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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have given pharmacist short shrift?

151 replies

itsgettingwierd · 27/08/2021 18:50

Enter pharmacy

Me: Good evening, I have a prescription to collect.

Pharmacist: name please

Me: first name surname

Pharmacist: was it sent today

Me: last week.

Comes back with it, checks address and I have my card ready to pay.

As I'm walking towards till she asks

"Does he pay for his prescriptions"

Me Confused for a second. "It's mine and yes I do"

Pharmacist: "well I just read the name" with a very defensive tone.

Me: shame you didn't also read the word before that says Miss.

Now I have a name that's unisex that isn't particularly unusual in this day and age (less so than when I grew up!) and people have made presumptions before and it doesn't bother me.

But I was actually annoyed she'd taken the effort to read the name and assume it belonged to someone else - rather than the person actually asking for it - and when I said it was mine act as though I was wrong to say that and retort the way she did as if annoyed at me saying that.

I'm having a rough time at the minute and can be over sensitive so I need the collective honesty on MN to tell me I'm right to have been annoyed or hand me a grip (but kindly Grin)

OP posts:
vincettenoir · 27/08/2021 18:54

The way you reacted sounds fine to me. I don’t think you should feel bad about it.

bagelsandoranges · 27/08/2021 18:57

She was being a dick and not your fault - forget about it. The fact she didn't just say "oh, apologies" or something small to that effect speaks volumes.

FourEyesGood · 27/08/2021 18:57

I think you may be being over-sensitive. The pharmacist made a mistake and while it would have been nice if she’d apologised, she didn’t. Perhaps she too is having a rough time at the moment? Don’t waste any more time thinking about this.

SpringSparrow · 27/08/2021 19:02

You are overthinking. Honestly I wouldn’t give it a single thought or write a post about it.

GemmaRuby · 27/08/2021 19:03

Whether her defensiveness and lack of apology is warranted depends very much on how you said "It's mine and yes I do".

The fact that you are questioning it probably means that you were a bit harsh.

Would also suggest that if you’re having a hard time at the moment, starting this thread will probably cause you more stress than it’s worth.

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 27/08/2021 19:05

I think maybe a bit oversensitive. Sorry

Original poster
itsgettingwierd · 27/08/2021 19:05

@bagelsandoranges

She was being a dick and not your fault - forget about it. The fact she didn't just say "oh, apologies" or something small to that effect speaks volumes.
That's usually how it goes. People make the mistake all the time - even come into waiting rooms and look at the males expecting them to reply!

When they recognise it's their assumption I just smile and say "everyone does it" or "I'm use to it".

I don't want people to feel bad about making a mistake despite this being 21st century Grin

But to act as if reading the name justifies it when it clearly said Miss first name middle name surname annoyed me (irrationally I accept!)

Think

Miss Taylor Grace Smith - even without the miss it's fairly obvious.

If it said Taylor Morgan Smith I could have understood it better.

But I did have to buy milk at newsagents too so got myself some chocolate to cheer me up 🤣

OP posts:
NewIdeasToday · 27/08/2021 19:05

I honestly can’t see why you’ve made such a big deal here about a simple mistake. I expected to read that you’d been given the wrong prescription or something. Given all the things a pharmacist has to check to do their job correctly, I’d rather they focused on what’s important than whether or not I’m a Miss.

Original poster
itsgettingwierd · 27/08/2021 19:06

@GemmaRuby

Whether her defensiveness and lack of apology is warranted depends very much on how you said "It's mine and yes I do".

The fact that you are questioning it probably means that you were a bit harsh.

Would also suggest that if you’re having a hard time at the moment, starting this thread will probably cause you more stress than it’s worth.

No I wasn't harsh. I was confused when I was holding my card to pay why she asked if "he pays".

It caught me off guard.

OP posts:
Original poster
itsgettingwierd · 27/08/2021 19:07

@SpringSparrow

You are overthinking. Honestly I wouldn’t give it a single thought or write a post about it.
Well I posted because I needed perspective. I was clear I'm having a rough time at the moment and just needed to chat to people about it.

I'm a LP with a disabled ds so my options for venting at home are fairly limited!

OP posts:
Original poster
itsgettingwierd · 27/08/2021 19:08

@NewIdeasToday

I honestly can’t see why you’ve made such a big deal here about a simple mistake. I expected to read that you’d been given the wrong prescription or something. Given all the things a pharmacist has to check to do their job correctly, I’d rather they focused on what’s important than whether or not I’m a Miss.
When I arrived she was more interested in how someone she discussing was obviously doing all right in life judging by their new home so I don't think she was too run off her feet with the stress of prescriptions.Grin
OP posts:
PheasantsNest · 27/08/2021 19:09

I used to work in a pharmacy and the pharmacists worked very long hours. It's a simple mistake to make.

PlanDeRaccordement · 27/08/2021 19:10

Well, it may be childish of me, but she started it! She was first to be short and you merely gave her taste of her own medicine. So I don’t think you were unreasonable.

GreyhoundG1rl · 27/08/2021 19:11

This was a total non event.

RainforestLizard · 27/08/2021 19:11

I think in this instance you're being a bit oversensitive. But we're all human, and we can all be oversensitive on times. Enjoy your chocolate OP and try and put it out of your mind.

HeddaGarbled · 27/08/2021 19:15

Me: shame you didn't also read the word before that says Miss

I have never in my life spoken to a public service worker like this.

I was reading something in the paper today about key workers being on their knees and about the levels of abuse they are facing from the public.

It makes me sad that this is where we are now.

GreyhoundG1rl · 27/08/2021 19:16

No I wasn't harsh.
Well, why did you ask? For the record; you definitely were.

Needapoodle · 27/08/2021 19:17

Poor bloody pharmacist doesn't deserve to be spoken to like that. They're doing a job and you were a narky cow for no reason.

frogswimming · 27/08/2021 19:19

What? You must be having a hard tome if this upsets you. It's a mistake over reading a name! Seriously.

Booboosweet · 27/08/2021 19:20

You were really rude to her.

Singinghollybob · 27/08/2021 19:22

The exact same thing happened to me a few days ago when I went to collect my prescription. My name isn't unisex but take off the end letter and it's a male name.
The pharmacist misread the name as male and asked me the exact same question.
I inwardly chuckled and just said no and handed over my exemption card.
Couldn't really get worked up over it to be honest, and left the shop and didn't give it another thought

tigger1001 · 27/08/2021 19:25

For me, it's the fact that the pharmacist didn't apologise when they realised their mistake. For that part I can see why you would take that to heart.

Enjoy your chocolate and try and put it out your head

Haiyaa · 27/08/2021 19:26
  1. You’ve said it has happened before and never bothered you.
  2. Tone is subjective, if you were feeling “sensitive” then you probably read too much into it.
  3. Not having anyone to vent to at home does not make it appropriate for you to take it out on someone who is just trying to do their job much less come here to brag about it.
  4. Pharmacy staff are human not robots, they have been known to talk and work at the same time.

YABVU HTH.

GreyhoundG1rl · 27/08/2021 19:27

@tigger1001

For me, it's the fact that the pharmacist didn't apologise when they realised their mistake. For that part I can see why you would take that to heart.

Enjoy your chocolate and try and put it out your head

Oh, honestly! There was no apology due here, and I imagine op's stroppiness would have put paid to it anyway.
evianlion · 27/08/2021 19:28

No I wasn't harsh. I was confused when I was holding my card to pay why she asked if "he pays".

Fair enough. If a pharmacist says something that might indicate they're about to give you the wrong prescription it would be confusing and you of course needed to say something to make sure. (Which obviously would be an off the cuff comment not a rehearsed MN monologue, "oh terribly sorry to impede on your day, but do you perchance have the wrong person's prescription... Blah blah")

It is annoying when people in positions of power/authority get defensive instead of just acknowledging their mistake and apologising.

You probably will get posters using your op as inspiration for creative writing and coming at you with ridiculous stuff though, so I hope you haven't finished all the chocolate yet.

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