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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not understand why we settle for things as a nation (prescription related)

168 replies

TransplantedScouser · 01/01/2021 05:18

I have a very low level underlying condition (reflux).

I used to phone each month to the doctors to get a repeat prescription.

then they said, go onto batch. We send the prescription over to the pharmacy every six months and all you have to do is collect it each month. Now, bearing in mind you used to get 3-6 months prescriptions in one go so having to do it monthly was a pain in the backside this was a good thing.

Everything worked well for a couple of years.

Went to pick up my latest prescription yesterday - not ready.

Apparently you now have to phone the pharmacy 7 days before you want to collect it to ask them to make the batch up.

I have to admit this sent me a little bat shit. what is the time saving in that? I may as well just phone the doctors every month for a repeat prescription if I'm going to have to phone the pharmacy anyway.

They have taken a system that worked well and basically regressed back.

the pharmacist said "Well the batch was just to save the doctors time having to write a prescription each month".

So, AIBU to think this is another case of the NHS being set up for the convenience of the staff and not the patient?

After this batch I'm going to get a private prescription and cancel my NHS pre pay.

I can get a six month prescription including the fee for the doctor doing it for less than six months pre pay costs me. And I only have to worry about it twice a year.

OP posts:
MawkishHawk · 01/01/2021 05:29

YABmassivelyU. The NHS is not set up for anyone’s convenience - it is aimed to get the best value healthcare for the most amount of people/clinical need for the least amount of financial cost to the nation. Doctors’ time costs money. Patients not collecting “automatically” generated repeat meds costs money in staff time and waste. So the system you describe is the best value for us all - reduces staff time, reduces waste. No, it’s not about your convenience and nor should it be. If it’s cheaper for you privately then fantastic, do it that way, and it’s even better for the whole system. Everybody wins!

RainingBatsAndFrogs · 01/01/2021 05:30

A phone call a month doesn’t seem that onerous, to confirm that you need your prescriptions.

Better than pharmacists making up packs of medications that don’t get collected.

Frustrating that you weren’t warned if the change.

But hardly a National scandal.

Terracottasaur · 01/01/2021 05:32

This is more of an issue with your local pharmacy than an indication of mass nation-wide complacency.

Original poster
TransplantedScouser · 01/01/2021 05:33

Well if they hadn't restricted it to 28 days meds at a time, it would not be so bad.

And no, I don't think patients should have to have substandard service just because we should be grateful for the NHS.

I've lived in other countries and seen how healthcare can be provided with the patients being the focus rather than the staff.

I know its heresy to say that in the current climate but to me this is another example fo the NHS not being fit for purpose

OP posts:
RainingBatsAndFrogs · 01/01/2021 05:39

Phoning a pharmacy once a month to ask that your prescriptions be prepared is not an indication that the NHS is not fit for purpose.

PastaPins · 01/01/2021 05:40

Oh do stop your moaning. Be grateful for all that we do have from our NHS compared to other countries.

paintedpanda · 01/01/2021 05:42

Is it a hospital pharmacy or a private one that you collect your prescription from?
Do you have to phone the pharmacy every month or just once every 6 months when you collect your batch?

kazzer2867 · 01/01/2021 05:44

Just sick and tired of people moaning about the NHS. One hiccup with your prescription and now the NHS isn't fit for purpose. As @PastaPins said stop your moaning.

trixiebelden77 · 01/01/2021 05:46

The NHS is set up for the convenience of the staff?

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo · 01/01/2021 05:49

They were probably sick and tired of people not collecting prescriptions that have been made up.

I get 8 weeks worth of meds at a time. When I'm running low (usually when I have 2 weeks worth left) I email my dr. They generate the prescription and send it to the online pharmacy. The meds get posted to me. It couldn't be easier imo! Although i do have to set a reminder on my phone to send the email.

ThornAmongstRoses · 01/01/2021 05:57

Good God some people do moan about the most irrelevant of things.

Such a hardship to have to phone the Chemist once a month isn’t it to confirm you need your tablets..... Confused

SimonJT · 01/01/2021 06:05

@TransplantedScouser Have you ever needed a prescription in the US?

You have to call your clinic and speak to someone (you can’t use an answer machine service), if it has been more than six months since you had a physical you have to go back and see the doctor before they will prescribe, even if its something you have been taking for years (in my case insulin).

They eventuallg write your script, they pick the brand, you then have to contact your insurance company to see if that particular brand is covered. If not you have two options, make another appointment or pay full cost for your drugs.

You get to the pharmacy with your script, you don’t just sign it and wait a few minutes, you give the pharmacist your script and you return in 2/3 days to collect your medication. You can’t call and order it, you certainly can’t get it delivered.

Curious as to why you think your GP or pharmacist are NHS staff?

Gingerkittykat · 01/01/2021 06:34

What medication is it that you can get a private prescription and pay for the drug for six months for less than the cost of a prepayment certificate?

Yes, you are being unreasonable. Doctors have better things to do with their time than spend a few minutes a month writing a prescription for reflux medications.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 01/01/2021 06:38

so go private if the NHS isn't up to your standards
including when you need treatment for other conditions, including emergency, vaccinations, covid.....

springiscoming12 · 01/01/2021 06:51

Read the room OP, can you not see what is going on with the NHS at the moment? If this is all you have to worry about then I would count myself lucky if I were you.

Justamumofadoc · 01/01/2021 07:00

Catch yourself on.

That is all.

Just wise up and catch yourself on.

Googlebrained · 01/01/2021 07:00

Since when did people in this country become such babies that everything had to be designed around them otherwise they just go waaaah! No attempt to see there might be a bigger picture. We've got a massive wastage problem with drugs, appointments etc, we've got a service that's creaking at the knees because of a global pandemic, and you're moaning about having to ring up for reflux medication. FFS.

SmartyPants0 · 01/01/2021 07:12

Can you order it on line on your surgeries website and nominated which chemist you would like it sent to. This works for me

Monty27 · 01/01/2021 07:15

OP do you pay for the prescription each time?

Sceptre86 · 01/01/2021 07:19

Batch prescriptions do save the dr time and you because you don't have to phone or email the surgery to order the prescription. For the pharmacy how are they to know exactly when you need your reflux medicines, by nature of the condition you may need to take more or less a particular month. Also they don't have endless storage space, people ordering then failing to collect meds is a big problem which is why most chemists will text you when your medication is ready and then send reminders for you to collect. Another issue is that chemists don't stock every medication that ever existed, if you phone before the batch is due they can make sure your medication is ready and in stock rather than just popping in on the off chance.
⁹
I am glad you have found a system that works out cheaper for you and hope it will be more convenient but I don't think the chemist were being unreasonable to ask that you ring them so that they could get your batch prescription ready.

Ifailed · 01/01/2021 07:24

I've lived in other countries and seen how healthcare can be provided with the patients being the focus rather than the staff.

Off you trot. Missing you already.

Anycrispsleft · 01/01/2021 07:27

YANBU but good luck getting anyone British to agree with you. It's this "God bless the NHS, we should be thankful for any treatment they can give us" attitude that leads to things like that maternity scandal - this culture of deference, of never complaining. Why should British people be grateful for any medical treatment? One of the richest countries in the world - why is it such a brilliant deal to pay peanuts and get a rubbish service? We live in Germany now and health insurance costs a lot more than in the UK but the service is ten times better. You could maybe have quibbled about the importance of things like having a wide choice of appointment times at the GP, dedicated paediatric GP surgeries and same-day in-practice blood tests and x rays for example, but now that we are in the middle of a pandemic with numbers similar to the UK but non covid appointments and operations still carrying on, it's clear it's worth every penny.

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 01/01/2021 07:40

Non covid appointments and operations are still going ahead in uk.

TheChineseChicken · 01/01/2021 07:42

Use Pharmacy2U

Copperblack · 01/01/2021 07:43

Count yourself lucky. Pre-pandemic I had to travel 400 miles every couple of months to get my daughter’s prescription filled out as it can only be prescribed and dispensed by her consultant.

You are being very unreasonable. You could swap to something like ‘Echo’ and just get it posted- or is a click also too much effort?