Mistaken identity at chemist - would you complain?

[wallpoppy]

Earlier today at Boots - took my hair products and chocolate to the counter so I could get a box of Nurofen+ and pay for it all together- the pharmacy assistant sort of looked at me for a moment and then said sorry, no, you were just in here yesterday for the same thing, I can't sell you any more.

I was definitely not in yesterday for the same thing, the last time I bought a box of Nurofen + was probably two years ago, if not longer. I actually joked at first- oh yeah I do have a chocolate addiction but I definitely wasn't in here yesterday- but she just said I'm really sorry, codeine is an addicting medicine and we have to be careful.

So I got serious and said "I understand, but you have mistaken me for someone else, I was not here yesterday and I haven't purchased this medication recently - I am very responsible, and I just take one or two doses once every few months when I have an extremely bad endo flare-up. Can I please complete my purchase?" and she sighed and looked over to the pharmacist, who had heard all the exchange. He was polite but said that he had to back up his staff and if she said she sold these to me yesterday then there was nothing he could do.

So I just huffed, said fine, she's completely mistaken but fine, and I paid for my other stuff and stopped at another Boots on the way home where I completed my drug purchase with no bother. But it was so embarrassing (other people standing around the whole time witnessed it). Should I complain? On one hand, it feels like a one-off weird experience that I should just forget about, but on the other hand I feel a bit hard done by! What would you do?

@ChloeHel I know it was wrong. I said to the cashier on both occasions these can be purchased at any supermarket off the shelf. He wasn’t having it. Completely on a power trip, he was a proper weasel of a man and Boots backed him all the way. Bet he never tried it with a man.

Mature.

Complain that someone made a human error? I assume you’re perfect, then.

If this even happened… I’d put money on it that you didn’t actually say “may I please complete my purchase?” and the story of how often and why you take them. You embarrassed yourself if you did. The pharmacist didn’t embarrass you.

@CornishPorsche well I am sure the local CCG would love to hear some ideas on how to implement a change. Perhaps fingerprint scanners.

Please complain.

Where I worked we got a £10 voucher every time someone complained after we upheld the rules.

In the USA we need to sign for medicine like that. You have to show in ID (usually a drivers license) and then you sign the book. I'm surprised the UK don't do something similar. Relying on the pharmacy staff to remember people is a bit random.

Haven't RTFT It's basic pharmacy safety guidelines and the staff legally have to flag it to the pharmacist, it's then their discretion as to if they sell or not... What if the boot was on the other foot, you had bought it yesterday and was coming back to do some damage to yourself/feed your addiction... That girl is then interviewed and says she thought she'd sold it to you two days on the trot but decided to sell anyway and avoid confrontation... I think sadly these safeguarding measures are in place for a reason..
Trust me boots would have wanted ever fiver out of you but patient safety comes first.

However, I do also understand how embarrassing it must have been to have had this Infront of a queue of people especially when it wasn't you the day before!

@BigChesterDraws - I don’t see how the OP embarrassed themselves. They were publicly and erroneously called a drug addict. I can’t imagine not being bewildered and flustered at that. Your post is unnecessary rude.

They would have sold the smaller packs on the shop floor, I would have just bought the smaller packs and paid for it at a beauty counter - then again, he sounds like the sort of colleague that would run over and stop them selling.

Very surprised they backed him on that occasion.

Here in Australia you are asked for ID when purchasing codeine pharmaceuticals so you can’t shop around and stock up.

@ChloeHel - they were from the shop floor! I had taken them to the till to pay and on both occasions (they were a month or so apart) he was the only person serving. That branch had no self service tills at the time. It was ridiculous.

@Sapphirejane wow. That definitely warranted a complaint! Sorry you didn’t get the response you deserved though!

Codeine in Australia is now prescription only. Before, when you could get it over the counter, you had to provide ID and it was entered in a database so you couldn't get it day after day, or pharmacy hop. Bit silly to not have a system in place if they're trying to crack down on overuse.

@DogsAndGin it is literally part of the job to monitor sales of medicines that have the potential to be abused. There are certain combinations of drugs which must never be sold together, and if they suspect that people are buying inappropriate combinations or amounts then they must raise this. It is fine to keep people safe!!

Power gone to their heads? Do you know how much training they have to do? They are literally the experts in medicines!

kick up a fuss about being defamed as a person who abuses drugs. I would be demanding an apology

Come on, defamed?

Yes it's embarrassing but that's the system we have. To be honest we are lucky we can buy codeine otc and pharmacies need to show that they are restricting sales otherwise it will change to prescription only. That will be a lot more hassle than going to another pharmacy.

I'd ring and explain what happened. I used to work at Boots customer service centre and we could hand out advantage card points like sweeties so long as it wasn't completely spurious. They will explain the policy but will also likely apologise for the mix up with points on your card. Be polite though and have your ad card number to hand 😉

Please don’t complain I understand it was inconvenient and embarrassing for you . However my son became addicted to codine and over the counter pain killers . I wish someone had been more virulent when he was buying boxes every day . It has taken him a long time and a lot of self control to get off these seemingly non dangerous drugs

Thank you for recognising the amount of training and work we do! And for using the right term - experts in medicines. Doesn’t get recognised often enough!

No I wouldn't.
it's done.
move forward.

Anyone worth their salt would be asking.

If selling Feminax ultra (naproxen - quite a strong NSAID) or even just Feminax, is the patient on blood thinners? Antiplatelet agents? Have chronic kidney disease? A history of asthma? A history of gastric ulcers? Heart failure?

Some antihistamines may be abused when used for their sedative effects… I wonder what Boots protocols are these days if they aren’t looking out for these basics 🤔

I don’t think complaining will get you anywhere. They can refuse to sell you anything, don’t have a right to buy.

Of course you shouldn't she may have been mistaken but she was doing her job well and good on her.

Not quite sure what you'd be complaining about anyway to be honest.

Oh for goodness sake this has got to be a wind up surely 🤣🤣🤣

The fact that op wasnt there the day before and was refused medication on the idea that someone thought she was?