To wonder why the pharmacy needs this info?

[Anothernamechange6758484]

So I need the MAP & planning on buying from a local chemist tonight.
Whenever ive had it in the past (3 times in last 5 years) you are taken into a little side room & they ask u for name, d.o.b & all kinds of other questions.
Why is this? I can understand them asking if ive had it before to ascertain i wont react to it, but why do they need my name!?
Im a grown woman, im clearly not under any duress, i just cba with them asking me all these questions.
Will they refuse to sell it to me if i dont answer & say i just want to buy it?
Why do they ask this info? Are they keeping tabs or something?

For your medical records? They're not quite like popping an aspirin.

They might be. I imagine getting it repeatedly within a short space of time could be a sign someone is either selling it on or are in a bad situation themselves. I can well imagine some controlling men don’t allow contraceptives then force themselves on their partners.

Please just answer the questions, by the time you've told them you don't want to answer them you could have just answered them and been on your way. I can't understand people who can to do something and just make the whole thing more annoying for them and the poor pharmacist.

The info is fed back to your doctor when you're prescribed it by the pharmacy. It's to keep track of people using it instead of another regular contraceptive like the normal pill or coil etc. Not suggesting you're doing this but some women use the MAP multiple times a month which is expensive for NHS, bad for your health and also often symptomatic of other problems in your life eg a man who refuses to wear a condom but would become angry if you got pregnant. There are so many reasons, but the questions are there for a reason and the one time I needed it I didn't begrudge answering any of them

You could ask them why.

Also there's lots of potential safeguarding issues that using the MAP could be indicative of, abuse, rape, violence etc. It's a NHS duty of care thing, and something that is highly valuable. Yes it will result in some (like you) just taking it in their stride but it could be the one contact someone has to raise these very personal concerns with someone.

I've no idea. I've always had the same. I assumed it was some nhs date collection rule. Then I got it last week with no questions apart from things like am I breastfeeding, when I last had unprotected sex. Then it was just given to me like a normal prescription when before I've had to take it there and then. So it can't be a rule!

I assume for medical records too. I’ve had to order online from Lloyd’s pharmacy before and there’s a lot of medical and personal questions to answer with that too.

I used it recently and the pharmacist said I could have bought it for around £25 OTC with no questions asked, or answer a few questions and get it free. I went for free!
This was in Scotland around 4 months ago, so YMMV

They told my friend she could put Minnie Mouse if she wanted to. It's just for their records I think

It gets sent to your doctor, who makes the prescription and that gets sent off to the NHS declarations and they pay for it.
Or you can buy it OTC and save the nhs the money, and you won’t have to give your name! If you know it you could say your NHS number instead.

Thank you all for your replies.
Its nearly £25 a pop, which I will be paying for myself, I understand more at the clinics where it is getting handed out free & for safeguarding issues.
But last time it took absolutely ages he was faffing about on the computer and asking me totally unrelated questions (telling me about his friend who is a dog breeder).

I am buying it OTC this is my point, and they still ask all these questions.

“The info is fed back to your doctor when you're prescribed it by the pharmacy“ not where I work it isn’t. The info is needed for the free service as it’s being provided under a Patient Group Direction. Not needed for the free service although there are safeguarding requirements for the under 18s, so we would ask if someone looked young.

“It gets sent to your doctor, who makes the prescription and that gets sent off to the NHS declarations and they pay for it. ”

No it doesn’t.

"But last time it took absolutely ages he was faffing about on the computer and asking me totally unrelated questions (telling me about his friend who is a dog breeder)."

well they have to ask the questions for all the reasons given

but faffing about telling someone that kind of thing when they are trying to get something like that in an emergency.. it is not a time or a patient with whom you start a random chat!

I can't understand people who can to do something and just make the whole thing more annoying for them and the poor pharmacist

Because last time he asked me totally & utterly irrelevant questions & tried to keep me chatting a good half hour!

The time before that a different pharmacist was quite judgey & patronising.

I will ask them if i can just buy it without going through all the palaver, if they say no then fair enough i wont sit and argue.

They have to ask certain questions with OTC drugs. Sumatriptan (migraine relief) the pharmacist had to ask quite a lot of questions

I can’t remember what was asked on the one occasion I got MAP

It's not an OTC drug. It's a prescription drug, you're getting under a PGD, or because the pharmacist prescribes. By law, prescriptions must have certain details.

It's great a prediction only drug is made more available, don't be an arse.

Under the GDPR, they need to tell you why they need the information, and what they are going to do with it. If they send the information to your doctor (I don't know whether they do or not), although they can get away with not asking for your consent to do this by claiming it is for your direct care, they still need to tell you and give you the opportunity to object to this flow of information.
I find the NHS is particularly bad at this part of Data Protection legislation, they rarely tell people how information they provide will be used.

They won't share it with your GP without your consent. It's to make it a legal prescription. Even if you're paying. Private prescriptions still need your details.

OTC meds are things you can buy at the supermarket.

I took dd for it when she was just 18. Paid the money and no questions asked in boots.

Flakesaretasty - it is not a prescription. It is either an OTC sale (name not needed) or prescription medicine supplied under a Patient Group Direction. Depending on where you live the data may or may not be sent to GP etc, but that would be explained and consent obtained first.

For a pgd, they still need basic details. Even P medicines can have tight rules, e.g.sumatriptan mentioned above. Just because you can buy it from a chemist doesn't make it like paracetamol.

OTC - means “over the counter” it can be P (pharmacy only) or GSL - General Sales List (can be sold anywhere).

Levenolle and Ella One are available as POM (prescription only medicines - can also be supplied under a Patient Group Direction) and P.