AIBU to think this is a silly waste of NHS money...

[LoopyLou1981]

Before I start, I’d like to say I love the NHS and this isn’t having a go at the Drs, nurses etc (it’s more of an admin thing).
My lb has been prescribed amoxicillin. The dose is 3 x 5ml per day for 7 days (so 105ml for the full prescription). In order for the pharmacy to fulfil this they have to give my 2 100ml bottles so I’m wasting most of the 2nd bottle. Now I understand that the dose for this medicine will be different for older children but this seems like a ridiculous waste.
Wibu to think it wouldn’t be that hard to make a 105ml bottle (or other convenient bottle sizes for other common doses)?!x

[Ttbb]

This would be a supply issue. The NHS doesn't make drugs. Either there isn't enough of an issue surrounding wastage for the NHS to complain to the supplier or the supplier has refused to provide different sizes for obvious reasons. If it bothers you then write to the supplier.

[nocake]

Taking a guess here but it's probably more cost effective to only stock one size of bottle and allow for the waste than to stock different sizes.

[minniemummy0]

Whenever I’ve got a prescription like that I’ve been given the exact amount, with the pharmacist taking some from another packet. They keep the rest and I presume either dispose of it or keep it for someone else who has a prescription that doesn’t match the packet size?? They shouldn’t really be giving you all those extra antibiotics really!!

[BikeRunSki]

That’s the dosage for your child though OP. Other children, other conditions have different dosages. DS once had a 3 week prescription!

[KimmySchmidt1]

every dosage will be different. It would not be cost efective to pay the supplier to have a bespoke dosage for every case - that would be insane.

amoxicillin is very cheap as medicines go anyway.

Generally, the NHS is much more efficient than most in terms of buying power because it has a massive monopoly, orders massive amounts, and so has huge power.

[TDHManchester]

The NHS is brilliant at wasting public money. Its one of the big things it does. Procurement and supply contracts are well known for costing fortunes more than you can get elsewhere.

[Llanali]

I’m surprised at this. Most pharmacies make amoxicillin suspension up for the scripts, they may use 100ml bottles but the second one isn’t full.

Either way, as above, one size fits all is more appropriate; a key issue in pharmacy is stocking space. Not enough shelves!!

[AmySueGina]

Wibu to think it wouldn’t be that hard to make a 105ml bottle

Yes, it would be really hard actually. The NHS doesn't make drugs (well they make some but not everyday drugs like this). They come from companies already supplied and of course companies aren't going to make bottles in multiples of 5ml or whatever.

Reminds me of the Ali G sketch when he's asking why money comes in set amounts like £1, £2, 5p, 10p etc and there isn't a £2.98 coin or a £6.47 coin or a £2.14 coin.

[Ellisandra]

From a supplier's point of view... (I don't make plastic bottles, but I am in manufacturing)

I can make a 100ml empty bottle.
I can run the production line to make it (and the drug company can run their line to fill it) 24/7.

Or I can stop my line, change over my equipment, and switch to making 105ml bottles every other Tuesday. Don't forget the drug company has to stop their line and reset their dosing machine to add 105ml of drug now.

I need to change my outer packaging too - those 105ml bottle don't go in the same cardboard box as the 100ml. How about one size box? Well, that's going to create waste too - unnecessary space left, for every X number of boxes that aren't quite full, I need to run a whole extra truck to deliver them.

I need to use some employee time to manage the mix of orders between 105ml and 100ml bottles.

Etc etc.

Sometimes, you don't see where the cost saving is. Maybe £1m of drug suspension is wasted this way. But maybe £2m was saved by using a single size bottle.

You have to look at the total supply chain to understand where the best cost saving is.

[LoopyLou1981]

The bottles would easily fit another 25mls in so your argument has fallen on its arse there really.

[LemonShark]

That is... odd, to say the least. Chemists have to give you what you've been prescribed, no more. It could be very dangerous to give someone more than they've been prescribed for various reasons (someone might be confused and just keep taking it or take too much and overdose). When I've been prescribed 300ml of something and they only have a 500ml bottle they simply pour out 200ml (and I assume keep it for another prescription) and hand me a bottle 3/5ths full. They don't just saw screw it and give me prescription only medication a doctor hadn't prescribed me.

If your story is exactly as you've laid out here, they've made a mistake. Are you sure your gp didn't prescribe 200ml on the prescription? Are you maybe adding up the doses and getting the sum wrong? Or did the gp prescribe extra in case 105ml isn't enough?

I assure you this isn't one of the ways the NHS wastes money as this just wouldn't happen without an error

[Sirzy]

For most antibtitics they come in to the chemist with the right amount of medicine in powder form and then it is made up in the chemist with sterile water isn’t it?

So making an extra 5ml sadly isn’t that simple!

[MaidOfStars]

The bottles would easily fit another 25mls in so your argument has fallen on its arse there really
Says someone with no idea of pharma manufacturing.

The effort that goes into even the simplest label checks when a line starts a different run is an admin nightmare.

[LoopyLou1981]

Also, I never suggested making dozens of different sizes. This is a children’s medicine for common complaints. I would imagine that 105ml is a pretty common dose.

[LoopyLou1981]

No. The prescription is as states. He’s had it 3 times in his life and every time I have been given 2 100ml bottles but thank you for suggesting that I can’t care for my own children.

[AmySueGina]

The bottles would easily fit another 25mls in so your argument has fallen on its arse there really

LOL @ the complete ignorance of how drug manufacturing and supply works.

[LoopyLou1981]

It’s been ages since I’ve posted on here. I forgot how cruel people can be.
Thank you for putting me in my place and reducing a frazzled Mum with two poorly babies to tears.
I’ve never understood why people would only comment on something to put someone down. You must all be amazing human beings x

[Mulberry72]

I experienced a (what I believe) crazy waste of NHS money, although someone may be able to explain why this was done.

I had an outpatients appointment on a Friday morning, I had a taxi driver banging on my front door at 8am on the Thursday morning to hand me a letter to say that my appointment on the Friday morning was cancelled!

Why not phone or text? I enquirer with a local Taxi firm to find out the cost of travelling to my home from the hospital and they quoted £12-£15! I get it’s not much in the grand scheme of things but it really struck my as ludicrous!!

[LemonShark]

"thank you for suggesting that I can’t care for my own children."... because I queried if you were sure about the doses? are you setting out looking to be offended or upset? Cos you asked a question and people have responded trying to help, while your responses have been twattish to say the least "your argument has fallen on its arse there really" and what you've just said to me.

Perhaps you need to look in the mirror and think about how you're coming across to people trying to help you instead of going for the sympathy vote and acting like you've been piled onto when you really haven't.

[LoopyLou1981]

You really are awful aren’t you. Do you speak to people in real life like this?x

[Sirzy]

I think you are very much misreading people’s posts here! Or you are looking for reason to be offended?

[LoopyLou1981]

Wow Mulberry! That really is quite incredible! 😂 x

[LemonShark]

If you're gonna get your knickers in a twist and wilfully misread people's posts and use them as fuel to pretend to be offended there's not really anything anyone can actually say go you, is there? I'm sorry you feel this is a good use of your time
😂

[LoopyLou1981]

You didn’t answer my question...do you speak to people like this in real life?x

[Mulberry72]

Loopy it really is!

My DH works in Procurement and has been head hunted for jobs in the NHS but always refuses as apparently (from what I remember him telling me) is that all the contracts that the NHS have with various companies were negotiated a long time ago and can’t for whatever reason be renegotiated (I’ll ask him to clarify why for me when he rings in a bit) so the NHS are stuck paying ridiculously high prices for things with no room to manoeuvre!

No wonder it’s on its arse!