Pharmacy Jobsworth or Normal?

[bangheadhere40]

I would like opinions on this please as I've not had this in a pharmacy before.

I took time out of work today to go and pick up a prescription from the pharmacy for my husband. It was ordered online and had been signed by a doctor, all good.

When I went the lady in the pharmacy said she wasn't going to give it out as it is too early to order it again on repeat. I explained that the doctor had signed it off and she had the signed prescription ( she doesn't know my husbands medical needs). She said no she wasn't going to give me it for him and she is sending it back to the doctor and to try in a few days.

Is this normal? I always thought if the doctor had signed it then it's good to go!

[bangheadhere40]

I'm new here and hope this has worked!

[AintNobodyHereButUsChickens]

I've never had that happen in a pharmacy either!

[HowlsMovingBungalow]

What is the medicine?

[ChardonnaysDistantCousin]

So she’s wasting your time, doctor’s tone, the surgery’s Time and her own to make her point?

[justchecking1]

If a doctor has prescribed it then I would think she's on thin ice not dispensing it unless there's an obvious safety concern, eg wrong dose

[bangheadhere40]

It's quite a strong painkiller he needs....

I am actually fuming here, if a doctor has signed a prescription then surely that's it. Come to think of it it wasn't even the pharmacist as she said she was on her lunch, it was just an assistant behind the counter who turned me away.

[Sn0tnose]

Was it the pharmacist or one of the people behind the counter?

[bangheadhere40]

She said the doctors sometimes just sign stuff without thinking about it!

[ChicCroissant]

What is the medication, is it gabapentin or a similar controlled one?

[Sn0tnose]

Sorry, cross post.

[bangheadhere40]

Sorry it was someone behind the counter, she took it back to the surgery.

[slipperywhensparticus]

Go back and speak to the pharmacist

Is she accusing you of not being his representative?

[MrsMaiselsMuff]

Is it something that could be abused or overused?

She doesn't know your husband's medical needs, but she does know his prescribed dosage, and an early repeat suggests he might be taking more than he should.

A pharmacist has a duty of care and should be highlighting to the GP anything that may be out of the ordinary. They could have done this in a less blunt manner though, for instance by saying she needed to query the prescription.

Hopefully the GP has now confirmed it's OK to be dispensed?

[ChicCroissant]

If it is a controlled medication then possibly it shouldn't have been prescribed yet, I would contact the surgery yourself to see if what the pharmacist/assistant has said is right. They would be the ones that know.

[redexpat]

I think actually the pharmacist bears more responsibility than the dr. when it comes to giving out medicine. I want to say 70-30. I think I heard it on a podcast years ago.

[MrMumble]

Is it something to do with shortages perhaps? I know drs have been told not to prescribe too far in advance for some medicines, so that people can't stockpile prescription meds that others also need. (Not saying that's what you are doing, I just heard about it the other day!)

[puppyconfetti]

It's her job.

[bluebluezoo]

Tbh pharmacists need to be “jobsworth”.

A major part of their role is to ensure drugs are safe. Prescribers make mistakes, they need to be jobsworth enough to catch every one.

You don’t know if the pharmacy or the GP is correct in this case. The GP may have prescribed too soon, and they pharmacy would risk it’s licence, especially if it’s a controlled drug.

[bangheadhere40]

No, she wasn't accusing me of anything I don't think, she just said the doctor shouldn't have prescribed it so soon so she would have to send it back.

[MrsMaiselsMuff]

if a doctor has signed a prescription then surely that's it.

No, definitely not. If a pharmacist fails to spot a potential issue that should have been reasonably evident then they would be open to a professional misconduct investigation and even losing their registration.

[drdolots]

As a GP the pharmacist has done the correct thing he is most likely not due his supply of the controlled drug unless the dose has been increased.The pharmacist has a duty of care and can refuse to dispense any prescription they are not happy with regardless of it being signed by a GP.
If the dose has been increased or changed ring the doctor if not wait till he is due the supply l.

[Walkingthedog46]

When my husband was on controlled medication the pharmacy staff couldn’t give it to me if the Qualified pharmacist wasn’t on the premises. I had to go back later.

[Soubriquet]

Wait for the pharmacist to come back and ask to speak to them personally

If that doesn’t work, Go back to the doctors and speak to the receptionist.

Tell them that you’ve had a prescription but the assistant is refusing to give it to you

[MrsMaiselsMuff]

What is the medication?

[bangheadhere40]

I don't think it's a controlled drug, but I wouldn't know...

Surely though the Doctor needs to check before writing a prescription? I've just never come across it before.