Shop staff, pharmacy workers etc how do you deal with the anxiety?

[marvellousnightforamooncup]

I'm not including NHS hospital workers as that must be off the scale and I'm so grateful to you.

I work in the village pharmacy. My husband is 60 and I have a immune suppressed child. I'm so anxious every day but I'm also needed for extra shifts. I'm toying with living in the spare room but also think it might be too late.

How is everyone? How are you coping?

And seriously, who decides they suddenly need to see a doctor to get a fungal nail treatment on prescription in the middle of a fucking pandemic ? one of our customers does

@ChupForPresident I’ve phoned a few times and I hate doing it, we are trying to avoid it. I’m asthmatic, high risk and my drugs aren’t in stock. I can’t have my husband risk standing in a queue every day to find out my drugs still have not come in.

I'm amazed at how many over 70s are still out and about. We're delivering all prescriptions to vulnerable people now but still they come in. Why? Usually dumb reasons like saying they didn't get their repeat slip with their tablets. Yes, that's an infection risk so GPs aren't printing them, they want you to ring not visit the pharmacy with a bit of paper. They have no fear of death these people.

Thank you all of you, thank you

I’m amazed at how many prescriptions we’ve dispensed in the last few weeks - and they still keep coming! People are clearly over ordering, but why are the surgeries allowing it?
A few of us are working tomorrow just to try and make a dent in the 700 scripts on the system and to try and ward off the inevitable nervous breakdown in the storeroom.

quick q for the pharmacy staff - I am on monthly repeats for blood pressure meds - I don't want to stock pile, but should I put in my script 7-10 days before I run out?

ps - I do a broadly similar job in terms of risk. TBH I swerve between moments of panic and being super optimistic. And between lack of appetite and comfort eating.

I think you are all amazing, I am so grateful to every one working with the public doing essential jobs, I couldn't cope with it myself, far too anxious since I've had my dc.

I'm a GP Receptionist and worked extra hours last Monday to catch up on handwritten requests generated by the pharmacy that shares a building. I did 150 and when I was packing up to go home, the following week's FRPS (free repeat prescription service) scripts were there. Luckily we've now caught up.

Patients who telephoned in their own order were asked, where possible, if they wanted a post dated script for the following month.

The pharmacy have been opening later, 2 hour closed in the middle of the day and close at 5pm. They are now able to close 2 mornings a week on a rota system with other local branches.

A certain supermarket, hang in there. And the reason a lot of people are still out and about is because we can’t buy things online. I have a disability, and the fight I’ve had to have to even get a food parcel delivered brought me to tears yesterday… It took days, and days of trying… I went on our local Facebook group, was asking around, somebody from one of the disability organizations also went out and bought me six items… Not much… I’m actually having to make a little bit bigger breakfast than usual so I can stay full for the rest of the day. I don’t use milk in my cereal, I use water… I ran out of milk… And my big breakfast is usually something like cereal and yogurt… Thankfully I do have a lot of yogurt… Before I would only eat a yogurt… So I know things might seem rough to you, but they’re very rough to people right now who you might think are getting help and actually aren’t.

Even one of the disability organizations mentioned that Sainsburys now has delivery slots for vulnerable… They were very difficult to register for, you couldn’t get through on the phone… And then on Wednesday they changed it so you had to be especially vulnerable… So registering with the government website and have underlying health conditions… I’m visually impaired, was doing a lot of my shopping online before this thing started… Otherwise I have to make several small trips to the supermarket per week, on public transportation… I also have to be very tactile, or have a staff member go around with me… So please, I know things might look strange to you, and you might be wondering why pensioner some people with disabilities are out, but it’s because we don’t have anyone to help… I live alone… I have nobody I can rely on to do my shopping.

We don't order scripts unless they are due either.

soccerbabe I'd say that was acceptable but don't expect to get them the day after you put the request in. Maybe add a note to say you need to have them by x date.

Hi TroysMammy - I wasn't wanting to get the meds early - just on time iyswim - but thanks for the tip about putting a note on to explain why I'm ordering a wee bit early. thanks for your reply

Hellokittymania - you could try having your cereal with orange juice or mixed into your yoghurt instead of having it with milk/water?

@soccerbabe
We ask patients to order 7 days in advance - 2 days for the surgery to write the script, time for us to process and send to offsite dispensing, time for it to come back and be booked in ready for collection. If you give it 7 days for regular repeat medication it should just be a case of popping in to collect it rather than waiting for it to be made up. Much calmer all round.

Soccer, I’ve never thought about having it with orange juice… That might be an interesting combination… I think yogurt probably sounds better.

to everyone working so hard. I really appreciate it and I’m so sorry that sometimes customers behave badly.

Can I ask if any of you are doing anything particular about uniform?
Are you bunging it in the machine daily, changing at work or is it not that worrying? I know the virus doesn't survive long on fabric but I'm feeling anxious about bringing it home with me.

Trying not to think about it. Work in a nursing home reception type roll. Taking calls all day from worried relatives setting up video calls etc. Trying not to get annoyed with families calling to ask really petty things about chasing up an invoice for £3 for shampoo last month or similar. Trying hard not to go out much even for basics for fear of taking anything in. Still having all own family issues kids etc to deal with when get home very tiring.

thanks bakewell

I have to wash mine when I get home as I have to get home on the bus most days.

I have a repeat paper prescription that I drop into a box at boots, then collect from boots when they text to say its ready. Does anyone know if this is still happening ? I can't not have my tablets and only order when I'm due

Fellow pharmacy friend here! I'm not coping, the phone won't stop ringing, people don't stop whinging, surgeries not picking up calls at all despite being there, (just not seeing patients as much only in emergencies), I'm walking away once this is done. Not worth the minimum wage for this crap.

I’d refuse to serve a customer who handed me money that was just in their mouth in this climate. I don’t work in retail, but when I did years ago my managers would definitely support me in that decision and refuse to serve said customer too.

Or I’d shame them by making a massive song and dance about placing gloves/hand sanitizer on and tell them not to do that again