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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed with the pharmacist assistant?

117 replies

holibobs · 09/05/2013 11:45

I went to get my usual medication from the pharmacy. It's not a medication I'm happy to take and is a personal issue. Got to the counter to collect it and the pharmacist assistant loudly said the name of the medication, opened it up, showed me the tablets (in a busy shop - about 10 people queuing) and said 'are they working for you?'. I was utterly gobsmacked. AIBU to think she should have been discrete?

OP posts:
narmada · 09/05/2013 11:47

Not at all - I think YADNBU. I would complain. Silly person.

Cailinsalach · 09/05/2013 11:48

YANBU. Any medical/ health workers should be sensitive. She sounds a bit nosy.

Er, what exactly is your health issue (concerned not nosy icon)

squeakytoy · 09/05/2013 11:49

I doubt anyone in the queue was remotely interested in what the medication was, or what it was for.

Unless you are a man and it was viagra... which would no doubt have amused the queue..

MrsMangelFanciedPaulRobinson · 09/05/2013 11:49

YANBU at all. I'd have told her that it's none of her business.

isitsnowingyet · 09/05/2013 11:49

YANBU - I've had the same thing in a small village pharmacy. I'm okay about the drug that I take now - but at the time felt v. unhappy about it. Not sure what you can do about it though, unless you phone the pharmacist to ask their staff to be a bit more sensitive?

TentativeWhistleBlower · 09/05/2013 11:49

All depends on the medication. She could have perhaps been a bit quieter, but at the end of the day, she has to make sure it is safe to give you the medicine before she hands it over, as well as a double check that it's the right medication and she hasn't mixed up prescriptions or anything. Safety and health checks trump feeling slightly embarrassed IMO.

Booyhoo · 09/05/2013 11:51

why is erectile dysfunction funnier than any other medical issue? Confused

YANBU OP- she should be discreet. the other customers shouldn't get the choice in whether to be interested or not in your medication. the only person that needs to hear it's name is you.

Booyhoo · 09/05/2013 11:54

it doesn't depend on the medication tentatice. she shouldn't be loudly saying any of the medication names regardless of what they're for. she calls the customer's name and when the customer comes to teh counter to collect she quietly confirms teh name of the meds and asks if there are any contra indications. no need to do any of that loudly.

Original poster
holibobs · 09/05/2013 11:54

I don't normally tell people about the meds but to put it into context it is HRT and the reason it's a little sensitive is that I am really young to be on this (late 20's)
I've been on it for about 2-3 years so there is no reason for her to check if it's working and as I am under close observation by nurses and a consultant then it's not her responsibility to check. I am a bit annoyed I have to say.

OP posts:
samandi · 09/05/2013 12:44

Erm ... if it's a prescription it really isn't her business to ask anything. YANBU.

MamaMumra · 09/05/2013 12:50

No pharmacies are duty bound to respect confidentiality and you any complaint would have to be taken seriously. Have to run off now but will pm you later. Very out of order, my employer would discipline for this.

LastTangoInDevonshire · 09/05/2013 12:53

Did the other customers in the shop know it was HRT - or did she not mention the name of the medication at all?

TapDancingPimp · 09/05/2013 12:55

None of her business if it's working or not!! What if you'd said no, what was she going to do? Re-prescribe something else?!

YANBU.

madamginger · 09/05/2013 12:56

If its a prescription then it is her business. If you have a reaction then it is the pharmacy that can get in trouble not the gp even though he prescribed it.
There is a couple of pharmacy services that are paid for by the NHS to reduce over prescribing called nms and mur. She was probably checking to see if you needed one.
she should have been more discreet about it though.

Original poster
holibobs · 09/05/2013 13:18

madamginger - it's hardly oversubscribing when it's the dose the consultant has decided. It's not like it's a pain killer or something.

LastTango - she said the name of the medication. I don't know if customers knew it was HRT.

Mamamumra - Thank you.

I would not mind if this conversation had been private but certainly not in public. Surely there must be discreet ways to check they've given you the right prescription.

OP posts:
fluffyraggies · 09/05/2013 13:24

I'm Shock

Very wrong of her. It's not up to her or any of us to decide what's embarrassing to have broadcast across the chemist about your health and what's not - which is why discretion is needed when dealing with peoples medication. Lordy.

Def. complain OP.

madamginger · 09/05/2013 13:49

Nms and mur check for other things too, not just over prescribing, such as side effects, interactions and more.
Like I said she went about it in the wrong way though

RevoltingPeasant · 09/05/2013 14:10

I'd complain. I'm not a pharmacist, but surely the right thing to do would be to say 'Mrs X? - here is this drug and dosage right? And we need to check if you've been having any unusual reactions'.

Surely?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/05/2013 14:13

YANBU..

Am surprised noone has mentioned "discrete" yet though Wink

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/05/2013 14:14

i see you got it right second time though Grin

Do complain and then they might change their rules and be more discreet.

decaffwithcream · 09/05/2013 14:23

Approximately 1 in 12 adults cannot read a medicine label accurately so she should be doing checks verbally but she sounds like she is appyling her training badly (and at the wrong volume). I would alert the pharmacy as she will have to check medications with people many times daily and further training is obviously needed.

Tailtwister · 09/05/2013 14:25

YANBU, it's inappropriate.

Original poster
holibobs · 09/05/2013 14:34

I have just emailed the head office for this chain. I said I didn't want to get this person in trouble but a reminder about discretion would be worthwhile.

OP posts:
Mindyourownbusiness · 09/05/2013 14:58

This is one of the reasons l would always order any of the following online:

KY Jelly
Nit shampoo
Viagra
Condoms
Pregnancy test
Haemorrhoid cream

Not that we ever have any call for any of above in our household you understand at least,not all at once .

But seriously , yes a stage whisper is inappropriate in a pharmacy.

Fillyjonk75 · 09/05/2013 15:03

God, I would hate to buy condoms from there.

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