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

OrangeLindt He was given 2-months worth

It's not really complaint territory I'm afraid. Don't waste your time.

@OhTheRoses but they have informed you you need a med review you are ignoring their request....if they just booked you a med review appointment I don't think you'd be happy....I'm glad you want to take responsibility for your own health, unfortunately you aren't able to analyze your own blood so don't see how you can decide if med review is needed

No wonder we have a shortage of GPs some of the attitudes on here

Before their admin error I got a slip with the requisite prescription with the blood test request form and note to make an apt for a blood test prior to the next prescription.

No I can't analyse my blood but I do know if I feel well you silly billy. If I didn't I'd go to the dr.

The point I was making was that it's absurd to tell me I can't have a year'svsupply because they must monitor me but only do so once a year in any event. It's a rather self defeating argument. Also if they cared a hoot about monitoring my health surely the person signingthe prescription would check the last results and see they were last noted in 2016. But nobody has therefore there is no monitoring.

Jesus wept.

You husband wasnt told he wasnt allowed to drink> are you for real?

How about READ the instructions and dosage leaflet that comes with EVERY medication given by law?

The length of those instructions and dosage and symptoms spell it out very clearly. Ignoring them or not bothering to read them is YOUR FAULT.

I once was given a prescription in amercia once (whislt visiting) it was for 8x tablets. $40. yes .. $40.

have a crack at the US healthcare system before bleeting about a £10 prescription charge or failing to read basic instructions on a packet or information slips.

You sound like the sort of person who'd spill hot coffee , burn yourself then attempt to sue the company who sold you the hot coffee for not telling you the coffee was hot ,and may burn you if spilt.

I'm not in the U.K. and find this baffling. Don't medications come in different sized boxes? I'm on 12 different medications (which I pay for at cost) and have to go into the chemist at least once a week as all the boxes are different sizes so run out at different times. Some come in 50s or 100s, some in 28s, some in 30s or 60s. I just have one prescription for them all, valid for a year. It's pretty standard for long-term treatment here. Technically I could get a year's worth in one go but I can't afford it - are all the GPs in my (EU) country negligent jomalone?

Does the NHS order special non-standard boxes of all the medication in the world in order to comply with the one-month rule? I've seen the same medications in the same boxes in lots of European countries. And what happens if you put in for your repeat life-saving prescription as requested with only 3 days to go and the pharmacy can't get hold of it? Doesn't sound very morally or economically sound - surely it just means extra people ending up in A&E?

Anyway OP it sounds like your GP is up against a mind-boggling system!

Who the fuck are the 10% who voted YANBU?
(Other than the self-important lunatic who doesn't have a spare 25 minutes 5 times a year but plenty of time for Internet forums, obviously

@ViveLEntenteCordiale my sister is on antidepressants. She got given a months supply and overdoes. She's now only allowed one week at a time. There are very good reasons why they only allow a certain amount at a time.

When you buy paracetamol over the counter you're only allowed 2 boxes at a time too. Best to be safe.

*overdosed

@OhTheRoses if you know the NHS is overstretched 'inefficient' and you know that you need reviews/blood tests why don't you just phone the GP surgery and request it. Sometimes things just get lost in the ether. You say you're willing to take responsibility for yourself but it doesn't look like it.

Because I don't feel it's necessary. You missed the point. The argument goes they can't prescribe for longer than 56 days because of two reasons. Potentially wasted drugs and the need to monitor me.

Levothyroxine costs about £2.50 per 56 tabs.

Even if I had the annual blood test, they wouldn't be monitoring my condition between tests therefore the monitoring argument is nonsense.

If my drugs cost £15 annually and my condition has been stable for 30 years the arguments re cost and monitoring don't stack and the GP could save them and me time. It's plain logic.

For those who say they can't easily get to a pharmacy there are pharmacies in boots (open til 8), Tesco and Sainsbury's near us. Order online, they send directly (electronically) to Sainsbury's pharmacy I can collect up to 9pm and at weekends surely everyone can manage this?!

Don't medications come in different sized boxes?

yes they do.
often the pharmacist takes packages apart and re-assembles them.
to get to the prescribed amounts.
I even once receives a plain white box with a mixture of off cuts. and no package insert - but that's another story

Is your husband on medication for inability to adult? You are always supposed to read the information given with the medication, which would confirm no drinking.

If you just amend the quantity to 56, you are dodging a month’s prescription charge and the Doctor is over-prescribing - 56 is a double dose, 28 x 2 is two months of single dose. It may be semantics but it’s a requirement by the CCG.

Op have you considered get a hobby, you clearly have too much time on your hands.

I don't know, @OhTheRoses. People with a much bigger supply are much more likely to say to their friends "oh your condition sounds like mine. I've got loads of these, take some."
Or forget to get a repeat prescription and expect everyone to rush around last second sourcing some more.

Even if they're not monitoring your condition they're monitoring how often you take the medication.
If you were to stop ordering then go back to the GP and complain of the same symptoms they'd know why.

It's hardly the GP's fault that your husband didn't listen and was too thick to read the Patient Information Leaflet.

I was going to post but @MitziK summed it up perfectly

Has OP ever explained what her actual problem is seeing as she got the amount of medication she wanted? I’m confused.

It's hardly the GP's fault that your husband didn't listen and was too thick to read the Patient Information Leaflet.

and ^this is one of the reasons why short prescriptions can^ be a good thing.

But if I were to stop ordering Idon'tknow, I doubt they'd notice. Just think how much time that 56 day prescription takes. Admin prints off goes uostairs with book for Dr, comes back, sorts scripts into chemist/collection piles, probs, based on my experience 2/3 daily cock-ups occur. Various people visit pharmacists to collect, pharmacists are dispensing 5 x times more prescriptions.

It isn't efficient. Now lightbulb moment. How much are the pharmacists benefitting. Ah, I think they get a payment every time they dispense and the NHS wants them to pick up services. Lightbulb emoticon.

You missed the point of what I said - they may not notice if you don't take them. Until you see the GP for something and then they would.

Then they'd ask why you're not taking them and can update their records.
It's not foolproof but it's logical.

Another thing I've experienced is the NHS changing the brands they buy so you might not be taking the best medicine or it may no longer be available when you go to get it from the pharmacist.

You'll also get people who do need to be closely monitored arguing the toss over why they can't get long term prescriptions when other people can.

Pharmacists don't make the rules.

I use one of the online pharmacies. Just tap on the app when I need something refilling. Saves a whole lot of faff. Can't do anything about the blood tests but hey Jo.

Ordering every two months is a pain for lifelong medication when the review is every year, the prescriptions are free (lucky I know) and you have to go in person to the surgery (15 min walk each way) and then go to the chemist two days later and wait while Mrs Smith moans about her arthritis, Mr Jones gets irate because they can't get the medicine in and he has to go back to GP to get a different medicine and then they tell you that it will be a 15 minute wait. It is not something I am likely to ever need less of so would be easy to have a year supply at a time. It probably takes an hour every two months which is time that I would not need to spend if I did not have a chronic illness. Having said that I am very lucky that it is so easily fixed, I only need annual blood tests and there are no noticeable side effects.

It is absolutely crazy. DH is on a medicine that has to be prescribed by the hospital because our local pharmacy fucked it up so much and it takes 3 weeks (and multiple phone calls and chasing up and endless reminders to the hospital pharmacy) to get it dispensed, and they only dispense 28 days at a time. Spend half our lives doing this pointless admin.

@TW2013 speak to your GP about getting prescriptions sent straight to the pharmacy. Most pharmacies do this now so you don't need to worry about going to the surgery or hanging around for your prescription to be prepared