To complain about this pharmacist

[ClusterBuster]

Genuinely asking if I'm being unresponsive due to feeling a tad ratty and unwell...

I've been prescribed a new medication from the neurologist, GP was unfamiliar with it. It was out of stock at my usual chemist so I went to a different one, branch of Lloyds.


First they only had a few in stock so had to part collect and go back, pharmacist was rather abrupt but I don't remember any big issue.

Went to get rest today

Waited a while listening to pharmacist moaning about a customer wanting neocate for her baby today, basically it had been missed off a delivery and woman had run out. Pharmacist was making lots of comments about how the customer should have order d early, how she wound her up etc and how she'd 'told her straight'. Went on quite a bit

The assistant spent a good while looking for my prescription then stepped back to ask pharmacist who said loudly 'oh yes, I wasn't happy at all with this' stomped round to check with me it was the right thing and stomped back.

I was wondering if there was an issue so asked assistant who went to check and came back saying 'this is expensive this brand, she thinks you should have the generic'. I pointed out I didn't write the prescription or request or brand, if she has issue surely contact the GP?

[Justdontgetitatall]

MyVisions - Please tell me you informed this nasty Pharmacist that those meds were prescribed by a specialised Consultant?????????

[Justdontgetitatall]

Zaber They can't refuse you a medication that has been prescribed by a GP. You need to inform your GP of this!

[Nicketynac]

I think I might know the medicine you are talking about. In terms of the generic drug, it can be used for different conditions but one manufacturer owns the patent for one particular condition and make sure that only their brand is used for this indication. This means that the pharmacist has to make sure that they give this brand out to certain patients or they can face legal action from the drug company. The pharmacy cannot give out this brand to all patients as they will only get paid the cheaper price for all other indications so they have to check which one a patient needs.
This might explain what the pharmacist was talking about, but does not excuse poor service or a bad attitude.
As for the hydrocortisone cream mentioned on page one - it is only licensed for over the counter sale for over 12s, so if a pharmacist knowingly sells it for use to a child they could face prosecution or disciplinary action from the GPhC.
I used to be a community pharmacist and sometimes mentioned the price of medicines to patients. Sometimes just out of interest, or half-jokingly "ooh you are getting the good stuff this week" but usually to customers who were moaning about having to pay for prescriptions but had no idea about the actual cost of medicines. I hope I didn't say it loudly enough for other customers to hear!

[Writerwannabe83]

I'm on 'expensive branded' medication for my epilepsy as opposed to the generic brand so I'm familiar with your plight. My medication has to be ordered in monthly too as they only stock the generic version.

My GPS tried to change my prescription to the generic brand but I kicked up a fuss and have remained on the branded version since.

My pharmacy have never made an issue out of it though and to be honest, in your situation it's none of their business. The GP wants you on that medication and they should just order it for you no questions asked. It's not really their place to question your GP's decisions and prescriptions.

[UnidentifiedUser]

I have been that mother who is being told by the pharmacist that the special formula didn't arrive with the delivery and I should've ordered it earlier if I was so low.
Back story was I had ordered it in time, but my daughter had been ill and was refusing bottles or drinking them then throwing up, so had gone through the last tins quicker than expected. Also she was only prescribed less than 2 weeks worth at a time so I had to reorder it almost straight after filling the prescription. Also the pharmacy had told me it was ordered and would definitely be there.

The worst thing was that they knew it hadn't been delivered and they didn't call me, they let me arrive after work just before closing to be told there wasn't any. I stood there wondering how I was going to feed my baby, and the stress of her being ill and the rage that they hadn't bothered to call me so I could go somewhere else... I shouted and made a scene and cried. Somehow someone managed to produce a tin from the storeroom and called round the other pharmacies in the area and arranged for the rest to be collected and available for me to pick up in the morning.

Please complain to someone. Why was the pharmacist being smug about a poor baby who would be hungry and distressed? Who does that?!

[ClusterBuster]

The funny thing is my GP had already told me the price-£40, so I knew it. Not utterly outrageous

[chumpchange]

It's not the same obviously but I had a vet tell me off about the amount and frequency of a dose of painkillers his colleague had prescribed to my cat!

I was so shocked that I didn't say anything. I went home feeling thoroughly told off.

The next day I came to my senses and rang to complain. I emphasised - politely but very firmly - that I had obviously not written the prescription myself and that if there was an issue, it should be discussed with the colleague directly. Telling off the customer/patient is not only rude and completely pointless, but it's also unprofessional: if you have a problem with a colleague's work, you should raise it with them directly and not whinge about it to third parties.

I would suggest that you do something similar. It sounds like the pharmacist needs a bit of a reality check. I suspect they often get a hard time from customers who think they don't do much and take far too long doing it, but they still need to maintain a professional front.

[kali110]

I've had a similar problem.
My gp now prescribes a certain brand for me so they can't give me generics, as some of mine are expensive.

[Louiselouie0890]

She was checking with you it was right? Does she think you wrote it or something. I wouldn't complain I'd probably have just said to one of her colleagues is she always this grumpy

[wonkylegs]

Yup vote with your feet. Our local pharmacy is shit, crappy service, always making mistakes, so I switched to the one at our local supermarket (which was a bit of a faff initially as the GPs default repeats to the village one (the GP partner owns )
The supermarket one is fab and have often gone above and beyond to sort out when things go wrong or there is a stock problem etc. I have a lot of regular Meds that get swapped about so I get to try them out a lot.

[AnneElliott]

Sounds terrible but I'm not sure if Lloyds will do anything. I often find pharmacists unprofessional in this way; talking about other patients etc, so it may be a normal thing for them.

Vote with your feet though and find somewhere with better service.

[MyVisionsComeFromSoup]

I had a pharmacist in Boots ask me if I knew DDs prescription was £1800 worth of drugs and shake his head at me. Not much I could do about tablets not made in the UK at that time, prescribed by a very senior and specialised consultant. I just mumbled something about I know we they weren't very usual, but it was pretty embarrassing in my local high street shop

[bigbluebus]

My local LLoyds pharmacy have always been brilliant. The local Boots branch however are not. It was the Boots Pharmacist who once asked me "do you know how much this costs?" when I handed in a prescription for a special order for one of DDs medications. I was so shocked I didn't know how to reply. Our Community nurse told me that if it was mentioned again to reply "a lot less than calling an ambulance to have DD admitted to resus in A&E and be treated by a number of Doctors before spending x number of nights on a hospital ward!"

A pet hate of mine is hearing shop staff talking about customers or other staff members in a derogatory manner within ear shot of the customers.

[MissJC]

You would be surprised. If you are ever bored go on the gphc website and read the disciplinary hearings. It's all on there. It's how I procrastinate!

[UnbornMortificado]

Bloody hell, I didn't know things like that went on. Im an ex diazepam addict I ended up in a coma because of it, it's dangerous stuff.

[LivingInMidnight]

Soubriquet my lloyds is lovely too! My GP quite often rings them for advice.

This would really put me off going. I think I'd definitely change pharmacy.

[MissJC]

I work for a smaller chain and the naughty pharmacist ran an independent so it was all extra cash in his pocket!

[UnbornMortificado]

MissJ ooh which pharmacy

That was light hearted really.

[MissJC]

I am telling you as somebody who is registered with the GPhC that they will not investigate that complaint.
I received reports from patients that another local pharmacy was selling drugs such as Oramorph and Diazepam without prescription (which isn't just unprofessional but carries a prison sentence) and that took some persuading to investigate.

If your going to complain, do it direct to Lloyds.

[UnbornMortificado]

Just for balance though my local none chain pharmacy is amazing the staff have gone above and beyond a few times for me over the years.

[Tippytappytoes]

If you think the pharmacist was being unprofessional you can report them to the General Pharmaceutical Council who will investigate your concerns.

www.pharmacyregulation.org/raising-concerns

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

Sounds like the Lloyd's near me too, we've never used it since they accidentally gave DH viagra instead of his migraine medication. sounds like a good reason to keep using them

[UnbornMortificado]

What is it about Lloyds?

I was lectured for about ten minutes because the pharmacist didn't approve of my low dose very much considered safe antidepressant whilst pregnant.

Fuck knows what good positive thinking does but it's not going to cure my bi-polar.

[Soubriquet]

Wow it's such a shame to read these.

My Lloyds pharmacy go above and beyond for us even to the extent of contacting the doctor for us to increase a prescription level, and priority ordering in special milk when the delivery van forgot to bring it and we had none left.

I don't know how they did it but they managed to get a load of tins in that day even though their delivery had already happened.

I would complain. She sounds very unprofessional

[britnay]

Most everyday medicines will arrive in the pharmacy later the same day or the next morning after ordering. Some medications (neocate in this example) don't necessarily come in the next day after ordering, so the patient will need to send repeat to dr a few days earlier than usual in order for the pharmacy to get the prescription and order the item so that it comes in by the time the patient needs it. The pharmacist has probably had to remind them of this several times in the past.

Unprofessional to have the conversation so loudly that others can hear it though.

As for your situation, yes there will be cheaper alternatives. However as the dr has prescribed a specific brand, the pharmacy will still be paid for that brand, so its not really any of their business.
If you were a regular customer and they were on good terms with your doctors surgery, then with your consent they could write to the doctors letting them know how much it costs compared to the generics. This would allow your doctor to choose a cheaper option, if s/he wanted to.