Getting prescription delivered to workplace - OK or bad practice?

[SidhuVicious]

So, I recently restarted on the ADHD meds I took as a teen. Went via the RTC pathway and they're now prescribed by ADHD 360 with the idea that my GP will take over shared care once stabilised.

The issue is that they send the meds in the post to arrive the day before I need them and I'm never home to sign for them. My elderly neighbour agreed to help but missed the first two days claiming they didn't attempt (assuming she didn't hear the door) and the third time she was out, so that isn't really working.

I decided I'd just collect them from the post office depot in future but after failed delivery to my address on a Monday I wasn't able to get to the post office until the Saturday and went three days without my medication which caused severe withdrawal symptoms.

One of the managers suggested I get them delivered to work and this has been fine the past two months. However, today I got a call from a colleague whilst on a day's annual leave telling me that the other manager was furious and that I needed to go in immediately and collect them - had to leave my friend's house and do a two hour round trip in the traffic to collect them.

Manager was saying that I could've got them all in big trouble as the person that signed for them left them in the management office and big boss could've found them. Apparently he was saying to my colleague that the package 'looked suspicious' and said something about it probably being some dodgy steroids for my partner which I didn't want delivered to my house (he knows my partner is a big guy who competes in powerlifting, although he doesn't use anything of the sort). I'm guessing somebody must've mentioned it was medication.

I spoke to the manager in question and explained it was my medication and that the other manager had said it was fine and he immediately said I shouldn't be implicating other people and that his wife works for the NHS and he knows that prescriptions are not usually posted and signed for. I offered to open the box to show him the meds and also an email on my phone with my prescription.

He said I could absolutely not open it in front of the plant cameras as that would put him in the situation that he'd have to report it due to visual evidence implicating him and to just take it and leave site immediately. Wouldn't let me get a word in.

I'm a little staggered. The whole situation is fucking bonkers to me. Fair enough, I'd be happy to never order it to work in future but this seems completely disproportionate, especially as everybody is usually pretty chilled here usually and managers regularly do things like let us leave before our hours are up if they know the work is done for the day etc.

Anyway, aside from the odd comments about it being dodgy steroids etc I'm wondering if ordering prescriptions to work is generally a no no. I wasn't expecting it to arrive until Monday so usually would've been there to sign for it myself.

Is it a controlled drug? Many adhd meds are and the fact it needs signing for suggests it probably is.

I would get a prescription to my work as a one off, having asked before, but not ADHD meds as they are controlled drugs!

It's Concerta so yes it probably is.

And definitely not delivered while I’m on leave.

As I said, it wouldn't usually have arrived until the Monday. And I'd been told it was OK by another manager. But obv I won't do it going forwards.

If you get severe withdrawal symptoms from Concerta does that mean you never take a day or two off? I've been on and off Concerta and a few other stimulants for over 20 years and they work far far better if you skip a day or two each week, and if possible a few days or more every few months to avoid building up a tolerance and going up in dose. I certainly rely on my meds for busy days and workdays but as long as I don't have that much to do it's not uncomfortable. I had no idea stimulants could cause withdrawals but I know everyone is different. I wonder if a shorter-acting stimulant like Medikinet would work well but be easier to stop and start? I'm sure you have your reasons for taking Concerta but I do think you might eventually struggle if you can't go a few days without it.

Re your main question -- your manager's response was OTT but clearly you can't send it to work again. Can you get a PO Box or someplace that can accept mail on your behalf and you pick it up later, but with better hours than the mail depot?

Of course you shouldn't order medication to come to the office. It can be stolen and misused. Concerta is in the same controlled class as opiates. You wouldn't order tramadol to come to your workplace for the same reasons. Obviously, it's not your fault as you got manager's permission but your manager has no clue. No office risk assessment would allow it.

Op- I have medication delivered regularly by Sciensus (van delivery) and it has to be signed for. I work so never at home so I have it delivered to a pharmacy who are more than happy for this to happen. I checked with them first of course and assume it’s fairly common. Worth a try as you can then pick up when suits you.
I have another medication that has to be kept in a fridge so I haven’t used the pharmacy for this but book evening/weekend deliveries instead.

Blimey, we cant even have paracetamol outside of a locked cupboard at work! i do work in a school though.
ADHD meds are controlled drugs and as such their delivery should be signed for by the recipient only. Im not surprised the manager was so angry.
Also, if there was a 3 day gap with delivery of one prescription, then surely you'd have 3 spare tablets at the end of that month to cover any delay from the next delivery?

Can't you talk to Dr and ask them to send a few days earlier so you have time to pick up? ( or arrange a set WFH day so you will definitely be there to sign for them).

What if you’re off sick and your meds are at work? Sorry but this is a very bad idea.

Get the meds delivered to you, and change the delivery details so it's always to you. Why did you take AL if you knew drugs were going to work? why didn't you change the delivery details so they came to you at home? When all said and done, those drugs are your responsibility and yours alone, not your work colleagues, managers, or neighbour. Yours.

Can't they be delivered to a chemist first collection?

Who is going to pay for this service?

It's fairly common for lots of the delivered RA drugs to get it to go to your work as they need to be signed for - but the day is usually agreed in advance so that you can get them - it's a courier service rather than regular mail

When I worked in an office I had to tell the delivery company who would sign for them (usually receptionist), now I have my own studio so it's delivered to me directly

The managers response is OTT and a bit ridiculous but they should only be delivered there if you can get them that day.

I can understand the confusion when 1 manager said it was fine and the other went ballistic. My old office stopped ALL deliveries to the office. It was mainly clothing deliveries, but 1 woman had a full grocery shop delivered! A controlled drug is even more serious and I can understand why it isn't allowed.

I'm not familiar with the medication, but why can't your specialist have the script delivered to a local pharmacy- boots, superdrug etc. You then collect it from there? Have you asked about this?

@fiftiesmum Lots of chemists do collections for free. I collected a clothes order from my local one.

@fiftiesmum a service that already exists??

Why don’t you get your prescription sent to a chemist then you can pick them up .

Only if they are involved in the dispensing

There would be a service agreement in place with the delivery company

I honestly think it sounds discriminatory towards you. He's basically trying to say you shouldn't be prescribed this medication? Even though he doesn't know what it is? Surely everyone is entitled to use and receive delivery of prescribed medicine? I simply don't understand why the receptionist or person who signed for it didn't just drop you a brief message saying you have a delivery from xyz. And that shite about dodgy steroids? It's bang out of order to say these things. He's calling you a liar or saying your breaking the law!
I'd be fucking seething.

They do offer the option of sending the prescription to your chosen chemist for collection, I don't think it's fair for your workplace to have the responsibility of having them there when they are a controlled drug and often used recreationally

I don't know about the OP but my drugs cannot be sent to a pharmacy as it's prescribed by a different route (shared care with hospital - complicated nhs arrangements) so only the dispensing company are involved and they aren't affiliated with a company who have physical pharmacy they will only delivered to an address with a list of who can sign for them

I get 2 drugs delivered this way by separate companies - it used to be easier as they would give you a dedicated delivery slot of 1-2hrs but now I presume to save money you just get told 8am-8pm on a certain day

He's basically trying to say you shouldn't be prescribed this medication

Ffs! No he's not. He's simply saying that they can't take responsibility for signing for and having controlled drugs delivered to the workplace. Particularly when the person they are for isn't even there. And he is definitely entitled to say that.