronically.

 

[Joandollie]

I gave up on the prescription going straight through to the pharmacy as something went wrong every time. I had both sides blaming each other, and being utterly childish about itin the process after 18 months of me trying to do as requested by both sides and to understand the system. Also resulted in me ending up on at least three occasions within six months with no medication for a couple of days..

I ended up stating I would put my repeat in 10 days before I needed to, I would collect it 72 hours afterwards, and if it wasn't ready I would not leave reception until it was. If this was inconvenient, then I would change surgery. They also decided to put me on a 2 monthly repeat, rather than monthly and it's gone better since.

That's a great idea and I think I will have to do the same. Thanks

 

[Joandollie]

I have given the task of getting my prescription over to a local small chemist but when I know I am getting low I go in and ask if they are ready for collection - that way if there is a problem then I still have a few days before I run out and I tell them I am close to running out and they ensure they get it in.

But I would also say that I have been to my chemists to tell them in advance that my prescription is due and I will be away and need to collect it early and they sort that for me.

My biggest problem was last year when I managed to go on holiday and forgot to pack my tablets - left them all sitting on the table............ thankfully it was only a few days because my doctors would not fax my prescription to the local doctors where I was staying they did not have a doctor after 12.30pm and this was 11.30am - it could not be resolved as they could not get me in to see the doctor and register with them as a temporary patient -- ended up going without any meds for 4 days......... - Bank Holiday weekend!

So I would say even if you give the job over to a chemist you need to stay on top of how many tablets you have - I take 4 Metformin tablets a day - that is a box a week and I do a weeks tablets at a time in preparation - so as soon as I know I only have one box left I know I need to pop into the chemist and just ask. I do not have time to keep going along to my doctors as they are not that close to home and I do not drive so it is a real inconvenience which is why I gave it over to a local chemist that I pass when I walk home.

Hoping some of this might be helpful.

Thank you. I switched chemists because they were only open while I was at work, same as the GP. I also don't drive and work 7 miles away from where I live so it's sometimes just not possible to pop in and have to rely on public transport which means leaving work up to an hour earlier to get to the GP in time. This is only my first full months worth (200mg) of Metformin, I was on the build up prior to this so was issued the right amount. The prescription woes have been going on since before Metformin. Very frustrating

 

[covknit]

Tell me about it. My GP's support staff point blank refused to prescribe the drugs prescribed by the hospital. Glaucoma drugs are supposed to be thrown after 28 days butI was forced to use them for double that time whilst the fob off girls on reception "checked" with the GP. The GP only did phone appointments. In Solihull were most of my family live the GP phones the patient in a pre arranged window. With my GP I had to phone her and on one occassion was left hanging on for 20 mins. The cliche parroted by anyone I contacted was always "it is to stop the issue of unneccessary drugs and save NHS money". More recently the optician advised GP my eye pressures had gone up so the GP dropped the efficacy of the new stronger drug from 0.3 to 0.1. Now I am on 22 eye drops a day and had the end of the road for drugs. There is an operation. If the GP had done as required I might still be on the lumigan.

Over the years there has been a gradual improvement. The stages I have endured are

In 2012 I was only able to order a repeat prescription on a scrappy bit of paper. She did not use the printed 2 part prescription form or allow the chemist to order.

Eventually she did adopt the standard prescription form and Boots were able to order for me. This helped a lot. By that time I had contacted everyone I could think of. The hospital prescribed the drugs a couple of times and the girl from PALS had got involved. Maybe she was instrumental in getting the GP to join the rest of the world and use the standard prescription repeat form.

When the GP dropped the doseage on my Xalatan she again refused to take repeat orders from the chemists. I had to phone a POD between 10-2 week days. Really handy for working people whose employers do not facilitate access to the phone for personal calls! The POD are very good and now they have extended their hours POD is accessible. I would prefer the convenience of the chemist doing the reorders- like they can for the other GP's in the area. I am not sure what the POD's current hours are; 9-4 I think and I manage to get through within 10 minutes most of the time.

In the last couple of years when I had problems the consultants secretary pulled the necessary strings. Then I got a wrong prescription! Amazingly I have managed to get appointments to see another GP at the practice ever since. Only once did I need to start raising my voice enough for everyone in the waiting room to become acquainted with that joyous snippet.

The fob off girls also managed to deny me the opportunity of knowing I was pre diabetic.

The best advice I can give is see where on the timeline of horror you are and find out if your area health authority has a PALS patient advice and liaison service. I cannot give PALS an endorsement but a little bird whispered words regarding special relationships. The prescription repeat format altered to the one the rest of my family have so I give PALS the credit for that. I do know for sure the PALS in the next AHA were really good in a certain case. You also need to make appointments to see a GP to coincide with every repeat. If your GP will not facilitate prescriptions from the chemist ask the AHA and PALS about it. If you are in an area with adequate GP coverage change your GP. One way or another I go to 4 different GP practices (not for me) and imho the practices where the reception staff are lovely are very good. If receptionists are allowed to treat patients with contempt (what goes on is beyond disrespect) the whole experience becomes a nightmare. I for one can never trust they are looking after my best interests. Lets face it if they were I would have received the drugs prescribed by the hospital and cost the NHS a fraction of its currently outlay in handling the repercussions of GP policy.

Hubby's GP does the electronic repeat order. It works excellently for the standard monthly order. The three monthly one used to be automatic but something changed a year or so ago. We had to do the run between the chemist and GP. Then the GP started keeping that item in stock. They inject him with it so that makes sense. We had a bit of a mess with an experimental change in medication that did not work out resulting in another visit to GP. Next day we picked up the prescription for the missing item and the electronic notes were corrected. I think this illustrates that the electronic system can work very well if the GP allows it to. Neither the chemist nor the POD can override what the GP has entered onto the system. Best of luck in getting your meds

 

[douglas99]

It's amazing how different some practices are.
I go to a dispensing surgery.
I order online, no issue with dates, I can order two, or even three prescriptions a month. (Mainly as I forget, so I keep a month or two in hand, then I also forget to pick them up, and end up picking up two together)
They dispense, so the actual meds are waiting for me.
If I am going away, they will give me three months up front.

 

[ickihun]

I'm wondering if I needed an anti-histamine urgently if I'd actually get one delivered?
I guess not.
I'm off to see if the next housing estate's chemist is open this morning without a bus/taxi ride. I'll call them first. My chemist over a mile away is open this morning but nearer ones may have no chemist on call. Saturdays. Typical. I couldnt realise nuts are making me swell and blister my tongue earlier in the week! Mind u I'm too busy to think about me.

 

[Pinkorchid]

My repeat prescription is electronically sent to my local chemist but I still have to request it each month by dropping the request slip into the box in the reception area at the surgery. A repeat prescription can be asked for by phone but the surgery is at the top of my road so no problem for me to drop it in

 

[ickihun]

I'm wondering if I needed an anti-histamine urgently if I'd actually get one delivered?
I guess not.
I'm off to see if the next housing estate's chemist is open this morning without a bus/taxi ride. I'll call them first. My chemist over a mile away is open this morning but nearer ones may have no chemist on call. Saturdays. Typical. I couldnt realise nuts are making me swell and blister my tongue earlier in the week! Mind u I'm too busy to think about me.

Local chemist closed on a saturday. Spoke to my regular chemist and advised to skip nuts and take an anti-histamine.

 

[Ariel36]

I am glad (but also disappointed!) that I'm not the only one to struggle with prescriptions. I'm hoping it's ok to add my mini rant about the medication I have to get for five separate conditions incl insulin. Every single month without fail the chemist I go to gets it wrong, compounded by a very ineffectual surgery. Today, after calling 3 days in advance to request specific items, I went to collect my items to be told they'd been lost, & could I wait whilst they did it all again. An hour later the locum pharmacist was aggressively asking me why the prescription he'd dispensed from was dated May 2016, that he couldn't let me have the vital items I take every day (and needless to say I had no idea about the date on something they'd printed off their system), and then asked did I know how to take the drugs I've had for the last seventeen years. I burst into tears at his tone and in frustration, because actually I'm never going to get better from any of these conditions so will have to endure this kind of attack randomly whenever I go to the chemist, and at the very least every time I go have to check their mistakes and battle to get the things I need to stay alive. It's been an unusually bad month for prescriptions! But it's not often much better. Are there any decent chemists out there??

 

[ickihun]

I am glad (but also disappointed!) that I'm not the only one to struggle with prescriptions. I'm hoping it's ok to add my mini rant about the medication I have to get for five separate conditions incl insulin. Every single month without fail the chemist I go to gets it wrong, compounded by a very ineffectual surgery. Today, after calling 3 days in advance to request specific items, I went to collect my items to be told they'd been lost, & could I wait whilst they did it all again. An hour later the locum pharmacist was aggressively asking me why the prescription he'd dispensed from was dated May 2016, that he couldn't let me have the vital items I take every day (and needless to say I had no idea about the date on something they'd printed off their system), and then asked did I know how to take the drugs I've had for the last seventeen years. I burst into tears at his tone and in frustration, because actually I'm never going to get better from any of these conditions so will have to endure this kind of attack randomly whenever I go to the chemist, and at the very least every time I go have to check their mistakes and battle to get the things I need to stay alive. It's been an unusually bad month for prescriptions! But it's not often much better. Are there any decent chemists out there??

Mine is 90% excellent. Well I say that, it could be our new doctors receptionist. Its good again now.
I get my items delivered and that includes insulin. Get a new chemist. Mine are good!

 

[Ariel36]

Mine is 90% excellent. Well I say that, it could be our new doctors receptionist. Its good again now.
I get my items delivered and that includes insulin. Get a new chemist. Mine are good!

Thank you for my hug! Still feeling bruised by latest encounter with chemist, but the assistant called me to apologise for how I'd been treated. Still don't have my needles though
On to my third try out round here!

 

[covknit]

Dear Ariel36 this is awful. Are you really condemned to the one chemist? Around here we have a choice of dozens and several supermarket dispensers too. Anyone can pick up the drugs so maybe someone who can collect works near somewhere. I only ever had one attitude with a chemist and that was a new girlie who had probably been trained to think of patients/customers has the enemy. She soon calmed down and became lovely.

Are you sure it is the chemist? All they have to do is keep to the electronic instruction generated by the GP. I have had chemists go into flunks when confronted with a long list. About 5 years ago picking up my parents drugs was a complete saga. Once the lad gained confidence in the fact that there were no harmful interactions and it was just a longer list than he was used to everything went smoothly again.

 

[Joandollie]

Tell me about it. My GP's support staff point blank refused to prescribe the drugs prescribed by the hospital. Glaucoma drugs are supposed to be thrown after 28 days butI was forced to use them for double that time whilst the fob off girls on reception "checked" with the GP. The GP only did phone appointments. In Solihull were most of my family live the GP phones the patient in a pre arranged window. With my GP I had to phone her and on one occassion was left hanging on for 20 mins. The cliche parroted by anyone I contacted was always "it is to stop the issue of unneccessary drugs and save NHS money". More recently the optician advised GP my eye pressures had gone up so the GP dropped the efficacy of the new stronger drug from 0.3 to 0.1. Now I am on 22 eye drops a day and had the end of the road for drugs. There is an operation. If the GP had done as required I might still be on the lumigan.

Over the years there has been a gradual improvement. The stages I have endured are

In 2012 I was only able to order a repeat prescription on a scrappy bit of paper. She did not use the printed 2 part prescription form or allow the chemist to order.

Eventually she did adopt the standard prescription form and Boots were able to order for me. This helped a lot. By that time I had contacted everyone I could think of. The hospital prescribed the drugs a couple of times and the girl from PALS had got involved. Maybe she was instrumental in getting the GP to join the rest of the world and use the standard prescription repeat form.

When the GP dropped the doseage on my Xalatan she again refused to take repeat orders from the chemists. I had to phone a POD between 10-2 week days. Really handy for working people whose employers do not facilitate access to the phone for personal calls! The POD are very good and now they have extended their hours POD is accessible. I would prefer the convenience of the chemist doing the reorders- like they can for the other GP's in the area. I am not sure what the POD's current hours are; 9-4 I think and I manage to get through within 10 minutes most of the time.

In the last couple of years when I had problems the consultants secretary pulled the necessary strings. Then I got a wrong prescription! Amazingly I have managed to get appointments to see another GP at the practice ever since. Only once did I need to start raising my voice enough for everyone in the waiting room to become acquainted with that joyous snippet.

The fob off girls also managed to deny me the opportunity of knowing I was pre diabetic.

The best advice I can give is see where on the timeline of horror you are and find out if your area health authority has a PALS patient advice and liaison service. I cannot give PALS an endorsement but a little bird whispered words regarding special relationships. The prescription repeat format altered to the one the rest of my family have so I give PALS the credit for that. I do know for sure the PALS in the next AHA were really good in a certain case. You also need to make appointments to see a GP to coincide with every repeat. If your GP will not facilitate prescriptions from the chemist ask the AHA and PALS about it. If you are in an area with adequate GP coverage change your GP. One way or another I go to 4 different GP practices (not for me) and imho the practices where the reception staff are lovely are very good. If receptionists are allowed to treat patients with contempt (what goes on is beyond disrespect) the whole experience becomes a nightmare. I for one can never trust they are looking after my best interests. Lets face it if they were I would have received the drugs prescribed by the hospital and cost the NHS a fraction of its currently outlay in handling the repercussions of GP policy.

Hubby's GP does the electronic repeat order. It works excellently for the standard monthly order. The three monthly one used to be automatic but something changed a year or so ago. We had to do the run between the chemist and GP. Then the GP started keeping that item in stock. They inject him with it so that makes sense. We had a bit of a mess with an experimental change in medication that did not work out resulting in another visit to GP. Next day we picked up the prescription for the missing item and the electronic notes were corrected. I think this illustrates that the electronic system can work very well if the GP allows it to. Neither the chemist nor the POD can override what the GP has entered onto the system. Best of luck in getting your meds

Sounds like you've had a nightmare! My issues have not been this difficult or long term. Glad you're sorted. Thanks for your response x

 

[geemacwilly]

I think I have a very lazy doctor. He sends 5 repeat dispensing prescriptions for 2 months of meds to the pharmacy when I need them. I actually have 2 months in reserve as he once miscalculated and gave me a prescription for 6 months instead of 2 months. I split the difference to have a reserve.

 

[Sue81]

I used to use the chemist in my doctors surgery thinking that it would be easier if there were any problems but I'd put my repeat in and they never looked at it until I came to collect it. That might not have been a problem if they kept my insulin in stock but it meant two trips every month just to get my prescription.
I changed to using the local ASDA they are always organised, keep up with the electronic prescriptions, I can park and if they do need to pull the items I can nip round the shop rather than just sitting there for god knows how long at the other place.

 

[geemacwilly]

The pharmacy next to the doctors would never give me the full amount, so I would have to go back to get the rest. This was a 10 minuet drive and passing 2 other pharmacy’s on the way.

Then I started to use Asda’s as the instore pharmacy was open from 7 A.M. to 11 P.M. with free parking. But they messed up my prescriptions once to often.

 

[billy_mcm]

Hi all

Hoping someone can offer some advice in relation to prescriptions for Metformin. I have been on 2000mg for about 2 weeks now. However, once again, my doctors have failed to send my prescription to my nominated chemist. This means that I have none left and will have to wait another 3 days for them to sort it out. They absolutely will not issue my prescriptions until the last minute so this is happening more frequently
How detrimental is this likely to be, given that I've only recently built my dose up to 4 tablets a day? TIA

Hi,
I am very lucky living in a small seaside village. I order my Metformin on line and if I can't collect it in person, my local pharmacy will collect it for me if I ring them. This means that my prescription can be collected outside surgery hours e.g. on a Saturday. If only all pharmacies were so co-operative.

 

[Chook]

My local pharmacy is wonderful. They email me a monthly reminder that I need to order meds which I do at their website. They then submit the request to my GP who authorises it, they then prepare the meds and I can either collect or they will deliver, whichever I prefer. I do have to have an annual review with my pharmacist to ensure I know what all my meds are for, when I take them, any contraindications, how they work, if I'm having any side affects, etc, which is great and far better care than I get from my GP.

 

[thingybobby]

Hi all

Hoping someone can offer some advice in relation to prescriptions for Metformin. I have been on 2000mg for about 2 weeks now. However, once again, my doctors have failed to send my prescription to my nominated chemist. This means that I have none left and will have to wait another 3 days for them to sort it out. They absolutely will not issue my prescriptions until the last minute so this is happening more frequently
How detrimental is this likely to be, given that I've only recently built my dose up to 4 tablets a day? TIA

As I understand this system, it's up to your Pharmacist to request the prescriptions, based upon your repeat copy.
Mine claims to do this one week before due date, but my Doctor's have refused, until due date.