How do I Stop My GP doing this?

[ValleyClouds]

Until late last year I had blister packs done by my Local Pharmacy (5 minute walk) of all my medications. I am disabled and on a fair few.

A brief change in my circumstances saw me have to come off blister packs for a few months but when this was over Local Pharmacy said they were “at capacity” and wouldn’t reinstate

I recently found that a Far Away Pharmacy will do blister packs and deliver them. All sorted.

The problem? When I get a prescription whereby the medication is not already in the blister pack such as today it’s an antibiotic the doctors are sending these medicines to the Far Away Pharmacy that I can’t get to instead of my Local Pharmacy 5 minutes away.

Far Away Pharmacy is just for the blister packs everything else should be Local

I’ve told them twice by email and now once on the phone, what else can I do ?

if they deliver what’s the problem?

They're not sending the medicine to the pharmacy, it's just a digital prescription. The pharmacy already has the medicine or they order it from a wholesaler.

Surely you can just get them to deliver it? Or just get a paper one you can take to any pharmacy?

They will automatically go to your nominated pharmacy, they won't think oh this is different. You need to ask for a paper one and take it to local place yourself.

They would only be delivered alongside the blister packs which is next week and I need the medication today

This is it there is confusion as to which is the nominated pharmacy this is what I’m trying to rectify

It's because you can't have 2.

I think as it's computer generated the system can't identify between prescriptions, so it will automatically go to the nominated pharmacy. I think you will have to ring the surgery and see if the system can be over ridden.

You will get the antibiotics today all pharmacies deliver on the day antibiotics. Everytime you speak to the dr and they say we are going to prescribe... you need to say can you send this one to whichever pharmacy. Since its already happend call the pharmacy say are you delivering today and if the answer is no ask them to send the prescription to the other pharmacy

phoen the far away pharmacy and ask them
to put the prescription back on tbe Spine; then your chosen pharmacy will be able to access it and dispense the medication

And that’s the issue so nothing I can do?

next time expressly tell the GP that you want the prescription to be sent to a specific pharmacy if it's different to your nominated one. Not had a problem with this.
Since it's already happened now, the Far Away pharmacy can put the prescription back on the 'spine' for your local pharmacy to pick up and dispense (once you call them and tell them to).

Thanks, Christ what a PITA

I can change my nominated pharmacy online.

I often do this, flipping from one to another before I order a medication (based on long and boring experience on which pharmacy can likely provide what). As pp have said, the NHS computerised system(s) can only accommodate one nominated pharmacy at a time.

And when I have a consultation I name my preferred pharmacy to the GP or prescriber and they ‘ping’ the prescription there.

You can only have one nominated Pharmacy and that is where all your prescriptions will be sent to automatically. You need to contact Far away pharmacy ASAP and ask them not to process that script but return it to the spine for any other pharmacy to access. Then contact the pharmacy you want to collect it from with your NHS number, tell them there is a prescription on the spine for you and they will be able to access it. Your nominated pharmacy will stay the same. You should also ask the Faraway pharmacy to put a note on your records to only dispense your dossette scripts and not acute ones.

@bogstandardaf I thought I had expressly told them

@youalrightdidnt get a chance to reiterate the situation today as the entire exchange took place on Patch’s, if I’d spoken to someone I would have

@AmusedAnt @dizzydizzydizzy I didn’t know about “The Spine”. Someone is getting it for me today but that’s helpful information Thanks

@TheCrowCrossRoad Do you do this on the NHS App?

Good luck getting your pharmacy to take note of anything. I've told mine about 50 times I'm allergic to a particular brand of medication, but they still insist on giving it to me.

I’m a GP - it can be over ridden but when the prescription is signed off it needs to be specifically selected by the prescriber each time. You really need to tell the surgery each time you need an acute prescription. It’s just how it is. If you think this is a waste of your time - how do you think we feel? It is what it is 🤷‍♀️

It’s not really about the wasted time @Polyesteredits the practical aspect of it. Would cost me so much money to go over there. Luckily someone is going for me instead on this occasion

Yes, that’s right. Are you able to sign up?

Have you tried bursting into tears of frustration in an Independent Pharmacy? I finally found one that’s been very accommodating over my similar situation.

@TheCrowCrossRoad I’ve got it-it never crossed my mind

As the GP PP says, expressly stating a different pharmacy to your nominated pharmacy must be done at each individual relevant GP consultation (not as a general principle; there's no functionality for that). Each time you don't want to use the nominated pharmacy, tell the GP to select a different one. I doubt they are doing it on purpose; it's just automatic unless you specify each time.
Glad you are getting your ABs soon.

Yes, good luck with the ABs, @ValleyClouds. Don't forget to look after your gut biome and all that.