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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

A pharmacy one. This can't be right can it?

59 replies

IncognitoMam · 03/10/2023 14:20

Dh went to the GP and was prescribed anti bs and an inhaler. He went to the local pharmacy and they said there was a prescription for me too and gave him it. We both pay.
Y issue isn't really with me, dh knows I have this medication. But some people might not want their dh knowing surely?

AIBU or is this not unusual?

OP posts:
Afterschoolrun · 03/10/2023 14:25

Sounds like they were trying to be helpful. There isn't much GDPR around prescriptions, anyone can drop a script off and anyone can pick them up so it's kind of silly really. Would anyone really keep medication secret from their husband or wife? I think you're being offended unnecessarily.

Original poster
IncognitoMam · 03/10/2023 14:26

My*

OP posts:
123ZYX · 03/10/2023 14:27

I'm sure there are people in abusive relationships who hide the fact they're on birth control, for example.

If someone drops off a prescription, the person has shared their own medical details. If the pharmacy tells someone, they have breached GDPR

Original poster
IncognitoMam · 03/10/2023 14:28

123ZYX · 03/10/2023 14:27

I'm sure there are people in abusive relationships who hide the fact they're on birth control, for example.

If someone drops off a prescription, the person has shared their own medical details. If the pharmacy tells someone, they have breached GDPR

That was my thinking. Even hiding antidepressants.

OP posts:
declutteringmymind · 03/10/2023 14:28

Yup they've breached. Need better procedures and staff training

Shouldn't be happening these days but was rife in the past

GadgetArms · 03/10/2023 14:28

They should not do this.

When I worked for Boots we were specifically warned about this after a neighbouring pharmacy gave a wife meds for her husband. It was sildenafil (Viagra), turns out he was not using it with her!

If your DH has requested your meds then generally it's ok to give out (unless notes on the system to say otherwise) but they shouldn't give it without him asking for it.

GadgetArms · 03/10/2023 14:31

There isn't much GDPR around prescriptions

Also not true. Pharmacies are absolutely subject to GDPR regulations. I know because I had to go to a very long and very dull training day about it when they came out.

SM4713 · 03/10/2023 14:31

Surely if you had secret meds you didn't want your partner to know about- you'd use a different pharmacy???

I agree though, its a breach. Do you know the pharmacist yourself or been seen in there with your DH? Sounds like they were saving you a separate visit.

Ineedanewmoniker · 03/10/2023 14:31

Afterschoolrun · 03/10/2023 14:25

Sounds like they were trying to be helpful. There isn't much GDPR around prescriptions, anyone can drop a script off and anyone can pick them up so it's kind of silly really. Would anyone really keep medication secret from their husband or wife? I think you're being offended unnecessarily.

You really haven't thought about this at all.
As pp have said, there are all sorts of reasons why partners or family members might not want their confidential medical information shared.
Birth control is a particularly good example.

Original poster
IncognitoMam · 03/10/2023 14:32

No he didn't even know I'd asked for them. As I said we don't have medical secrets but I know some people are private (for different reasons)

OP posts:
ohotoframe · 03/10/2023 14:33

Where I used to work we wouldn't let their spouse collect (unless we had specific instructions) and the amount of grief we got from people telling us how ridiculous and inconvenient the rule was.
The daft thing was, we would let them call up their OH and we'd speak to them on the phone to confirm their spouse could collect. But in all honestly we didn't even really know it was the patient on the other end of the phone.
So, i do have some sympathy with your chemist.

BoohooWoohoo · 03/10/2023 14:34

People who can't tell their OH about a prescription will probably use a pharmacy far away or an online one.

sipsqueak · 03/10/2023 14:35

Bad practice on the part of the pharmacy. I would complain.

Many times when I've been in pharmacies, the pharmacist will announce people's full names and also discuss people's personal and medication information loudly so that everyone who's standing around waiting can hear. It really bugs me.

123ZYX · 03/10/2023 14:37

BoohooWoohoo · 03/10/2023 14:34

People who can't tell their OH about a prescription will probably use a pharmacy far away or an online one.

That's besides the point - GDPR still applies. If there is personal information (medical details) held by an organisation that can be tied to an identifiable individual, they must not share those details (outside of very specific exceptions which wouldn't be covered here)

And there will be reasons some people can't - maybe they live rurally and can't drive so can only get to their local pharmacy. If they use an online pharmacy they can't control when it's delivered.

Deathbyfluffy · 03/10/2023 14:38

IncognitoMam · 03/10/2023 14:28

That was my thinking. Even hiding antidepressants.

Show quote history

Why would someone hide antidepressants from their partner?
If they can't talk about their mental wellbeing with a partner, they aren't in much of a relationship!

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 03/10/2023 14:41

Deathbyfluffy · 03/10/2023 14:38

Why would someone hide antidepressants from their partner?
If they can't talk about their mental wellbeing with a partner, they aren't in much of a relationship!

Show quote history

Such a naive way of thinking

YANBU OP

Jules912 · 03/10/2023 14:41

I had the opposite once. I sent DH to collect my prescription as I was too ill to do so (hence needing it urgently) and they wouldn't give it to him until he called me and I said it was ok. So on that basis I'd say no they shouldn't.

123ZYX · 03/10/2023 14:41

@Deathbyfluffy their reasons for not sharing are irrelevant - it isn't up to the pharmacy to decide if it's a good enough reason.

It's not always easy to leave relationships. Imagine if you were in an abusive relationship and you were worried that if your abuser knew about you being on antidepressants it would be used against you in family court. It would make it harder to leave the relationship if the medical information was shared. You might need those antidepressants to help you get well enough to leave

sipsqueak · 03/10/2023 14:42

@Deathbyfluffy I'm sure you are intelligent enough to imagine a scenario in which a person would wish to keep their personal medical information private, including (or perhaps especially) from his or her spouse. Anyway, that's besides the point. People are entitled to privacy by law so the pharmacy is in the wrong here.

VeridicalVagabond · 03/10/2023 14:42

Deathbyfluffy · 03/10/2023 14:38

Why would someone hide antidepressants from their partner?
If they can't talk about their mental wellbeing with a partner, they aren't in much of a relationship!

Show quote history

Really? You can't think of a single reason someone might need to hide medication?

Not everyone is in a happy, non abusive marriage. Sorry to burst whatever bubble you live in but thousands of women are stuck in abusive marriages, sometimes even arranged ones where leaving is a lot more complicated than just the Mumsnet fave "LTB and change the locks".

The world isn't sunshine, lollipops and rainbows and a woman might very well need to hide antidepressants from an abusive partner while she does what she can to either leave or survive.

Furryrug · 03/10/2023 14:43

Afterschoolrun · 03/10/2023 14:25

Sounds like they were trying to be helpful. There isn't much GDPR around prescriptions, anyone can drop a script off and anyone can pick them up so it's kind of silly really. Would anyone really keep medication secret from their husband or wife? I think you're being offended unnecessarily.

I kept the contraceptive pill secret from my abusive ex.

pizzaHeart · 03/10/2023 14:43

Yes. It’s absolutely a breach.
I would raise it with them in writing to trigger relevant training because for you it’s not an issue at all but for someone it might have really serious consequences. Imagine a 17 y.o on birth control and her abusive parents are picking up a prescription?
It doesn’t matter for me personally, we all open about our medication and pick up prescription for each other but it looks differently. My DH will come and say : “I believe the prescription for pizzaHeart is ready. She’s got a txt about it”
It’s not like they are volunteering this info to anyone at my address.

For those who say if you have problems just send it to a different pharmacy - it’s not an argument, rules exist for a reason and any pharmacy should follow them,

bigshort · 03/10/2023 14:45

Deathbyfluffy · 03/10/2023 14:38

Why would someone hide antidepressants from their partner?
If they can't talk about their mental wellbeing with a partner, they aren't in much of a relationship!

Show quote history

Maybe that's why they're on the bloody anti-depressants!

Try thinking.

Original poster
IncognitoMam · 03/10/2023 14:46

I'm glad some people agree as I was frothing and dh couldn't understand why.

OP posts:
margotrose · 03/10/2023 14:47

YANBU. That's completely inappropriate and I would complain, personally. Doing that could put a vulnerable person at serious risk.