Do you think pharmacists have the right to do this?

[user01082312345]

I was prescribed strong painkillers by a doctor for something which is very personal and I only felt comfortable discussing it with the doctor at the clinic I visited. I took my prescription to the pharmacy, and the lab technician asked me why the doctor had prescribed me this medication. I told her it was personal, and she rudely said that the pharmacist would have to know. I replied that the pharmacist doesn't have to know, that it's not her business, it's between me and my doctor. There were customers waiting within earshot in the queue behind me, and I certainly did not want them knowing the reason why I'd been prescribed this medication. The lab tech rolled her eyes, asked if I was a smoker or had any allergies (which I was happy to answer), and told me it would be ready in 30 minutes.

Are pharmacists beginning to overstep the mark in demanding customers to reveal what should be confidential information, and expecting you to discuss your medical issues in public?? I understand that pharmacists want to prevent opioid abuse etc. but they could have always just called the doctor's clinic to verify the prescription. Or if it was absolutely necessary to know the reason, then at least take me aside out of earshot of the general public or in a side room.

Interested to know what you guys think. Maybe I'm in the wrong I dunno.

I felt a bit arsey when I was asked why I was taking a drug in a Boots pharmacy 30 years ago.

The pharmacist pointed out that I was eligible for free prescriptions, they saved me a fortune over the years.

Pharmacists are a lot more qualified than doctors when it comes to knowledge of medication. My pharmacist has picked up prescribing errors on a few occasions - incorrect dose or too short a course, and they have the ultimate responsibility to ensure the patient is being given the most suitable drug for their needs.

However, I despair at the lack of privacy in pharmacies. Questions like this should be asked in a private room not in a full shop. I hate the way they bellow out your name and often bark out the name of the drug or how often to take it.

Wouldn’t the drs software flag up potential interactions in red when prescribing?

that's the pharmacist's speciality, not a dr's.

I've changed pharmacy over rude staff from daft questions like why are you STILL taking this? I pointed out I would die if I didn't 🙄 have you even had a blood test lately? They will harm you if you don't need them....yes I have blood tests all the time can I have my prescription now? Being flapped at and shouted at claiming it was ONE QUEUE ONLY (basically there used to be two one for the chemist one for otc goods they changed it during covid so your all bunched up together instead of spread out) to basically being ignored I swear if I didn't have a chronic health condition I wouldn't bother with those places 😉

Pharmacists know more about medicine than doctors do. Some doctors just fork out prescriptions without considering existing medication or health conditions. I have a friend who is a pharmacist and I've literally seen her reject prescriptions because the doctor had prescribed them with something that is dangerous when mixed with another medication the patient was already on.

They're the ones it falls back on if anything goes wrong because they're the one signing it off. However, they definitely should have pulled you to one side to ask you rather than in front of the whole bloody shop.

Agree with all of this. I work in community and prescriptions have been given which aren't suitable for children, prescriptions given which could cause harm to children, medication containing amoxicillin given to amoxicillin allergic patients to name but a few. We have to check. It's our job. GPs are under so much pressure. To err is human.

BUT I would respect patient's privacy and we have a consultation room (really only used for MAP). I would never repeat a patient's drug out loud. I'm sorry this happened.