To complain about my drs, for only prescribing medication for 28 days

[Lardlizard]

Then when I say I need two months worth because of a holiday they have given two separate prescriptions.... rather than 46 tabs

Why aren’t you listening to people who say many CCGs have this rule? Mine is still 2 months but they’re seeking to reduce it to 1 month. YABU and awkward.

I think the points op is studiously avoiding addressing including not stating what med it is are very telling!

I suspect it's a commonly used med with well known reasons WHY it's prescribed this way.

It's obvious OP wanted to be jammy and get a month free, and is peeved that there's a simple system in place to prevent exactly this

I got a years worth once and used them to overdose.
I’m quite pleased with being put on monthly prescriptions tbh.
Buy a prepayment card and calm yourself down.

OP, how exactly are they being unprofessional?

@15:51bloodywhitecat can you get the repeat sent automatically to the chemist every 5 days? Mine will put in a regular request for me too. At least then you'd only have to pick up?

Prescription charges are a joke. They can not recover anything significant towards the cost. My DD has been prescribed antibiotics which cost £500 a bottle (GP showed me on screen) . Most of the bottle is left and we went back, she was prescribed another course of 4 days ...another bottle!
All free as she's under 18.

I am truly baffled!!! Have you got no real issues to be getting wound up about???

You usually get 28 tablets you asked for two lots so the doctor gave you 28 tablets X2....so you got what you asked for but you aren't happy? I have tried very hard but I really can't see the issue

I was told to use a prescription acne cream which was designed for facial use - however my acne was on my back, a much larger surface area, so as you can imagine I went through the cream extremely fast. After say 10 separate prescriptions over 6 months I eventually asked my GP to prescribe two boxes per prescription instead.

Does your husband have cognitive/memory/learning issues?

YABU and you got exactly what you wanted - 56 tabs for one prescription charge so what's the issue? I'm sure the doctor would be relieved if you changed practice!

Please explain to me exactly what the problem is with receiving what you asked for, two months supply of your regular medication.

You have it on the same prescription even. So other than a little bit of ink being wasted, what harm have you suffered?

I really don't get it

(To go against the grain, I understand your annoyance with your husband's experience. I still think yabu there too, but I can at least see your viewpoint. )

Are you even paying for this medicine that you’re complaining about.

If you keep having problems at this GP/pharmacy then perhaps it’s time to go elsewhere

Is it not to prevent overdoses or something?

In 1990 I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. I had a sub total thyroidectomy which rendered me hypothyroid and since then I have needed 100mcg of levothyroxine. No problems whatsoever.

My consultant was Sir Richard Bayliss who told me it's a tablet a day, a Drs vist and a blood test and collect a prescription for 365 tablets once a year. Worked perfectly fine for at least 10 years.

And then they introduced 28/56 day prescribing. It is a massive irritation and I cannot begin to explain the amount of time wated over cocked up prescriptions not dealt with, not sent to the pharmacy, etc. Even when it works with an auto arrangement between pharmacy and dr it still takes 25 minutes of my time five times a year. Time I don't have.

When I challenged it my GP said they had a responsibility to monitor me but if they don't see me for 12 months they arent monitoring me are they. I did suggest that indicated I should have a blood test everybtwo months as that was the only way to monitor the condition. I got a dirty look and a harrumph.

What is mildly entertaining is that since December 2016 my prescriptiin has said next review due Oct 2016. I haven't had a blood request form given since.

I am thrilled that my GP has the time to waste writing endless unnecessary prescriptions. Regrettably I don't have time to waste.

It's barking and I wouod like to suggest that if GPs have so much time to waste and pfaff their complaints about patients wasting time fall on thin ice and indicate zero respect for my time. Shocking.

It's a pain in the arse to change all meds to a 2 month supply, order then change them back again and put a note on record the reason for ordering a 2 month supply.

It's also a pain in the arse when someone orders their medication over the phone, you've printed the script and then they say "can I have 2 months as I'm going away?" Grrrrr. So we have to do another script post date it a day later and mark on record why 2 repeat prescriptions have been ordered.

@OhTheRoses maybe take ownership of yourself and contact your GP for your medication review...

How dare doctors ask you to collect prescriptions more than once a year for your medical conditions...it's like they want what's best for you...how silly of them

What bugs me is that 28 tablets are given out per month..... Yet very very rarely are there only 28 days in a month. Which means that instead of simply ordering on the same day each month, we have to faff about with the calendar etc. first world problems misses point of thread

If, amy85, they wanted what was best for me they might sort out their own administration. If I felt I needed a review I'd arrange one but guess what. I'm pretty tuned into my wellbeing. And yes, how dare they waste my time when they constantly bleat about how little they have.

it still takes 25 minutes of my time five times a year. Time I don't have.

You "don't have" 25 minutes? How can anyone not have 25 minutes?

@TroysMammy it's rather a pain in the arse to have an underlying chronic medical condition and it would be helpful if those who work in the NHS could occasionally remember what the S is supposed to stand for.

OP you have explained this really badly

I’m on several meds so have a PPC but I do know, from the days of doing ridiculously long hours and/or travelling for work, that’s it hard to collect prescriptions in that situation.

So if that’s part of the issue, talk to your surgery, mine arranged for mine to go to a chemist near work and I could just about scrape in around 9pm to collect it. If i was going to be away (UK) they would fax it there.

The main thing is to talk them properly. I might be the only MNer to say this but the staff at my surgery are lovely, helpful and very realistic about people travelling for work or working long hours and finding it hard to collect in time.

Not drinking would be in the patient information leaflet in the pack.

SoupDragon I work about 50 hours a week and no I don't have time to waste - it has to be factored in as an unnecessary task five times a year when I could be doing more constructive things. It is a waste of my limited time.

If you have the time to regularly use forums, I cannot understand how you cannot find less than 3 hours per year. I agree it’s an inconvenience but that’s not a major life changer for a chronic condition. I’d count myself lucky, if that were me.