Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think they should have staff that will sell me it?

27 replies

birdworthington · 03/05/2010 15:15

I am so angry, my friend asked me to get her the map today as she was to embarrassed to go herself. So I went to several supermarkets and none had it so went to a large boots store miles away.

When I asked for it the pharmacist said he had to redirect me to another boots, I asked him if they stocked and he said yes they do but for personal reasons he wouldn't sell it to me!

I was completely shocked and outraged! I understand if it is something to do with his religion but surely boots should have someone there who can sell it. Aibu to think he shouldn't be working there if he can pick and choose what drugs to sell according to his religion?

OP posts:
Missus84 · 03/05/2010 15:17

I would write to Boots and complain, outrageous that women can't access contraception because of some individual's personal beliefs!

thisisyesterday · 03/05/2010 15:17

well i'd have just asked him to find someone who could sell it to me, and then asked to speak to the manager and waited until i got it tbh!

FabIsGoingToGetFit · 03/05/2010 15:17

YABU

You can not buy the MAP for someone else.

I suggest your friend sorts herself out some contraception.

Missus84 · 03/05/2010 15:19

True, they probably wouldn't have sold it to you if they knew it was for someone else - but that's a bit beside the point!

RedRedWine1980 · 03/05/2010 15:21

I think you are NOT being unreasonable, however im sure people will bleat how its up to this person to have their beliefs and not have to ignore them to suit customers..however we all have our own views and beliefs but working in a job that involves prescribing medicine for people/caring for others should mean you act professionally, not judgementally.

Ivykaty44 · 03/05/2010 15:22

It is a job, this crops up time and time again

this is so wrong

Original poster
birdworthington · 03/05/2010 15:28

Yes she should have bought it for herself but thats not the point.

It really pisses me off when nurses fear losing their jobs because they wear a small cross but his religion means he won't sell me something and that's ok.

Boots will be getting a massive letter of complaint from me.

OP posts:
oceryo · 03/05/2010 15:30

YANBU. Selling the MAP is part of the job so if they can't do it they shouldn't work there.

memoo · 03/05/2010 15:55

Yanbu but then yabu because you were going to to lie to them in order to get the MAP.

Sorry but you should be telling your friend that if she is mature enough to be having sex then she should be mature enought to seek out her own MAP

memoo · 03/05/2010 15:59

infact the more I think about it the more I think you were being a bit blooming stupid to even cosider lying to get it. There are various medical questions they will need to ask her before they can assess wether she is suitable. You could be putting her health at risk!!!

Did you pretend it was for you or that you were her

jcscot · 03/05/2010 16:02

"YANBU. Selling the MAP is part of the job so if they can't do it they shouldn't work there."

I could be wrong, but aren't pharmacists/doctors/nurses allowed to decline to sell/prescribe the MAP so long as they refer you to someone else who can do it? Sounds as though he was within his rights, even if it was inconvenient for you.

Certainly doctors and nurses are allowed to refuse to perform abortions but they must refer you to another health professional who will provide them.

FabIsGoingToGetFit · 03/05/2010 16:29

Of course it is the point! You are trying to get the pharmacist to prescribe a drug knowing full well it isn't for you. Would you have known all the answers to the questions.

What you should have done is agree to go with your friend, who is how old?, and asked if there was someone who was able to prescribe.

unfitmother · 03/05/2010 16:41

YABU to try to obtain prescription-only drugs for a 'friend' and YABU to think that staff should be forced to supply drugs that induce an abortion if that is against their conscience.

SoupDragon · 03/05/2010 16:43

"I could be wrong, but aren't pharmacists/doctors/nurses allowed to decline to sell/prescribe the MAP so long as they refer you to someone else who can do it? "

I thought this was the case too.

ScaredOne · 03/05/2010 16:47

I do see a difference between a doctor having to perform an abortion (active) and someone selling a pill. I do not think YABU.
It's just plain wrong that you need to go somewhere else. What if you live in a small village with only one pharmacy and no way to go somewhere else asap? The you might have to have a child/abortion whatever because you couldn't get the pill early enough!? Stupid.

He is within his rights though I believe. Unfortunately. I believe that if you don't want to give out medication pharmacist is the wrong job.
My mother is a nurse and doesn't agree with some unnecessary procedures but doesn't have a religion to back herself up so she has to do what she is told or get an official warning. Sometimes jobs are rough, live with it

juneybean · 03/05/2010 16:49

As others have said, they'd not have given it you anyways. They need to ask health questions.

oceryo · 03/05/2010 17:07

Surely any "referral" should be within the same store or only a very short distance away?

Eglu · 03/05/2010 17:19

ScaredOne, a GP can also refuse to refer you for an abortion, so what if you then had to travel to another surgery for the referral.

I do think that pharmacies should make it so somebody is available at all time who will sell it though.

Choconellie · 03/05/2010 17:38

So what happened?
Did another member of staff appear and sell it to you?
Or did you travel to the other Boots?
Or has your friend still not got it yet?

Firawla · 03/05/2010 17:43

yabu, they are allowed to refuse to sell it so he is within his rights. inconvenient for you but thats not the shop workers problem really. if i worked in boots i dont think i would sell it either.

oceryo · 03/05/2010 17:57

So what if the tables were turned, and there was a member of staff who felt it was against their principles to serve customers who were religious?

diddl · 03/05/2010 18:05

He is within his rights, but I do think it´s pretty ridiculous if there is no other pharmacist about.

Should his right to not sell be more important than the right of a person to buy?

I don´t know if it still holds but when you entered a shop it was an "invitation to treat" & the shopowner did not have to sell anything to anyone if he didn´t want to.

ScaredOne · 03/05/2010 18:30

Eglu, I didn't know that. Seems just as odd to me though. Although to be fair the morning after pill needs to be taken asap for it to work right whereas a few hours or even a day longer should not (usually) make a difference when you need an abortion.

I do agree though that there wouldn't be a problem if someone else in the shop would sell it but the way I got it was that she had to go to some other boots. And that could take too long.

Not saying what she did was right as of course the person should go herself.
BUt to be honest, if I should ever need the morning after pill I would feel a bit embarrassed and then being told that the person behind the counter doesn't sell it due to personal values would make me feel even worse.
I don't think you should feel judged in these situations but this is probably exactly why some people send others.

colditz · 03/05/2010 18:32

YANBU

MAP is NOT prescription only.

And people should not be able to refuse emergency care because the bloody fairies at the bottom of the garden say so!

ScaredOne · 03/05/2010 18:33

And OCERY (sorry, forgot this): Then you would be discriminating and work against the law.

So as diddl kinda indicated, it seems as if the rights of this (probably religious or very idealistic man) are more important.

Swipe left for the next trending thread