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Rant

Natalie1974

Natalie1974

Well-Known Member
Messages
871
Location
Kent
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Apologies in advance but I need to get this off my chest.

I sent my daughter down last week to collect a prescription for me, it's something she does quite often so she knows the ropes etc. Anyway I'd had a change in my prescription and the doctors had sent an additional prescription down to the chemist by email, I'm assuming email because they said it was sent electronically, I wasn't aware they could do this...not that this is at all relevant but anyway she was aware that it was a large prescription of different medications and there was one item that had been sent down separately.

On arrival she gave the usual details etc and they said that they only had the one that had been sent down electronically, so she challenged them and asked them to check the fridge. They did a full on search of the chemist and reached a conclusion that it hadn't been received from the doctors. So I called the doctors who told me it had definitely been sent. Obviously by this point the chemist is now shut and although I usually allow a few days for prescriptions, on this occasion I was down to my last tablet...thank heavens it wasn't my insulin because we really would've had a problem. Playing it safe, I requested the prescription again via Patient Access which provoked a call from the doctors telling me that my request had been rejected as they had just issued a prescription for the same items I was requesting. So I contact the chemist again and ask them to look into this as I am now in a difficult situation and needing my medication. They finally come back to me at 4.30 saying that they'd found it and when was I coming to collect it. I told them that I don't work locally and would leave work there and then to come get it and they promise to wait for me. They didn't...so yet another day without my medication. Finally I managed to pick it up on Saturday morning and gave them a bit of a talking to...but really this is terrible...I feel I need to make a complaint to someone but not entirely sure who. I will certainly make sure that my doctors surgery are aware but who else should I tell? This could've been quite serious had it been insulin and I feel like I need to make my voice heard. I should also add that this is not a one off, I've had a number of run in's with the same chemist over the years, very similar situations but nothing as serious as this.

One more thing while I'm on the subject...this same chemist had dextro energy tablets on the counter priced at £1.87??? I buy these a lot as I find them quite handy to keep in my bag...but I'm sure I've never paid more than 70-80p for them...am I wrong? I did also bring this up with them...seemed like a might as well given my mood at the time.
 
I will definitely be checking this with them next time...I know chemists are quite fond of hiking up the prices...but within reason eh
 
My Pharmacist is also my local Supermarket (ASDA) so tend to get best of both worlds:)
<other supermarkets are available:cool:>
 
Dextro tabs? I wouldn't know. I don't use em..

My chemist..? Based on what prescription & when requested. I can tell then exactly where it will be located saving them an "egg hunt". It does make me laugh how the "indie" chemists close for two hours from midday in my part of the world.. Not handy!

I request repeats online.. I did get a notifacation mentioning the surgery sends then via the webernet.. Though in fairness my surgery admin only need to shout the order to the chemist through the deviding door... :p
 
Been there, done that, written the letter of complaint. Luckily it was only my script for statins and aspirin that got lost electronically. So I should write to the highest person you can find in the chemist's hierarchy. I got a couple of generic replies (very concerned, taking it seriously, conducting inquiry) and now my chemist has to persuade customers to fill out "how do you rate us?" forms.
Having a rant on here is good too.
Can't answer your dextro question.
 
I'm a bit stuck in regards to changing my chemist, the only other possibility would be boots in the town that I live in but to be honest I can't be dealing with spending entire lunch breaks and days off queuing to pick up a prescription as always seems to be the case there unfortunately. Although there is a chemist two doors down from where I work, I wonder if they are now using this webernet thingie if I could pick it up from there, I will check this one out...would be good to know if nothing else.

I will be following this up though, it's outrageous especially when you're dealing with people's medications. As I said it's not the first time I've had this sort of problem with this chemist but to be honest my doctors are a bit useless too so it's always been quite hard to ascertain who is causing the problem...on this occasion it's most definitely the chemist. When I finally did collect it they said that they can verify it on the computer system...I asked him to explain why this wasn't done in the first place rather than causing such a mess...he just said that some members of staff do and some don't...really not acceptable.

The dextro energy thing is just cheeky I think...I told him that I'd never paid more than 80p for them and that he should double check his pricing...he said he would so will be interesting to see if it changes.
 
All I know with mine is I go to the surgury website. Log in with a username & password they issued when I set this up. Then order what I need from my menu.. (No questions asked.) the pharmacy I use is a default. Though there are about 5 other chemists in the local that I can chose to pick from using drop down menu should I wish..
 
I use this type of set up too and it works quite well, although I'm not sure I get a choice of chemists it's just a default one that I've always used. I will check with the chemist next door, it would make my life so much easier...although I usually stock pile my prescriptions there are some that they won't allow me to do this with so I have to be quite organised in ordering them so many days before they run out...and then make arrangements to work lunch so that I can leave early to get back in time to collect it...it can be a real nightmare at times.
 
Can you not get the chemist to deliver your prescriptions to your door? This service is offered where I live.
 
Wow...really? They do that? Not sure this is offered by my chemist...and to be honest I'm out at work all day so I'm not sure it would work...good to know though :happy:
 
I've had a few issues with my Chemist but I guess I just put it down to human error.

The worse time was when I had ordered insulin, picked up an order from the fridge and stupidly just assumed it was correct. When I went to open said insulin it turned out there was only a box of Lantus and no NovoRapid. I didn't realise until a Saturday night. Had to get an emergency prescription the next day.

The last time I picked up they gave me the wrong testing strips, again should have checked. I will be checking it at the Chemist in future to prevent double visits. Had a few like that.
 
Natalie1974 said:
Wow...really? They do that? Not sure this is offered by my chemist...and to be honest I'm out at work all day so I'm not sure it would work...good to know though :happy:
Click to expand...
Have you got a reliable neighbour to take the prescription in for you? Other option is ring before you collect and collect on a Saturday morning.
 
If it's a high street chain of chemists take the matter up with head office Natalie.

As for Dextro Tabs, I just use Jelly Babies which are a lot cheaper, especially when bought in the discount stores.
 
I'd agree with the jelly babies thing...they are definitely my first choice...but dextrose tablets are quite handy to leave in the pocket of my dog walking jacket for months on end...although not too appealing...they last ages and only collect a little fluff so not so off putting when you really need them.
 
Once again...I've found myself at logger heads with my doctors surgery...if it's not the chemist its the doctors. It seems that things tick along quite nicely until I actually need anything more than a prescription.

I've had a few problems with my glucose meter giving me some crazy readings...which are obviously wrong...a 5.2 followed by a 14.5 an hour later...followed by 3.4 10 minutes later. I've replaced the strips and still getting strange readings so can only assume it's the meter. I contacted the doctors and was fortunate enough to get a really lovely receptionist who bent over backwards and managed to get a new meter ready for me to collect the same day...I was thrilled and very happy with this.

However...when I got home I discovered that the meter talks...very loudly in fact. Initially this made me laugh but I'm now finding this to be a real problem...having my meter announce my blood sugar reading to the entire open plan office is really quite embarrassing and has meant that I need to leave the office to test. Ok...not a major problem but keen to get back to normal, I raided my cupboards and found a few old meters that I thought I could get up and running again, have changed all the batteries and all I require to get back on track is a few test strips...surely not that difficult. How wrong can I be? I requested strips online through patient access system and request was rejected, will need to see a doctor it's been more than 6 months since last requested. So I called them...and was told they are unable to accept any requests over the phone, the only way to obtain a prescription would be to contact my chemist and have them request them on my behalf...really??? How can this be?

If you've read this thread from start to finish you might understand that this is probably not an option but am happy to comply if it means I can get what I need and get back to normal. Whilst on the phone I thought I would use the opportunity to see if I can get an appointment with the doctors in order to get a referral to diabetic clinic following a conversation I was having yesterday on another thread it seems like a good idea. When I asked when was the soonest I could get an appointment I was a little taken aback when she said 'today'...am far more accustomed to waiting a week or two. Naturally I seized the opportunity and asked if I could book myself in...I was then asked if the reason for my appointment was to obtain a prescription for test strips and was told that if this was the reason that she would have to refuse the request. I told her 'no' and explained my reason being to obtain a referral but if I could get an appointment today I might as well deal with it all with the doctor, which was met with a very short sharp response and the phone being put down on me.

I really cannot understand this kind of response..not at any point during my conversation with the doctors receptionist was I in any way rude, possibly confused at one point that my chemist could request a prescription on my behalf and I couldn't...and naturally I asked for an explanation but was not in any way rude. I have my appointment at 4.30, hopefully I can obtain a referral to diabetes clinic and then I think it may be a good time to change doctors too, it seems every dealing I have with these guys is a nightmare...and life is complicated enough without all this additional nonsense.

Rant over...apologies
 
Natalie1974 said:
Once again...I've found myself at logger heads with my doctors surgery...if it's not the chemist its the doctors. It seems that things tick along quite nicely until I actually need anything more than a prescription.

I've had a few problems with my glucose meter giving me some crazy readings...which are obviously wrong...a 5.2 followed by a 14.5 an hour later...followed by 3.4 10 minutes later. I've replaced the strips and still getting strange readings so can only assume it's the meter. I contacted the doctors and was fortunate enough to get a really lovely receptionist who bent over backwards and managed to get a new meter ready for me to collect the same day...I was thrilled and very happy with this.

However...when I got home I discovered that the meter talks...very loudly in fact. Initially this made me laugh but I'm now finding this to be a real problem...having my meter announce my blood sugar reading to the entire open plan office is really quite embarrassing and has meant that I need to leave the office to test. Ok...not a major problem but keen to get back to normal, I raided my cupboards and found a few old meters that I thought I could get up and running again, have changed all the batteries and all I require to get back on track is a few test strips...surely not that difficult. How wrong can I be? I requested strips online through patient access system and request was rejected, will need to see a doctor it's been more than 6 months since last requested. So I called them...and was told they are unable to accept any requests over the phone, the only way to obtain a prescription would be to contact my chemist and have them request them on my behalf...really??? How can this be?

If you've read this thread from start to finish you might understand that this is probably not an option but am happy to comply if it means I can get what I need and get back to normal. Whilst on the phone I thought I would use the opportunity to see if I can get an appointment with the doctors in order to get a referral to diabetic clinic following a conversation I was having yesterday on another thread it seems like a good idea. When I asked when was the soonest I could get an appointment I was a little taken aback when she said 'today'...am far more accustomed to waiting a week or two. Naturally I seized the opportunity and asked if I could book myself in...I was then asked if the reason for my appointment was to obtain a prescription for test strips and was told that if this was the reason that she would have to refuse the request. I told her 'no' and explained my reason being to obtain a referral but if I could get an appointment today I might as well deal with it all with the doctor, which was met with a very short sharp response and the phone being put down on me.

I really cannot understand this kind of response..not at any point during my conversation with the doctors receptionist was I in any way rude, possibly confused at one point that my chemist could request a prescription on my behalf and I couldn't...and naturally I asked for an explanation but was not in any way rude. I have my appointment at 4.30, hopefully I can obtain a referral to diabetes clinic and then I think it may be a good time to change doctors too, it seems every dealing I have with these guys is a nightmare...and life is complicated enough without all this additional nonsense.

Rant over...apologies
Click to expand...
A talking meter whatever next....wanna swap:)
 
@Natalie1974
What was the new meter?
The voice function can usually be switched off, another user may know where in the manual this can be done.
 
Talking meter indeed...it's incredibly basic unfortunately...otherwise I reckon you could have a real laugh with that...especially if it told you off for a bad reading or praised a good one. You're welcome to it...its called a SuperCheck 2 :)
 
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