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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To cheat on my local pharmacy

72 replies

theqentity · 31/03/2022 10:30

My local pharmacy is small and independent, and opposite our doctor's surgery, so services a lot of the local community. My DH and I both have repeat prescriptions and use it regularly, and always liked that it was a bit 'old school' (staff who move at snail pace and chat to you, card machine always takes ages to work, they sell those cheap knockoff perfumes with names like 'Innocence' that smell awful, computers often 'down') and liked using it because generally it didn't inconvenience us that much and it was local.

Since Christmas it's gone from mad to worse. They stopped doing prescriptions at all for a week. For three weeks nobody was allowed inside because of 'staff issues' so everybody had to queue outside like they were collecting food stamps and wait for a person to open the door a crack and thrust your prescription at you. I spent literally hours of my life down there standing in the freezing cold. That's finished now, but a note on the door today states that they now need 5 working days to process prescriptions. Oh and they're cash only for the foreseeable. The nearest cash point is over a mile away.

We actually live closer o a different chemist now and could use it. But DH feels bad that we aren't supporting a local business through a tough period.

WIBU to cheat on my chemist? I know the staff by name and I know I will be given a very dirty look if I suddenly go back there after not going for a long time. But I just want to get my meds and fuck off!

OP posts:
Original poster
theqentity · 31/03/2022 10:31

(I have a pre pay cert btw, so don't need cash. DH only has one item so pays for his prescriptions)

OP posts:
Lime37 · 31/03/2022 10:31

Yabu for using it for so long

Original poster
theqentity · 31/03/2022 10:41

@Lime37

Yabu for using it for so long
It was a mix of wanting to support our local pharmacy and not being arsed to switch.

So yes I guess we were BU in that respect.

OP posts:
ididntevennotice · 31/03/2022 10:43

Such a weird thing to give any thought to. Just use whatever is convenient for you. It's nice to support local businesses but I wouldn't support any business that wasn't effective or working well for me. Our chemist has had the wait outside set up going on for 2 years now, I never use it.

Original poster
theqentity · 31/03/2022 10:44

@ididntevennotice

Such a weird thing to give any thought to. Just use whatever is convenient for you. It's nice to support local businesses but I wouldn't support any business that wasn't effective or working well for me. Our chemist has had the wait outside set up going on for 2 years now, I never use it.
Every time I drive past I see dozens of elderly people (we live in a town with a lot of elderly people) standing outside in the freezing cold. Either because they've locked the door again, or the backlog is so massive that the queue is humongous.
OP posts:
purplecorkheart · 31/03/2022 10:46

To be honest I doubt you will be the only one who leaves and the chemist staff are likely not to give it much though.

TrufflyPig · 31/03/2022 11:02

You can use any pharmacy you like, it's entirely up to you.

Pharmacy in general is struggling at present. Funding cuts, staffing issues, being hit hard by covid pressures. I'm honestly worried for the future of the sector.

ChloeHel · 31/03/2022 11:21

Aw I wish all my patients were as lovely as this 😂

But no YANBU, 5 days to process a prescription is too long, especially if it isn’t on a repeat. They are clearly very behind and need a new system in place. My pharmacy was like this during the peak of covid and it was horrendous, you are probably doing them a favour by leaving as they clearly have too many patients than they can handle. Are your prescriptions sent electronically? If so then you wouldn’t even need to contact that pharmacy ever again, you can go to your local one and asked to be nominated there and all future prescriptions will be sent there.

TrufflyPig · 31/03/2022 11:30

I will second that you are a lovely patient!

Zilla1 · 31/03/2022 12:05

If you want to feel better, perhaps change to 'relieve the pressure' on them and return when the queues and constraints reduce if the alternative is a chain?

Meatshake · 31/03/2022 12:42

Tbf at this point it sounds like they don't actually want customers so I think you'd be doing them a favour!

BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation · 31/03/2022 12:49

They shouldn't be taking five days to process a prescription. Most surgeries won't let you order a repeat if it's done too early, so it's going to be cutting it fine if the pharmacy aren't processing. This can impact patient safety as many medications need to be taken each day and doses can't be skipped. They're treading a fine line here and should be pulled up on this by the regulating authorities.

iknowimcoming · 31/03/2022 12:52

Do it!! I've recently changed gp surgery after 40 years (since I was 11) after a friend was outraged that I couldn't get an appointment for 5 weeks (and that was telephone only) and suggested I swap to hers (we are in the catchment) I was seen within days and have had tests arranged super quickly and the difference in the care and attitude of all the staff there has been truly shocking, they are so helpful and friendly! I actually told DH I can't wait for him to get ill so he can see how good they are! Grin

Tyrozet · 31/03/2022 12:53

It's not their fault if they aren't adequately staffed to be able to open their doors as normal- a five day prescription turnaround isn't terrible if you take into account the work that goes into processing one - if they are right next to the doctors' surgery they are likely to have a fair number to get through as well!

If you want to carry on supporting them then you could order a bit earlier from the doctor so that you're able to wait five days, hand it in then call back in a few days instead of waiting. If you know them well, speak to them and ask what might help them serve you better - can you get a text message to alert you when it's ready so that you're not waiting in a queue for no reason?

If it's a one-off prescription that you need there and then eg. pain relief or anti-biotics, try the chain for those items if they guarantee to be a bit quicker.

Sirzy · 31/03/2022 12:54

Use where works best for you.

Our local pharmacy kept messing up Ds meds so I moved to Asda pharmacy, which has the bonus of me being able to do shopping at the same time.

For my meds I use prescriptions2u because I would forget to pick mine up!

ThinWomansBrain · 31/03/2022 13:02

leaving aside the inconvenience of not taking cash and insisting you queue outside, 5 days is bonkers.
If I'm with the GP and she makes a prescription for me, by the time we've finished the conversation and I've walked the 5 minutes to the pharmacy on the way home, it's generally ready for me to collect, or I might need to wait a couple of minutes while they get the items together. There was one item last year that I'd been prescribed two tubes of but they only had one in stock, but generally it's fine.

I'm all for supporting local businesses, but they do need to provide an acceptable level of service.

Thethreecs · 31/03/2022 13:03

Oh god it sounds like my chemist and we're one of the up to date chemist's (Ireland), we have to go or phone GP for prescriptions, he sends it either by his receptionists car or computer depending if computer is working in chemist , I have to order meds 3 days before collection and 5 for high tech prescriptions. These are repeat prescriptions, for prescriptions we get on the day from GP visit we have to wait 24hours before collecting. They've only gone on computer since end of last year and were using fax. It does my head in and seemingly there are much worse chemist's around than this one.

If you can find a better service then use it. Supporting local is great if they offer an actual service. If I could change chemist's I would, my dd is on 18 medications a day, sometimes I order and they forget to order the stuff then I'm left short and have to go back. I wouldn't worry about what they think, I'm sure a lot have already moved chemist's.

DanielRicciardosSmile · 31/03/2022 13:07

I'd move. 5 days for a prescription is bad enough for regular meds that you can keep a few days supply of, but what if (heaven forbid) you develop a chest infection and need antibiotics? Or slip a disc and need pain relief? A week's wait is no good at all.

LateToTheParty · 31/03/2022 13:11

I switched repeat prescriptions for my daughter from our local pharmacy to the LloydsDirect pharmacy app who deliver to the house for free, because of how time consuming and inefficient it was.

YoYoYoYoSup · 31/03/2022 13:13

I always use my local supermarket chemist. The script goes straight from my docs electronically to the chemist, it's always ready within 2 hours unless it's an item they have to order. I can go and get it anytime from 8am til 11pm 6 days a week. Brilliant.

MurmuratingStarling · 31/03/2022 13:15

Weird to ask. Of COURSE you can use any pharmacy you wish.' Old school' should not = lazy and incompetent. Too many people and services are using 'covid' as an excuse for sloppiness and laziness STILL. It's pathetic. Dawdling and being sluggish is not good enough. Leave them.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 31/03/2022 13:17

Soubds chronically time consuming and inefficient...

I would just swap nominated pharmacy....
You're not breaking up with a long term lover... Just awy from an useless business.

Many others would do similarly...

We had a lovely pharmacy who knew me by name... They moved a good mile in the wrong direction and and without a car at the time stuff in couldn't easily get to it. So I started using a town centre one... I felt a bit guilty for about 10 mins... But then realised they wrre moving cos of financial reasons... Out of town sites were cheaper... They weren't considering all their frequent patients...

So was doing similarly... What is the best for me... 😁

MrsGHarrison87 · 31/03/2022 13:20

It's not cheating if they armed providing a sufficient service. Your priority is getting your medication, not being nice to a business. If they aren't running it properly people will go elsewhere.

MrsGHarrison87 · 31/03/2022 13:21

aren't

TheHoptimist · 31/03/2022 13:22

5 days sounds amazing!
Minimum 10 days here from requesting a repeat

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