What do you do if a doctor writes you a prescription you can’t get?

[Soubriquet]

I’ve been written a prescription for a medication that is out of stock everywhere locally.

Asked the pharmacist where I got could it, and even she doesn’t know. It’s out of stock in my town, the nearest large town and the nearest city.

So what do I do? Go back to the doctor?

Yes call them. There may be an alternative that can be prescribed.

If the pharmacy can't order it, ring the GP and see if they can prescribe something similar.

Yes, contact the surgery and say you need an alternative medication. Is it HRT by any chance? So many shortages still, its obscene.

Phone the GP surgery and ask them to write an alternative. It’s happening quite often now that certain medications aren’t in stock

If the pharmacy doesn't have it surely they need to order it in for you. I'd go back to the pharmacist & ask them to order it

No. Buscapan

Ill ring them tomorrow. Thank you

They physically can’t order it. There is a supply issue

I had this. I found an alternative at the pharmacy, took a photo, rang the GP surgery and got the different prescription added on my repeats.

Check with the pharmacy if the medication is out of stock entirely, or out of stock in the form it has been prescribed.

I've been prescribed medication before and chased from pharmacy to pharmacy for hours. Finally one pharmacist bothered to check properly and discovered that the medication was no longer manufactured in the strength or package size (can't remember which). The GP was able then to issue a new prescription in the available format.

It’s a supply issue apparently. Still being made just can’t get hold of it

I think this happened with my mum a while back. The pharmacist told my sister, her cater that she was unlikely she would get it anywhere and to go back to the GP to prescribe an alternative. He may have also told her alternatives they had in stock but they can't give them without it being on the prescription.

My pharmacy was very helpful in suggesting an alternative, which I approved. They contacted my GP, who issued a new prescription to the pharmacy by the following day.

Not sure about buscopan alternatives though.

Chew some deadly nightshade? (Joke 🙄).

if you have a prescription you can try an online pharmacy.

I do!

I’ll try ringing the doctor first and if that doesn’t do anything, I’ll try an online pharmacy

Maybe sign up to an online pharmacy service - it might be more likely they have it.

We had this scenario with a prescription from a consultant.

We contacted them and they sent the prescription to a pharmacy in London that they knew had it. We then called the pharmacy who arrange to have the medication couriered to us (at our cost).

I tried an online pharmacy when it happened to me.

Don't phone the doctor. First of all ask pharmacist what alternatives they can supply then phone/email doctor with info of what pharmacist has suggested.

I work in a doctors surgery, doctors have no idea what is and isn't currently in stock. Saves so much time if your new prescription is for something available, rather than yet another out of stock item.

I had an issue with a medicine that had a ‘supply issue’ at the same time as I had gone to an online pharmacy.

But the problem was compounded by them just stating that it was temporarily unavailable and was due in a few days, which kept being postponed.
Only when I was running out did they concede to ‘return’ the prescription to allow me to seek it in other pharmacies and then the local Pharmacist was able to give me the real reason that there was a ‘supply issue’ and that it would not be possible to get

The online pharmacies delay meant that I ran out and wasted time going back and forth instead of getting an alternative prescribed

Ask the pharmacist for advice as to whether you would have any chances of getting it or should have an alternative prescribed

This can be bought over the counter.

Maybe check at some supermarkets to see if they have in stock.

But basically you need to check a few pharmacies.

If they dont have, get back in touch with GP

Buscopan can be bought off the shelf in supermarkets. Might be enough to tide you over and could be a different supply chain.

I use it for period pain. It's called buscopan IBS.

You can buy it over the counter

I’m not quite sure what type it is. I’ll have to double check the prescription. But it’s for muscular spasms not period pain or ibs

Had this recently and the doctor told me to find out myself what else my son should be prescribed. Spoke to the pharmacist who told me it wasn't their job to decide so I was pretty stuck with what to do. Doctor just prescribed something I mentioned on the phone in the end 😕.

Try Home Bargains or Tesco. It’s an OTC medicine