To cheat on my local pharmacy

[theqentity]

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!

I am just about to move house and when I collected a prescription this morning I honestly thought that my lovely local chemist is one thing I’ll miss about the town I’m leaving.

They are efficient and helpful though. If they weren’t I wouldn’t use them. I must admit I’d prefer to use an independent though.

@Tyrozet

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.

Really? As a pharmacist I have to say that a 5 day turn around is not good! Realistically speaking the day you receive the prescription you should print it, order in the stock, then the day after the dispenser assembles and labels it and then given to the pharmacist to check. 3 days maximum!

As a PP said if they can’t operate correctly then the GPhC should be pulling them up on it as patient safety is at risk and it is bad practice.

And as another PP said most GP surgeries don’t let you order 5 days in advance, once a prescription is requested from the doctors surgery it can take up to 72 hours for them to send it to the pharmacy. So 8 days to wait for medication is poor.

My local chemist attached to the GO surgery has all of the issues you say you have. Added to that, they're only open 9-5 mon-Fri and have half days Monday and Wednesday.

Not helpful to those who work, so I changed years ago to my local boots, open before and after I leave work, and open at weekends, plus they text when the prescription is ready to be picked up. Has a large carpark too, no issues to park even at peak times. Offers a yearly medication review, flu jabs- what's not to like?!

Yes I'd like to support my local chemist but it just didn't work for me. Don't feel guilty, move!

@Tyrozet

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.

As an independent business of course it is their fault they aren't adequately staffed!

I'd move without hesitation. I did last year when the independent pharmacy next to my doctors (default choice I had never switched from) switched hands and is now run by two brothers who seem to pick and choose when they want to open. One prescription took three separate visits. I work ft and want reliable opening hours so can plan accordingly. So I switched.

Ten days for a repeat here too, and queuing down the street as only two people are allowed in and they move at snail pace and often lose prescriptions or the surgery fails to send them in the first place. And we’re restricted to nominated local pharmacies, all of which are hopeless. Can I even swap to online reordering? They don’t seem to enable this as far as I know.

@TheHoptimist

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

Really? That is appalling and needs to be addressed/reported.

Had a similar dilemma with a local pharmacy - not quite as chaotic as yours, but a pain nonetheless.

I gave up in the end and use on of the postal services for my repeat prescriptions - loads easier!

I did feel guilty but also feel that the pharmacy, which are great in many respects, can't handle the number of people who are using them - there are two dr surgeries feeding in to it and they are wonderful with people who need extra help/support/advice - people like me with my bog standard repeat prescription are just getting in the way.

@TheHoptimist

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

Do you request direct from the surgery or do you get the pharmacy to do it? If you take away 3 days from the doctors time to sign off the script then that’s still 7 days for the pharmacy to print it off and assemble it.

Unfortunately this seems to be the case in a lot of areas, poor pay is probably one of the main factors. No one wants to work in pharmacy anymore, sad really. But still, I couldn’t allow my patients to wait that long and would be following protocols to sort it.

I’ve just switched to a “pouching” pharmacy by post.

I went through the same struggle with my conscience as some things about my little local independent have been great (and some less so).

Ultimately, though you need to do what works best for your health.

@DinosaursEatMan

Ten days for a repeat here too, and queuing down the street as only two people are allowed in and they move at snail pace and often lose prescriptions or the surgery fails to send them in the first place. And we’re restricted to nominated local pharmacies, all of which are hopeless. Can I even swap to online reordering? They don’t seem to enable this as far as I know.

You can be nominated with any pharmacy you want! Heck, if you lived in Newcastle and fancied a trip to London every month you could be nominated there.

If you go into any pharmacy they will be able to nominate you :) and yes you can swap to online pharmacy, but I don’t really recommend online pharmacy as you’ll never get the same amount of care you would a physical pharmacy.

@DinosaursEatMan

Ten days for a repeat here too, and queuing down the street as only two people are allowed in and they move at snail pace and often lose prescriptions or the surgery fails to send them in the first place. And we’re restricted to nominated local pharmacies, all of which are hopeless. Can I even swap to online reordering? They don’t seem to enable this as far as I know.

That's outrageous. Can you switch pharmacies?

I used BOOTS. Order it online say Monday morning, and by Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning at the latest, it's ready.

If there's an item they don't have in, they order it and it's usually there by the Friday. I can still pick up the rest though, and wait for the other item. Never waited ten days.

Thanks @ChloeHel
That’s great to know, I’ll be following your advice

Bloody hell - my local pharmacy fills the prescription as you wait! For repeats they would have it done on the day the GP delivers it to them (they probably have it done within 30 mins then too, but I'm not there to see). 5 days (!!!) - bugger that, switch!

I wouldnt even think of this. There is a small chemist near us, and queue outside and so on sounds like yours. I usually go to SB which has a Pharmacy . Really wouldnt worry me .They sound overstretched anyway .May be relieving pressure on them if you go elsewhere!

Cheat on a chemist? good grief.

This is a business that can no longer supply medication when you need it. Move to another chemist.

I can't believe you are asking this.

@DinosaursEatMan

Ten days for a repeat here too, and queuing down the street as only two people are allowed in and they move at snail pace and often lose prescriptions or the surgery fails to send them in the first place. And we’re restricted to nominated local pharmacies, all of which are hopeless. Can I even swap to online reordering? They don’t seem to enable this as far as I know.

I'm speechless. I'm beyond suprised this can be happening in the UK.

Pharmacies are under huge pressure. More patients come their way as people have learnt they can't get to see their GP, shortages of pharmacists and locums and inflationary business costs whilst their funding has been cut by NHSE. I think a lot could go under. Some delays in prescriptions can be caused by GPs being slow to approve them.

But you should definitely switch to one that provides a better service.

@Throckmorton

Bloody hell - my local pharmacy fills the prescription as you wait! For repeats they would have it done on the day the GP delivers it to them (they probably have it done within 30 mins then too, but I'm not there to see). 5 days (!!!) - bugger that, switch!

Same here. Local pharmacy fills the prescription as you wait or locally delivers in the evening for no extra costs. I usually get the prescription directly from the GP but if it is a phone consult for just a new prescription, my GP will send it electronically within minutes.

Does 'supporting local business' need to apply when the business is shit? If they want to do well they need to have a decent service. My pharmacy also leaves us queuing out in the cold and it's bloody annoying.

They don't seem to be making any effort to haul themselves into the 21st century!! Maybe they will when they realise their footfall is dropping like a stone!!

Switched after Xmas after deliberating for ages: I have never looked back - wonderful professional prompt and courteous service - will never know why I waited so long. It was the owner that was rude and arrogant in first place - when she broadcast my medical details all over the shop that was the straw that broke this camel’s back!

And even if it’s a chain pharmacy (or other shop) it’s still providing local jobs.

I hear you OP. And I’m sure we share a local pharmacy

My GP is very pro local pharmacy and for a while I did as he preferred, but everything was so exceptionally slow. Coupled with the fact the HRT prescriptions could take several weeks to appear and issues such as you describe as well. The final straw was when they were only letting in two people at a time, then letting those two people stand around inside the shop waiting for their scripts to be filled, rather than taking it from them and sending them back out. It meant one afternoon it took well over an hour to get through an eight person queue outside.

Eventually I gave up and went with an online company. Prescription is here within the week. GP is always vocal about me not using the local pharmacy when I see him, and I have said that I changed because the service was poor, be he still thinks I should put up with it

I don’t blame you for moving.

@ASaucerfulOfSecrets

I hear you OP. And I’m sure we share a local pharmacy

My GP is very pro local pharmacy and for a while I did as he preferred, but everything was so exceptionally slow. Coupled with the fact the HRT prescriptions could take several weeks to appear and issues such as you describe as well. The final straw was when they were only letting in two people at a time, then letting those two people stand around inside the shop waiting for their scripts to be filled, rather than taking it from them and sending them back out. It meant one afternoon it took well over an hour to get through an eight person queue outside.

Eventually I gave up and went with an online company. Prescription is here within the week. GP is always vocal about me not using the local pharmacy when I see him, and I have said that I changed because the service was poor, be he still thinks I should put up with it

I don’t blame you for moving.

I don't think we share the same pharmacy because you'd never speak to your GP if you were with my surgery

I thought it would be best to support local businesses and did with the pharmacy for some time. It has been an utter shambles though so I moved to LloydsDirect and prescriptions are posted. It's very efficient and I wouldn't go back to visiting in person.