Collecting prescription frustrating for patient and pharmacist

[Allchangename354]

I know that the pharmacies are very busy so this isn’t a criticism just confusion. Is there not a better way that dispensed prescriptions ready to collect can be labelled or stored? Could the computer at least show which shelf, if not drawer to look in?

I go to the pharmacy, the prescription is ready. The pharmacist or assistant has to open multiple drawers and rummage. They are very busy and run ragged. That bit just seems inefficient and frustrating for them and people collecting.

(My GP will not do repeat prescription through an online pharmacy and I can’t be home to receive a delivery so I need to get it in person. There have also been mistakes at pharmacy or GP end and it’s easier to check before I leave. Again not a criticism mistakes happen.)

Lloyds delivery is an extra £3.29 (unless patient is housebound), must be signed for by someone over 18, cannot be left in safe place or with a neighbour.

It's not going to work for everyone

My delivery to add - free of charge. The chemist has a branded Smart car and every morning they drive around with that day's prescriptions.

Ours has coded shelves. The lady couldn't find it one time and went and double checked the reference and looked either side. Where I was stood I could see a bag slipped off the stack behind everything so I got her to check if that was mine and it was.
System works well usually though.

In your shoes I would be getting a refund for the fee and asking them to "return your prescription to the spine". This is a place where electronic prescriptions can be accessed by any pharmacy. You can then try and find a pharmacy that has stock of the inhaler and get it from them.

This has worked for me in a couple of cases, once when we were unexpectedly away when my medication was due and another time when there was no stock in our local pharmacies and e had to look further afield.

Mine is a rummage type, with the added bonus that all staff go on a hunt for the current head of the queue, so although there's 4/5 people 'serving', they only do one customer at a time.

I collected a prescription for my DD which involved someone standing at a computer for an inordinate amount of time, occasionally tapping a key, asking who had done the prescription (I had already explained it was someone from NHS 111) another five minutes, then tapping another key etc etc eventually printing the thing, getting a box off the shelf, painstakingly counting the correct number of antibiotics into it, printing a label (much faffing involved) then finally disappearing off out the back for another age to get the pharmacist to sign it off. I was losing the will to live!

Couple of months later, same scenario with a NHS 111 prescription but a different pharmacy and I was in a out in a couple of minutes!

I have long term condition and get my repeat prescriptions through pharmacy2u with no hassle. I wouldn't use a GP that didn't allow online prescriptions although I appreciate you might not have a choice depending where you live.

I'm not sure why there's an issue about using an online pharmacy service - can a GP surgery actually refuse that? Or refuse to electronically send the prescription to any pharmacy of your choice?

I don't know how that system works, but I'm lucky by the sounds of it!

My locle independent has become a joke. It's a rummage story, the staff are fairly new in the last 18 months and poorly trained (smacking chewing gum, turning their backs when you're speaking, no comprehension of patient confidentiality or need for privacy from time to time), they fuck off out the back and don't return for up to 15minutes at a time and still come back empty handed. The queues are absolutely hellish.

Many pharmacies frequently can't get my medication which is fine - I understand shortages happen, however despite pleading with my local independent for the last two years to put notes on my record to NOT ask for alternatives, they keep doing it and I end up with unsuitable items that don't work when what I want is to take the paper prescription away if they can't fill it. I have chronic migraine, and only these medicines work now after decades of taking pills so any other triptan is not a suitable replacement. Makes me absolutely furious as it's such a waste of their time, the GPs time and my time in all this pissing about.

I'm now signed up with Chemist4U and they have been marvellous. No delays, all updated on the app at each stage, posted out on time and all medication present and correct.

I'm not sure why there's an issue about using an online pharmacy service - can a GP surgery actually refuse that

Not a “thing” in Scotland. We can order prescriptions from online pharmacies but have to pay private rates for them.

Even worse when I had regular meds I was always caught between the GP surgery and the pharmacy.
Surgery would say "no we sent the prescription 3 days ago to the pharmacy"
Pharmacy would say "it must be at the doctors still".

Yeah that’s fun in the general jumble sale rummage. I hear your pain.

Iy says in Gp website that script was sent to chemist on x date. And l show them this and they still deny it. They also deny knowledge of random one off prescriptions that will then emerge 4 weeks later.

And whilst they are rummaging people in the queue are sighing loudly. And the queue then stretches out of the door…

Dh and l send pictures to each other of the queues to entertain each other in a sad pathetic way. We both refer to ‘putting on full metal jacket’ and ‘going in’ when we are forced to visit.😭

I'm not sure why there's an issue about using an online pharmacy service - can a GP surgery actually refuse that?
Our rural GP has their own (rummage style) dispensary. They don't subscribe to the thing you need for online pharmacies. I asked a year ago why not and they said it was in the pipeline. Still waiting.

My local pharmacy is a rummage fest. Also, they won't give you your meds if the pharmacist is at lunch.

Programme on pharmacy crisis in ITV now

Thanks - glad to see that there are better ways of doing things.

The Pharmaceutical Journal or go to the GPHC website