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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Am I right not to report this?

58 replies

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:10

I went to boots on Friday to pick up my prescription. They couldn’t find it. 15 minutes later, and they were still looking, having asked if I was sure I'd not collected it! 🙄

There were quite a few people at the front of the counter, so I stood to the side.
So when they opened a drawer while they were looking, I spotted something that looked like it could be mine

Yes, that was my carrier bag of three months worth of prescriptions
I couldn’t understand why they hadn’t spotted it, given that there were four different sets of tablets and eyedrops, which are bulky

By this time, the store manager had come over, and as it turned out, it was my prescription - but with somebody else’s details on the label.

I thought these things were checked? That person could’ve taken my prescription drugs away, and moreover, somebody has their prescription with my name, address, date of birth and phone number on the label!

The store manager apologised profusely and said she was going to look into how this could’ve happened, but it’s still really quite alarming

So I left it at that, but I kind of feel I ought to report it... breach of my personal information to start with. But the person whose details were on my prescription could have taken that away, and some people would perhaps just take the medicine that was in there?
It includes some meds for cancer and stroke, so potentially quite dangerous if you don't need to take them

Am dithering

OP posts:

Changingplace · 19/02/2023 16:13

I wouldn’t personally, if was resolved, I’m sure they’ll look into it, I’d leave it at that and forget about it.

pinkySilver · 19/02/2023 16:15

There was no breach because no-one did take your personal data away.

Your data stayed with the pharmacy who had it in order for them to issue your drugs.

You can't report something that might have happened. (ie someone might have got my stuff and I could have got theirs)

There seems to have been an internal mix up which was caught by their checks - because you were not given the wrong stuff and no-one was given your information.

ThreeblackCats · 19/02/2023 16:15

But it was not given to someone else though. I’m sure had the wrong person picked up a carrier bag full of your medicine they’d have noticed it looked wrong and they’d have certainly noticed had they took it home and not recognised any of the contents.
Maybe causing someone the loss of their job would make you feel better.

You must understand that even with multiple safeguards, sometimes human error happens.

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 19/02/2023 16:15

Who would you be thinking of reporting it to?

PuzzledObserver · 19/02/2023 16:15

I had something similar - picked up my husband’s prescription, took it home and it wasn’t his. It was someone with the same first initial and a similar surname who lived up the street from us - hence same postcode.

Their check before they gave you the bag was to ask for the postcode, which obviously was the same.

I took it back and explained, and could see in the pharmacist’s eyes that she was concerned this had been able to happen. I didn’t feel the need to take any further action.

The next time I picked up a prescription, they asked for full name and address, not just the postcode. So I guess they had changed their procedure as a result.

bikiniisland · 19/02/2023 16:15

Nothing happened.

ShakespearesBlister · 19/02/2023 16:17

I once had a call from the pharmacy to tell me the Dr had refused my repeat prescription because they hadn't prescribed the certain medication requested before. The name they gave was blood pressure pills. I've never taken them in my life and certainly didn't request them. I can only assume the pharmacy somehow ordered the wrong thing when I put my request in. Mistakes are very very rare as they are usually checked by more than one person but they do happen.

VirtualRealitee · 19/02/2023 16:17

I get my prescriptions monthly and they never hand them over without asking for my name and first line of address.

So I doubt they would've been handed to the wrong person.

Original poster

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:17

Sorry, I wasn't clear.

The label on my bag of prescription drugs had somebody else's name and address.

That persons drugs have been dispensed to them with my details on the bag.

OP posts:

Goldpaw · 19/02/2023 16:18

I once picked up my repeat prescription and was given someone else's slip with it by mistake. The pharmacy team at my pharmacy are short staffed and always seem to have their noses to the grindstone, so mistakes are bound to happen.

Calistan · 19/02/2023 16:18

You don't know that someone has gone away with your label, it's highly unlikely. Unless your package was filled with diazepam, can't imagine anyone would want it anyway.

cava14una · 19/02/2023 16:20

Pharmacies seem to have been really under pressure for the last couple of months. The one I pick my repeat prescription up from is usually fine order on line go in a couple of days later and collect done.
Since before Christmas it has been chaos only 2 staff including pharmacist, prescription not made up after more than a week(twice), wrong medication, long queues in excess of 40 minutes.
I haven't complained because the pressure the staff have been under is horrendous. I have decided that if it's still the same next time I will write directly to head office and complain not about the staff but about the lack of organisation and staff levels which is down to management not the frontline staff

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 19/02/2023 16:20

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:17

Sorry, I wasn't clear.

The label on my bag of prescription drugs had somebody else's name and address.

That persons drugs have been dispensed to them with my details on the bag.

How do you know that has happened? Is this you assuming that there will be a counter-balanced error, or have they told you that's what happened?

I've never seen a prescription being dispensed without the name and address being verbally confirmed at the point of handover.

Goldpaw · 19/02/2023 16:21

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:17

Sorry, I wasn't clear.

The label on my bag of prescription drugs had somebody else's name and address.

That persons drugs have been dispensed to them with my details on the bag.

Won't they have encountered the same issue as you?

bikiniisland · 19/02/2023 16:26

That persons drugs have been dispensed to them with my details on the bag.

How could this possibly have happened? Also, how would you know about this?

Original poster

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:30

That's what I mean @PlaitBilledDuckyPuss

That person picked up their meds, correct meds, correct prescription - but the sticker on the bag had my details on

Mine had correct meds, correct prescription, but their name, address, DOB and phone no on

Am just startled given I thought they were checked - no harm done as they have their meds and I have mine. But it could have gone wrong so easily

OP posts:

Pssspsss · 19/02/2023 16:31

i think what you need to appreciate is that those staff are literally being worked to the bone. It’s shockingly stressful. Mistakes happen and believe you me the company will have their arses for it if you bring this up. It doesn’t matter that they take the piss out of those staff and expect miracles from them. They won’t have their backs if you kick up a stink over nothing.

safeguards are in place for preventing medication being handed out to the wrong customer. It wasn’t handed out to you with the wrong name/address on it, it wasn’t handed out to someone else, and your medication wasn’t handed out to the person whose name was on your bag. This is a near miss and they will record it on the appropriate systems and learn from this. They will learn from this. But you won’t be doing anyone any favours by taking this further x

bikiniisland · 19/02/2023 16:32

That person picked up their meds, correct meds, correct prescription - but the sticker on the bag had my details on

How?

AN Other goes to chemist

'Hi I'm here to pick up prescription for AN Other'

Why would the pharmacy hand over a prescription to AN Other that didn't say AN Other, but a different name in it?

Original poster

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:33

ThreeblackCats · 19/02/2023 16:15

You must understand that even with multiple safeguards, sometimes human error happens.

That's a bit mean

I haven't said anything to suggest I want someone fired to make me feel better.

OP posts:

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 19/02/2023 16:34

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:30

That's what I mean @PlaitBilledDuckyPuss

That person picked up their meds, correct meds, correct prescription - but the sticker on the bag had my details on

Mine had correct meds, correct prescription, but their name, address, DOB and phone no on

Am just startled given I thought they were checked - no harm done as they have their meds and I have mine. But it could have gone wrong so easily

How could that happen? I can understand you taking a bag with the wrong items but right name, but not wrong name right items. I've never taken a prescription where I've not said my name to collect and had someone confirm it.

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 19/02/2023 16:36

With a near miss like that they’ll likely have a quick review of what happened.

Sounds like someone was making two up at once and just popped the wrong label on the wrong bag.

Original poster

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:37

Pssspsss · 19/02/2023 16:31

Thanks, thatt was my thinking

The store manager said she'd look into it and I was happy to leave it with her, on Friday
I'm sure they have internal reviews to put processes into place

But then was telling some friends this morning and they were quite shocked at me just leaving it there
So I was dithering if I was supposed to report it - tho no idea where to!

OP posts:

Catoneverychair · 19/02/2023 16:39

To be fair, if they have the same rules as the NHS, they'll have to report this anyway.

Pssspsss · 19/02/2023 16:42

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:37

Thanks, thatt was my thinking

The store manager said she'd look into it and I was happy to leave it with her, on Friday
I'm sure they have internal reviews to put processes into place

But then was telling some friends this morning and they were quite shocked at me just leaving it there
So I was dithering if I was supposed to report it - tho no idea where to!

Show quote history

Thank you for understanding. The staff will probably feel like shit for that happening. They really do care. But they are under so much pressure and stress and these things do happen. The manager will properly look into it and it will form part of a monthly safety audit xx

Original poster

Tilllly · 19/02/2023 16:42

bikiniisland · 19/02/2023 16:32

That person picked up their meds, correct meds, correct prescription - but the sticker on the bag had my details on

How?

AN Other goes to chemist

'Hi I'm here to pick up prescription for AN Other'

Why would the pharmacy hand over a prescription to AN Other that didn't say AN Other, but a different name in it?

I'm guessing that they looked at the prescription, not the sticky label when they handed it out

They couldn't initially find mine because they were looking at the sticky labels - the one with my details had gone

OP posts:

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