To think this is too long for repeat prescriptions?

[Caerulea]

The waiting time for prescriptions at our surgery (rural, dispensary on-site, no pharmacy in the village) is now at 14 days. They've been working their 'backlog' for a couple of years now & the time just takes longer and longer.

They recently said we can put requests in up to 10 days in advance of when we need the meds but they are over-running every month. This month I would have been 3 days without my anti-depressants having put my request in on the 19th. Rang today to chase, was told to go down. Sent eldest to grab them & they refused. I rang again, they refused & just said it would be tomorrow at some point. Put the phone down & burst into tears at which point DH grabbed the car keys and drove down there. Came back with the prescription (without being aggy, prolly just looked desperate cos he knows tomorrow would be really unpleasant for me).

But really? 14 days turnaround? How long are you guys having to wait?

YABU - that's just how it is, suck it up buttercup
YANBU - that's batshit! Are they hand-pressing each pill?

Ours is also about 48 hours. I order on the GP app and then get a text from the pharmacy when it's ready to collect.

Mine is about 5 days, but I use a very rural doctor/pharmacy.

That's terrible. I filled out a request for my repeat via the NHS app first thing friday morning last week. I picked up my medication Saturday early afternoon. I'd ask to speak with the practice manager, being without your meds is dangerous and unacceptable and they need to ensure this doesn't happen

I use the NHS app, order in the morning, ready to collect at the pharmacy later the same day. You can choose or change your pharmacy on the app.

I've noticed mine has become increasingly longer between request and available for collection over the last 12 months or so.
I think availability of specific meds has been an issue in some instances but it doesn't really help.
The very positive thing at my pharmacy is their "vending machine" which means I can collect my meds at my convenience 24/7 - once they've been dispensed.

Dispensing patients can’t just change the pharmacy on the app (Or change pharmacies easily) You need to ask the surgery to allow you to use other pharmacies.
As they make money from the dispensary, they don’t really want you going anywhere else, but ask at the surgery directly. If they’re happy for you to go elsewhere then use an online pharmacy.

I do mine about 7 days before I run out and never had a problem.

I’ve waited up to eight days for it to be approved, then four days until I could collect it from the pharmacy as they had to order it in (only a steroid nasal spray so nothing special).
DH cannot request his antidepressant on the app so has to send in a message, usually takes up to a week, too.

Mine is usually 4 or 5 working days. Brilliantly they also have a kind of vending machIne where you pay online or set your exemption, then pick it up with a code whenever you want - 24/7.

But in an emergency, the quickest way is to take it in person and wait for them to do it there and then.

I don’t say this lightly as I work in ‘the system’ but I would google your local Integrated Care Board (ICB), find a contact us email and ask them to look into it. It’s not acceptable and there will be support for them to make improvements.

My local pharmacy varies depending on the size of prescription I've ordered. If it's just one urgently needed item, eg antibiotics, they'll be ready to pick up the same day. My bi-monthly (every two months) big prescription, with anti-epilepsy meds, thyroxine, statins, and the rest generally have to be made up at a place referred to as The Hub and sent to the branch. That can take well over a week, so I make sure I put the request in on the NHS app as soon as the items become available for order. My pharmacy is literally 30 seconds walk from my front door and they keep long hours so I can pick my meds up as soon as they are available. I understand what you are saying about your anti-depressants OP; just the thought of running out of anti-epilepsy meds gives me the horrors.

Our pharmacy isn't bad. The surgery OTOH. . .every time I get the big prescription, I have to check it meticulously to make sure nothing's been missed. And if they can, they'll try to blame the pharmacy, which does them no credit at all, IMPO.

Our GP dispensary is like a creaky old dinosaur, not fit for purpose.

I use Lloyd’s Direct. Submit the request for a repeat on my phone, usually approved by GP within 24 hours, in the post to me the next day. Usually received within 4 days of submitting the request, no postage costs, delivered by Royal Mail. It’s been a game changer.

@Caerulea if you click the grey "request repeat prescription" box, does it offer you something in the next page to change your pharmacy?

If not, I have a feeling it's different because you're under a dispensing doctor.

Yes 5 days for mine too.

YANBU - it's the exact same with me. They are ADHD meds so thankfully not dangerous not to take or anything, but they are still necessary for functioning and it's stressful and time-consuming to have to keep going back to the pharmacy to hear it's actually going to be another day, then the next.

That seems an awful lot of faff just to get meds.

Here my pharmacy automatically picks up my repeat prescription every 28 days, dispenses it into blister packs and pops round to deliver it. The packs are numbered 1/2/3/4 and have a little sticker next to the Wednesday strip on the 4th pack to remind me that's the day they'll deliver the next pack.

That way I get it 4 days before I run out which gives me a little leeway to arrange an alternative delivery or get someone to pick them up if I'm going to be out that day without risking running out of meds.

Someone else has mentioned it the dispensing Dr as being the reason why it's not there. The surgery has it's own dispensery, right next to reception, so I guess this is the case.

Thank you, I will do that. I don't actually want to get anyone in trouble but this has been going on since covid & it's just getting wise. My mum is T1 & even she's had these problems getting the kit she needs to, yanno, live!

Hmm. Works for me and my GP has their own dispensary though, also next to their reception.

My doctors take a couple of days and then it goes direct to the pharmacy and that’s pretty fast. But also the pharmacy issued me with a week’s supply of my thyroid medication (at my request) because I put the request in late.

@Fencehedge It's all very strange, they've clearly got a lot of control over what they offer. I'm also confused about my dose of sertraline being offered on pharmacy4u

Sounds like they certainly don't make it easy!

Do you even have to nominate a pharmacy to collect from?

Unless it means that they keep on top of what you need there doesn't seem to be any point!

Our surgery quotes 3 days but I requested my prescription on Monday evening, I popped in to the pharmacy on Tuesday afternoon to pick up DHs prescription and my prescription was on their system.
I order the prescriptions on the NHS app so it’s very automated. Also they don’t really need to review them. They also have a clinical pharmacist who sorts out any queries and adjustments. The GP just refers it on and the pharmacist calls you for a consult.

They cannot refuse. You contact pharmacy 2 u and they do it all for you. It’s so easy and it gets delivered to your door