To make a complaint to drs surgery

[GnomeDePlume]

I take warfarin for a blood clotting disorder. My condition is managed by the haematology unit at my local hospital. They manage my blood testing and warfarin dosage. The only part my Drs surgery play in this is to issue the prescription and send it electronically to a pharmacy who dispense & post the prescription.

I noticed that I had about 12 day's worth of warfarin left so went on line to order a new prescription. Not possible as can only order a repeat prescription within 7 days. I made a special request citing that it can sometimes take a few days for the prescription to flow through the system and get dispensed/ posted.

After a few days I checked for progress and have found that while my prescription was issued promptly, rather than sending the prescription electronically it was posted (possibly second class according to receptionist). After a week it finally arrived and is only now being dispensed.

Would I be unreasonable to make a complaint to the practice manager?

I dont want an apology I just want to be reassured that the person who made the decision to post the prescription has been put right and this isnt the new standard practice.

I havent used the pharmacy in the surgery building for a couple of years because of the problems I was having so I doubt that I am known to them now.

@SirTobyBelch I made the comment before I got accused of stockpiling an expensive drug. Sending the prescription second class was possibly just an oversight but I would like to be reassured that this is not now the standard practice.

My doctors surgery has been going through a turbulent time. Until very recently it was on 'notice to improve'. One of the problems cited was managing the prescribing of dangerous drugs like warfarin. For several months I was having to email my blood test results through to the surgery in addition to them receiving them directly from the hospital.

The surgery is not involved in the management of my blood disorder except to actually issue the prescription. Blood tests, dosage etc are all managed by the hospital.

I use a Day Lewis Pharmacy, they get the electronic prescriptions as that is standard issue from my GP surgery, by the time I have walked to pharmacy its there (it is liturally within 25 metres of the surgery entrance) and they can issue. They do have delivery at mine and when I phoned last week as a prescription was ready for pick up - I advised I was in ISO and they put it on the round for delivery - it arrived the next day. I would actually happily pay for this service.

Surely now isn’t the time

@MsMD the problem is not how lomg the surgery took to issue the prexcription or how long the pharmacy has taken to dispense.

The problem is that rather than sending the prescription electronically the surgery sent the prescription by second class post.

Second class post is unreliable. It probably wouldnt have mattered if the prescription had been posted to a pharmacy in the next street. It would still have ambled through the postage system.

I know I’ll get shot for saying this but you didn’t run out. They’ll take the request at 7 days and you won’t run out.

How about a polite “ I know it’s really hard for you and it’s going to get worse, could I have a bigger supply ? I will of course carry I. With testing regularly and the dose from the clinic”

The franking machine probably only does second class. I think most/ all of our post goes out second class, I don't think first class postage is a great use of NHS resources.

I agree with all comments above about supporting a local pharmacy.

YABU as you have got it in time. You should go to doctors surgery to pick up in future & then take prescription to pharmacy local to your work.
I can't see why you would complain about this when there is a pandemic going on world wide.

@Helenluvsrob I havent run out - yet. I have the last dose tonight then I have none left.

I am not sure they are allowed to prescribe more than 4 week's worth at a time.

The prescription was issued the day after I requested it. The problem is with it being posted second class.

It is possible that this was simply a series of unfortunate events: online system down, prescriptions get printed, those not for the onsite pharmacy get put to be posted out, the person who does the posting, picks up all the post and sends it off second class.

I will raise the issue politely with the practice manager. If this is going to be the normal process from now on for that surgery then I will have to try to come up with a workable solution.

It is strange that in these times when we are all being told to avoid being in close confines with others that so many PPs have proposed that the solution to the problem is to stand around in a pharmacy with a load of other people who are most likely ill themselves or caring for people who are ill. We all get to stand together adding our own ingredients to the viral soup!

To be clear:

• I havent had my new meds yet. I am down to the last dose which I will take tonight
• this is warfarin for a blood clotting disorder, I am not supposed to miss doses
• I didnt ask for the prescription to be posted - it is normally sent electronically to the pharmacy who then dispense
• I have been using the online pharmacy for a couple of years. I started using them when there were one too many problems between surgery and onsite pharmacy with prescriptions being lost between them.

Why Is it that your first thought is to complain? If your concern is about getting your medication in time then focus on that, which would surely mean calling the pharmacy to try and get an ETA. Yes it’s frustrating for you, but have you any idea what’s happening beyond your own care at the moment? Have some empathy and some understanding during this national emergency.

@TheRealShatParp my concern is if posting out prescriptions is now the new normal for my surgery.

I am not looking for an apology. I want to know if this was just an unfortunate sequence of events or a change in policy.

Surely online pharmacy services are exactly what is needed now? Especially for repeat prescriptions. Order online, prescribe online dispense by post. Nobody needs to be face to face with anyone.

In 3 weeks time the whole process starts again as I will have to order more warfarin. If I miss a warfarin dose it can have an impact on my next blood test result. This can trigger a change to my warfarin dose followed by a few weeks of having more frequent blood tests to see if my blood has stabilised.

What uses up more resources? Ensuring prescriptions go out promptly or dealing with the consequences of patients missing out on their meds?

But warfarin isn’t an ideal drug to use with an online pharmacy. Your dose depends on inr so yes can change weekly or even every 3 days. Do you not get given several strengths that you then take that dose from? Thought that was usual management? If not maybe you can suggest it so you have more ‘stock’.

"If there is an issue with using an electronic pharmacy then I wish someone would have said something or put a message on the electronic prescription system."

If there was an issue with it, so that they couldn't send it EPS, how would they put a message on there?!

Where I work has nearly 18k patients. We can't go through them individually to check their script has gone correctly.

Online pharmacies are a pain in the arse, we constantly have requests that are far too early (although yes, it's good that they keep people away from each other and the surgery.)

Your title said "to make a complaint". Now you said you're simply going to ask of they're sent second class.

The second question - yes. It's fine to ask that.

To make a complaint.... No. We are under a massive amount of stress right now.

The protocol in my area when I started on warfarin was to take the 1mg tablet. This makes it easier to change the dosage without having to rummage through small change to make up the right amount. So currantly I take 9mg/tablets per day. If my dosage changes then I just take more or fewer.

However the prescription is made up I am still limited to 4 weeks worth.