Dispenser refused to give me my medication? Is this allowed?

[elc19]

Today, I went to the chemist to pick up my repeat prescription which I need as it contains my strong antihistamines as I have chronic angiodema. Also on that prescription is some painkillers for my endometriosis.

I always collect them a few days before I run out, the dr issued then electronically a week ago. I called to ask if I'm able to collect today (pharmacy on the side of my drs) as I didn't want to go if it was busy with urgent prescriptions being issued, the receptionist said of course you can, the queue was short and all priority patients had been dealt with.

Upon arrival, the female dispenser said “No (my name) next week” I asked what she meant and she said “no next week” again.

She turned her back to me and was shaking her head and talking to the pharmacist about me whilst I explained to the female assistant that I always had these tablets and I always collected them a few day’s before I was due to run out.

I asked why again to the female assistant and she said they had been sent somewhere else. I asked why this had happened as I always collected them there and she couldn’t answer me.

The female assistant asked me if I had anyone who could pick them up next week, I explained no, my husband is a key worker working 12-14 hours a day. She then said “are you sure?” as if I was lying, by this point I was completely horrified and in shock by how I had been treated.

They dispensed my pain relief medicine and she gave me my prescriptions to collect elsewhere.

I am currently recovering from my 9th miscarriage, surgery and I’m bleeding very heavily. I had to drive to a different pharmacy and wait 20 minutes, by the time I was walking back to my car after finally getting my medication, I had bled through my clothes, I was in tears through embarrassment trying to stop blood from dripping down my legs and on to the pavement.

I feel like I've been treated unfairly, would you complain to their complaints department about this?

I've stopped using Lloyd's pharmacies, the level of customer service leaves a lot to be desired. I've found the best service from an independent pharmacy, nothing is too much trouble for them.

Drop your husband off at work so you have the car maybe a day of being put out causes less stress in the long run.
The leaking situation, carry a extra pair of trousers and underwear to feel reassured and sanitary products maybe have a small bag in your car..and the being spoken to like shite is unnecessary when we are all going through all this as it is not only them suffering.. suggest you change to another pharmacy who needs this.
I wouldn't take someone like that's behaviour personally. She is inflicting her stress on her customers that's great customer service.
I would inform your doctor about this or to get the script even earlier if possible.
...I would love a standard training in customer service to be mandatory these days.

Thank you @conrad79 🙂

Think about it logically: it's not difficult.

1) People are doing the equivalent of panic buying their medicines. They're worried they won't be able to get them while in lockdown so ordering sooner than they're due
So the GP should not issue the prescription until it is due unless under specific circumstances.

2) Asthmatics/COPD patients are over-ordering and hoarding inhalers. In fact pharmacies have run out of certain inhalers and there is now a shortage. It doesn't take much imagination to think that this mentality extends to other high -risk medical conditions.
Again, a GP should ensure they don't issue prescriptions when items are over-ordered.

My mum has had similar issues getting her medication. I'm probably not as sympathetic as I should be as I had been telling her to sign up to an online pharmacy ages ago. Now lots of people are and there's a huge backlog.
Op, you don't come across as having been rude. I suspect the whole thing is just a result of confusion caused by a massive increase in workload, not enough workers and changes due to patients changing to an online system and confusion over where everything actually is going.
The dispenser was probably feeling burnt out by other people being demanding and rude and as a result hasn't given you good service. Don't take it personally.

@Namechangervaver, than you for trying to educate me.
@lampygirl, Im wondering where you thought I was rude. I dindt swear or insult anyone. I just do not nderstand why there is more work to do atm because the people who have th CV-19 are not the ones who are at the chemist asking for a prescription. It's normal day to day stuff.

I stand by what I said.

• You cant hoard medication issued by a GP because 1- only GP can issue the prescription and 2- pharmacists are have been very good for a long time now to spot those whoask for their precription early.

If that had been the case, it would have been very easy for the pharmacist to just ay 'yes we have the prescription but its only due on wednesday. Coud you come back then?' Laying the guilt onto people who have nothing worng is . We're not talking about paracetamol here.

• GP surgeries are using electronic prescription. I would imagine this is much easier to handle than going to the chemist with your prescription in hand and for them to prepare it in front of you. I fail to see how this is making life harder for pharmacists. On the contray, freed up from having the customer in front of them, they should be able to manage time better.

Besides, all the people saying they've had that issue are also people who have been told that the prescription was ready, incl the OP, o its not as of they turned up twosecond after the prescriptionwas issued (and even then, this would have been the same as them coming with a paper prescription in hand)

The one thing I agree with is the fact they might be short staffed. But this will NOT explain the extremely rude behaviour the OP experienced.

I have to say i'd love to know how many people are actually self isolating because they have symtoms. I havent seen any stats (and i dont think anyone actually knows). And I am also aware that if one person self isolate, then it means through cleaning of the place and all other necessary measures. But again, this is not what the OP has been describing (the chemist was functionning normally).

She was rude, unhelpful and possibly dishonest at a time when you were vulnerable. I would try and let it go though. Hope DH is able to look after you when he’s home from work.

OP I have this sort of nonsense whenever I collect my meds and it far pre-dates COVID.

@QuestionMarkNow I’m not sure where I’ve been rude? I posted agreeing with a PP regarding insulin prescriptions being refused for being too early even though the condition and therefore the dosage is variable month to month.

I assume you are misquoting another poster.

To be fair @Haveitheright, your post infers quite heavily it was OP doing the shouting, or why write those words? You could easily have written:

“They made an error, the surgery NOT the pharmacy and certainly not the poor woman that hands prescriptions over and has to deal with patients yelling at her when the drs have sent prescriptions to the wrong place.”

I’m baffled as to why you are so certain it was the surgery’s error and that OP should have been full of understanding - really weird to attack her that way!

Is it because they think you're using the anti histamines with the pain relief to abuse them

People can be horrible

Could someone explain why being rude, obstructive and not explaining the situation was either necessary, or helpful?

The op should NOT have been told to come and collect her prescription - yet she was.

The assistant did not have to say 'no, next week' she COULD have explained what was actually going on and apologised for the OP being told to come and collect in error.

Neither of those incidents are the OP's fault.

If we can use the current situation as an excuse to be rude and obstructive then anarchy will soon reign.. I am now off out to punch my neighbour because I am stressed and she pisses me off. It's fine because Covid-19...

@cultkid I can't think why they would think that. My painkillers aren't opiate based and I've been on the antihistamines for years otherwise I end up in hospital on a steroid drip to get my swellings down x

Thank you everyone who has been understanding and has read my post properly. I put in a complaint after speaking to DH about it. I shouldn't of been spoken to like that, or lied to and my medicine should of been given to me as it always has been. I'm not talking paracetamol here, these are drugs that stop me swelling and taking up a hospital bed.

@elc

Is it cyclisine that you take? Or promethazine?

These get abused
I've had pharmacists get funny with me about them when I was on them daily

Are the pain killers like gabapentin or pregabalin or is it an anti inflammatory?

Have you been sorted?

@cultkid none of those, it's anti inflammatory and it's fexofenadine that I take for histamine because of my autoimmune disease x

@Conrad79 Well Pharmacy is a national chain of chemists. There's two near me

@NotEverythingIsBlackandwhite
Well done for coming up with a solution. 🙄Pharmacists agree with you. It doesn't change the fact that this mentality and GPs accommodating it is causing massive problems

I have a yearly script, just go into the pharmacy a day or so before I need them and they are always ready. Is this an option?

Today, I went to the chemist to pick up my repeat prescription which I need as it contains my strong antihistamines as I have chronic angiodema. Also on that prescription is some painkillers for my endometriosis.
I think I know the name of the drugs

I always collect them a few days before I run out, the dr issued then electronically a week ago. I called to ask if I'm able to collect today (pharmacy on the side of my drs) as I didn't want to go if it was busy with urgent prescriptions being issued, the receptionist said of course you can, the queue was short and all priority patients had been dealt with.
I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe this. Having worked in pharmacies for 15 years, I cannot remember a time when I would be unable to confirm that I knew all priority patients had been catered for.

Upon arrival, the female dispenser said “No (my name) next week” I asked what she meant and she said “no next week” again.

She turned her back to me and was shaking her head and talking to the pharmacist about me whilst I explained to the female assistant that I always had these tablets and I always collected them a few day’s before I was due to run out.

I asked why again to the female assistant and she said they had been sent somewhere else. I asked why this had happened as I always collected them there and she couldn’t answer me.
Your prescription had been sent elsewhere. You said it here!

The female assistant asked me if I had anyone who could pick them up next week, I explained no, my husband is a key worker working 12-14 hours a day. She then said “are you sure?” as if I was lying, by this point I was completely horrified and in shock by how I had been treated.
I think you're over-reacting. I have to repeat things to people all the time, because humans don't seem to understand phrases the first time.

They dispensed my pain relief medicine and she gave me my prescriptions to collect elsewhere.
This means they didn't have it in stock. You do know that pharmacies get paid for every drug they dispense, right? So if they don't dispense they don't get paid? And pharmacies are earning less and less each year due to government cuts, so need every penny they can get?

*able to confirm

@Namechangervaver I also called the reception in my doctors as they have had a system going for elderly, vulnerable and anybody picking up on their behalf a certain amount of hours in the day that's dedicated to them so your experience of working in a pharmacy is completely irrelevant as it wasn't the pharmacy I spoke to.

Namechangervaver why are you so horrible to the op?

Sounds like an awful situation. Sorry OP. You were treated badly. YANBU