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.

A big part of this is on you. Why leave it to only a couple of days meds left when you know you can’t collect the prescription. You need to order far enough in advance it’s not an issue

Didn't I already explain this earlier?

I don't order it. It's sent to me by ADHD 360 who I'm being treated by through the Right to Choose pathway. I did actually ask if they could send it a week earlier one time so I've always got time to collect it, like I do with my NHS prescriptions, but they said no.

I think I'm just going to have to speak to them. People don't seem to be getting the point that this isn't a regular NHS prescription that I order and collect at my convenience. It is sent automatically by ADHD 360 and arrives the day before I run out.

But yes I ultimately shouldn't be getting it delivered to work in all likelihood. I do think this guy was just being a prick though because he doesn't raise an eyebrow when the hauliers get 25L tubs of hydrochloric acid delivered (which we use to clean concrete off the trucks).

Granted the acid is used for business purposes but strictly speaking it should be dealt with via COSHH guidelines and stored in bunded cages if we're going to be particular about it. To moan about a prescription being delivered but be fine with drivers carrying 25L tubs of acid around in their footwells is a bit odd.

I'll just find another way to get my meds but fuck this guy. I might email an anonymous pic/video to the H&S dept of a tub of acid sitting in the yard and see how he likes it.

That is so inappropriate having a controlled drug delivered to your place of work for personal use. I can’t believe how you would ever think that’s ok?!

I think it's exactly because it's not like a normal prescription that people say it shouldn't be delivered to work!!!

It is a controlled drug.

Adhd360 will deliver it to a nominated pharmacy. We will be doing this too hopefully after assessment/diagnosis!

That seems really petty. By all means, do raise a safety issue but ordering controlled drugs to work is not acceptable either.

I do have empathy though as I have a delivery company for some meds and it’s not like collecting an NHS prescription. They’re also a nightmare to make contact with, deliver whenever they fancy without warning and sometimes don’t even turn up!