Am i unreasonable to make a complaint to the pharmacy.

[Treebaubles]

We only have one pharmacy in our village. My DD(17) has had her Sertraline upped from 50 to 75mgs. I took the prescription there and they said they don’t do this dose. I asked if they could do it as 50+25 mgs which I know the Sertraline is available in, but they said they won’t do that.
I drove to the next village and that chemist was absolutely fine to dispense it as 50+25. WIBU to put in a complaint to the first chemist?

Or maybe 25mg three tablets daily?

Yes, I was confused too as GP prescribing systems have all the available formulations on them but this was a hospital (CAHMS) doctor so it would have been a hand written prescription.

It's most likely a hand written script

It's most likely a hand written script

It's most likely a hand written script

It's most likely a hand written script

It's most likely a hand written script

My son takes the same medication. He is taking 75mg and gets a full box of 50mg a month and another box half a month's supply. We have to cut in half the tablets, therefore he gets his 75mg a day. Pharmacists order different brands so no, do not report it......

A CAMHs doctor should be aware though given it is one of the drugs they probably prescribe most regularly!

They should have been but no unheard of. But annoying for OP.

We had similar with an antibiotic dose my dayghwas often prescribed. Not commonly instock and some pharmacies would give a mixed dose like you suggest. Taking 3 spoons instead of 2 etc. I found one locally that would so got in the habit of going there automatically. Worked in their favour as I’ve used them often when I wouldn’t have before.

My DS11 takes liquid sertraline. He has 3ml of 25mg a day and has done for approx 2 years. The one before last prescription was refused by the pharmacist (ASDA) as it didn't explicitly say sugar free. The prescription has been a repeat every month and it has never had those words on. We've never requested it either. So I've no idea why they needed it.

Contacted GP and they re-issued but pharmacist again refused saying it needed to be worded in a specific manner. So weird and I am still perplexed by it.

Come to the most recent one and surprise surprise, the script didn't say sugar free - it was the same as usual - yet it was dispensed with no issues. Again, at ASDA. Perhaps it's a staff thing?

I think a blanket no without an explanation of the reasoning and how to find a solution does warrant a complaint.
I think the other way around it would be to dispense x3 25mg tablets which is what they’ve done with my epilepsy medication to avoid being on 2 different strengths even though it’s 3 to take. (If that’s the issue!) So the issue isn’t insurmountable, they could also contact the prescriber and flag and issue and sort it out if they felt it was an inappropriate or unsafe prescription (which it’s probably not).
So really for me it’s how they handled it that warrants the complaint if that makes sense. Very computer says no.

You could complain to the first pharmacy that the situation wasn't explained to you. In this kind of situation I would speak to the patient or patient rep myself. However, December is our busiest time of year and the week before Christmas is particularly crazy. This isn't a justification of poor customer service though.

CAHMs are notorious for writing prescriptions incorrectly and then just relying on the goodwill of a pharmacist to dispense the item. Some will take the risk but others won't. It isn't as simple as giving sertraline 25mg tablets with take 3 daily as you would have to give a larger quantity than prescribed. If the patient then took an overdose you would have to answer for the quantity dispensed and the prescriber would wash their hands of it because the pharmacist deviated from the prescription. It isn't about being awkward or making you have to travel to another chemist to get a supply, the prescriber shouldn't have put the pharmacist in such a position.

I would complain to the prescriber and ask them to write the prescription correctly.

75 isnt a normal/recognised dose tbf. At best its a very cautious increase

Usually its increased in increments of 50mg (as per the formulary), but you're correct in that it doesn't make the GP wrong or at fault, just a bit random

I work in a pharmacy and also reiterate pp CHAMs and hospitals prescriptions are notorious for being written incorrectly as they are hand written. If prescription states a 75mg tablet then it is incorrect but if written as sertraline 75mg once daily for 28 days for example it would be acceptable. It’s extremely inconvenient for patients and pharmacies and it can sometimes take days to get hold of the prescriber in order to obtain a correctly written prescription. In urgent cases if a patient or carer can’t get the prescription amended I would have attempted to contact the prescriber but as also stated above it is an extremely busy time of the year and it’s not always possible to get hold of the prescriber. Ultimately the prescriber is at fault and as you now know how the prescriber should write the prescription my advice is to check it upon collection next time, please also check it is signed and dated correctly and a quantity or timescale is written on it. I personally would have gone the extra mile as would my colleagues and attempted to contact the prescriber. I hope this information helps, it’s very stressful for the patient when this happens but unfortunately it’s an everyday occurrence .

I have a recurring condition, and as well as other painkillers I am on 600 mg of pregabalin. When I start to wean off them between flare ups, my gp has to prescribe them in 6 x 100 instead of 3 x 200 as the pharmacy won't do it for you.

Won't do what..? Your post isn't clear.

Yes. This would have been the reason. The pharmacist who works in the medical centre I work in is a prescriber and is able to do reviews of medication, make changes etc. Not all pharmacists are.

pregabalin are classed as a cd (controlled drug) and have specific written requirements for the prescription to be valid. The quantity has to be in words and figures the prescription has to have a strength specified and a form (tablet or capsule) and a dose and the prescription is only valid for 28 days (as opposed to 6 months) from the date on the prescription and it obviously has to be signed.

Please don’t waste your time complaining … this is not a big deal in the greater scheme of things. The staff who work in a pharmacy are under constant stress and abuse from the public who demand their medications - everyone thinks they’re the most deserving of all. I work in a pharmacy and have met many pharmacists over the years - they all differ slightly in what they can and cannot do and what hills they’re willing to die on. I’m sorry you had to go elsewhere and that it was a journey for you, but please just remember how understaffed the NHS are and that everyone is now encouraged to seek “pharmacy first” treatments.
I’m not saying it wasn’t annoying for you but trust me when I say this is a very, very stressful job and if no one’s health was seriously harmed (ie wrong medication taken and person nearly died as a result) then please, please just rise above. Different pharmacists, different rules. Move on.
Ps. Posters who have commented the prescriber did not write the script properly are correct. Very often this is the case and the pharmacy staff get to take the blame for it.

My DH takes 35mg of a medication. As it doesn’t come in that dosage He has 2 separate prescriptions. One for 10mg and one for 25mg.

In my experience pharmacist can only dispense in what the dr writes on prescription so the first pharmacy was right

No . Don’t complain. Pharmacists are already under enormous pressure. It’s they’re responsibility what they dispense.So if they don’t want do it the way you asked or the incorrect way it’s been prescribed then that’s they’re right to say No . Most are independent pharmacists doing an awful lot of services in the community with less credit than GPs and a lot less salary.

I'd depends of the " chemist " worker..if they can be bothered even trying to help. You always get someone