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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Woman on the Sainsbury's pharmacy counter

394 replies

SoggyBottomBoys · 18/02/2017 12:35

Shopping in big Sainsbury's this morning with baby. Tried to buy some Solpadeine at the counter. Have been suffering from various post-birth complications and SPD that's flared up pretty badly (I was basically hobbling). Conversation (in full earshot of 3 people queuing behind) goes like this:
Pharmacy assistant: Have you taken this before?
Me: yes
PA: Are you on any other medications?
Me: No.
PA what are you taking it for?
Me: I'd rather not discuss that.
PA: Then I can't sell this to you.

And she refused to sell it to me! Unless I told her what was wrong with me. Which (because I was really annoyed/emotional by this point) I refused to do. So I walked off almost in tears and now have to lug myself to a chemist to buy some when I can frankly barely walk.

Am I right in thinking she crossed a line here? The first two questions are completely fine. I have no problem with being warned of side effects, don't take for more than 3 days, etc. But the third one just seemed so intrusive, especially in public when it's a woman who clearly has a small baby they have recently given birth to. They can't demand you tell them what's wrong with you...can they?!

Tell me if IABU... as I am so cross I'm considering complaining.

OP posts:
alltouchedout · 18/02/2017 13:37

It's like when Dr's reception staff want you to discuss your symptoms in the waiting room with them, a bit. I see why they feel they should ask, but I don't agree I need to tell them anything more than the bare bones. I don't think you need to say exactly what you want a medicine for. There are certain questions you do need to answer before buying certain drugs but describing your exact complaint isn't one of them.
I once got really cross with a pharmacy assistant who wouldn't sell me sominex as I wanted it for anti nausea purposes than sedative purposes. They had no other promethazine products in stock. It really irritated me.

GreyStars · 18/02/2017 13:38

You could have simply said pain relief for a personal issue.

But in future simply say

It is a personal condition and it has been doctor recommended.

If they do not accept that, you ask to speak with a pharmacist. You explain the same.

I can imagine it can feel intrusive if you are not expecting it and you feel you have to give the exact condition or if your feeling a bit vulnerable but at the end of the day she wasn't doing it to have some sort of power over you, it really doesn't give people pleasure to refuse medication to someone who genuinely needs it to feel better, she was just doing her job.

IDontLoveGlitterGlitterLovesMe · 18/02/2017 13:38

Yes, "the power" - that's EXACTLY what it felt like! "I have the power to refuse you this, unless you submit to everything i want to ask you like a good girl". The dynamic felt wrong somehow.

"By the Power of Grayskull...I Have the Power!" said He-man and She-ra during their Saturday jobs at their local supermarket.

melj1213 · 18/02/2017 13:38

I think people are very confused as to the difference between actual pharmacists and people who work in pharmacies.

I think some people assume that anyone can work in a pharmacy without any kind of pharmaceutical training and therefore the pharmacy assisstant is untrained.

Even if they are "just" a pharmacy assisstant, they will still have had some form of training regarding dispensing medicines, the questions they are required to ask and the conditions under which a sale must be refused.

BeaveredBadgered · 18/02/2017 13:39

Whether or not it was the pharmacist or assistant who was serving the OP doesn't change the fact that the pharmacist on duty is legally responsible for the sale of OTC medications whether or not they personally assist the customer. Each pharmacist will practice slightly differently (as you would expect from a professional) so some may ask assistants to check with the customer that the intended use of certain 'higher risk' products is appropriate (I.e. It's being used for one of its licenced indications). It might not happen every single time somebody buys codeine but checking what the symptoms are is entirely reasonable and fairly standard within the pharmacy profession.

hearyoume · 18/02/2017 13:40

Yes, she has to ask. It's her job. She has to know why you need it, any other meds etc so she knows 1) if it safe for you to take and 2) if she needs to involve the pharmacist. YABU.

ExcuseMyEyebrows · 18/02/2017 13:42

Ffs I should have typed S a i n s b u r y ' s so it wouldn't create a bloody link!

GahBuggerit · 18/02/2017 13:43

i was given an informal 'warning' for not asking these questions. id rather someone feel needlessly offended at a reasonable question when selling potentially dangerous medicines than lose my job. yabu

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 18/02/2017 13:43

Well of course its her responsibility as a Pharmacist to ask. However. Its also her responsibility to remain sensitive to your needs. If that was me. I'd said excuse me to the fellow customers and asked if you'd like to speak in private.
Shouting out and demanding answers in earshot of people breaches confidentiality in my book, and. Let's not forget. Confidentiality is not a request or even a responsibility. Its a order and a right.

hearyoume · 18/02/2017 13:43

Also, there are pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians and pharmacists in a community pharmacy. They are all either qualified or undertaking qualifications to the appropriate level. She does have the power to refuse you. It isn't a power trip, it's her legal and ethical duty.

Hisstory · 18/02/2017 13:50

Sorry OP but I think you are being very unreasonable and silly. I don't think it was a situation that merited you 'almost being in tears'. You could have just told her quietly so that no one else could hear you.

JoanofNark17 · 18/02/2017 13:51

Even if they are "just" a pharmacy assisstant, they will still have had some form of training regarding dispensing medicines, the questions they are required to ask and the conditions under which a sale must be refused

And what form of training might that be? An online course that you can buy and pass in a day, or in house training for an afternoon. Pharmacy assistants need no minimum skills and no actual qualifications.

It's a bit much, all this "doing her job", legal and ethical reponsibility etc, when we're talking about someone probably on minimum wage who might not have so much as a biology GCSE to their name.

Willowkins · 18/02/2017 13:52

From your post it sounds like you were already at the end of your tether and you needed a more sympathetic approach. I hope you get the help you need soon. Also, not sure if this is relevant but pretty sure the pharmacy services in Sainsburys are provided by Lloyds.

Hisstory · 18/02/2017 13:52

BTW I would have found Asking for a private room or being asked if I wanted a private room much more embarrassing than quietly telling her what was wrong with me.

Hisstory · 18/02/2017 13:54

And what form of training might that be? An online course that you can buy and pass in a day, or in house training for an afternoon. Pharmacy assistants need no minimum skills and no actual qualifications

The pharmacy assistant will be working under the supervision of a pharmacist. It's ridiculous to think they are just randomly asking questions for the sake of it.

Jenbob13 · 18/02/2017 13:55

Joanofark actually it has to be an approved
course by the National Pharmacy Association, so no it's not some online modules and a printed piece of paper it's a bloody NVQ2. Don't demoralise pharmacy staff, I would be screwed without my girls on the front line weeding out people who want to speak to the pharmacist because they had a bit of a snotty nose yesterday. Get your facts straight before demeaning somebodies profession.

coffeetasteslikeshit · 18/02/2017 13:56

My friend is a pharmacy assistant and she has a degree in nursing.

coffeetasteslikeshit · 18/02/2017 13:56

And OP, you are being/have been ridiculously precious.

JoanofNark17 · 18/02/2017 13:57

You don't need to do the NVQ.

www.buttercupstraining.co.uk/content/medicine-counter-assistant-course

Might be approved but its not accredited and its not a proper qualification.

And if you want to throw "demeaning" around don't call them "your girls" in that patronising way.

FitzChivalry · 18/02/2017 13:57

The amount of people who want to buy products for the wrong thing is enormous. Which is why we would ask why are you taking it. It is essentially the same question as what are your symptoms which is part of the WWHAM sales protocol.
Who is it for
What else have you tried
What are the symptoms
Any other medicines
How long has it been going on
These questions are to be asked for every P medicine sale.
This is set by the general pharmaceutical council. The medicines healthcare regulatory authority give products license for sale for a strict list of conditions, under a strict list of conditions (if that makes sense) it doesn't matter if your doctors it'd ok or if you've had it before, if you are buying it is the pharmacists responsibility and they have to ask the

FitzChivalry · 18/02/2017 13:58

Questions

Jenbob13 · 18/02/2017 14:00

www.buttercupstraining.co.uk/content/level-2-nvq-certificate-pharmacy-service-skills

At least copy and paste the right link.

Even your link says 12 months completion time. Hardly an afternoon is it?

JoanofNark17 · 18/02/2017 14:02

No, I did copy and paste the right link, I was showing you that there are other courses not just the NVQ, and that you don't need to have the NVQ.

That was the actual point. Hmm

illegitimateMortificadospawn · 18/02/2017 14:03

Joan seems be making rather strenuous efforts to start a bunfight in here when a number of pharmacists & related professionals have all patiently explained their legal duties and the training. Give it a break.

OP - I can well remember those early weeks and I had SPD that rumbled on (excruciatingly) for months after, so I know how it feels to be on pins, exhausted and in pain. However, I think you're overegging the situation. If it happens again, just ask to speak to the pharmacist out of earshot of the counter/in private & try not to get so worked up about it. Also, I think it's quite helpful that one of the pharmacists on here has pointed out the risk of respiratory distress in your baby if you are breastfeeding...

Jenbob13 · 18/02/2017 14:04

Every member of staff in my pharmacy is trained to pharmacy assistant level which is the norm now. Aside from the techs who don't see much of the selling side, we want counter assistants who can dispense and dispensers who can sell meds.

It's absolutely not fair for you to sit and call people stupid just because they don't start a job with a degree. One of my dispensers has been doing the job for 20 years and her knowledge is immense!

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