Script

[6TIMES]

Good afternoon everyone have a pleasant day whatever you are up to,

I'm still waiting for the results of my echocardiogram and 24 hour monitor suppose it will take 6 months,

Anyway, my question is,my chemist has introduced a 7 working day period time for dispensing repeat prescriptions,this doesn't include the day that you request it,so if you ordered it on a Friday you would have to wait 13 days for the medication,as you are restricted to what date you can order your medication this means that you can't order early,the chemist say that it's because it's outsourcing the work, can you request 3 month's supply of medication and has anyone else come across this problem,

[BobD Volunteer]

Well round here the request has to go to the GP who then sends the authorised prescription to the pharmacist for dispensing. A long time ago you could take the repeat request to the phamacist who then sent it to the doctor and yoyo back and forth. The point being that the repeat form is just a request not a prescription. In theory we are told to allow 72 hours but that is optimistic from my experience. My pharmacist suggests handing in your repeat to the GP when you collect that months supply which nearly works. I usually have to wait 20 minutes when I call for it a fortnight later!

As far as a 3 months supply goes. In your dreams! Most CCGs will not allow such profligate practises . You might die during the period and waste the balance!

[6TIMES in reply to BobD]

3 months is a bit optimistic and i wouldn't like to waste all those lovely apixaban Bob

[Auriculaire in reply to BobD]

Here in France we can get a prescription for up to six months from the doc. He puts next to the prescribed item how many times it can be renewed for stuff you are on permanently. Then you take it to the chemist each month. There it goes into a machine that stamps it and lists each month what has been provided. But at the end of the six months you have to go back and see the doctor to get another one. This gives him an opportunity to check you over - blood pressure, lungs , heartrate etc and ask you questions about your sleep, bowel function ,digestion etc. Because I've had major abdominal surgery he always pokes my abdomen. I think this is a good system but in a cash strapped one it would probably be seen as a waste of resources for basically well people to be getting 15 mins or so of a doctors time.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Auriculaire]

Preventative medicine is always better than firefighting in my view.

[jeanjeannie50]

If I were you I think I'd go to another chemist and see if they can do better.

I order my prescriptions from my doc online before 9am and if my pharmacy has them in stock I often have the medication delivered to my door the next day, once an emergency one was delivered the same day. I was amazed! If they have to be ordered then I usually get them delivered in two to three days. Seven working days does seem a long time for you to have to wait. My moan (which is pathetic compared to yours) is, when I have the same pills every month why haven't they already got them in stock.

Jean

[6TIMES in reply to jeanjeannie50]

There is only 2 chemist by me both Rowlands and they are not taking any more deliveries on at the moment. I do order on line but the chemist then send it to their new place 30 miles away and you have to wait for it to be sent back here and checked again before you can have it. Can't be doing with the hassle

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to 6TIMES]

Sorry it's stressing you, can understand. It's all designed to drive you mad!

[pottypete1]

Unbelievable!

I will not accept repeat prescriptions being sent direct to the pharmacy.

I request my repeat prescriptions via patientaccess.com which transmits my prescription to my GP surgery for them to raise and sign.

2 days later I collect the prescriptions from the GP surgery and take it to my pharmacy of choice in person.

I will not be dictated to as to where I obtain my prescriptions.

Pete

[6TIMES in reply to pottypete1]

VERY Good way of doing things.

That was my way until they went electronic but I'm going to revert back to your system and you know what you are getting on the day.

[wilsond in reply to pottypete1]

Exactly what I do! I go in person to the surgery,request repeat,collect in 48 hours and go to wherever is convenient to pick up. Sit and wait in pharmacy.

[fairgo45]

I have a pharmacy attached to my doctors practise so ring up or use manage my health system to order what I want.

All my meds are given in 3 monthly batches question do you have manage my health where you come from.

In New Zealand it's available to everyone who wants it.

I love it as I can look at any medical test results or hospital results I recently broke my wrist and could see by the time I'd got back from a&e what bones had been broken what the results of the bone scan was etc also good for emailing your doctor if you just have a question

Great idea so who else has this system

[DevonHubby1]

At our local pharmacy (Boots), they do the repeats for us. We just get a text once a month to come in and collect. Behind the scenes they work out how far in advance they need the prescription from the GP and how long their central depot needs to fulfil it.

We've been doing this now for about 6 months and so far its run smoothly. We just keep the pharmacy updated each time the meds are changed or when, due to holidays, we need the prescription slightly in advance.

I believe other chains also do this. So you might want to chat to your local pharmacies to see if they can take the stress of repeats away from you.

P.S. I doubt you'll get a 3 month supply in one go. Even for my dog where the prescription covers 6 months it's done as an explicit number of monthly repeats.

[CDreamer in reply to DevonHubby1]

I had disastrous experiences with Boots which almost put me in hospital and it was the relief Pharmacist who referred me to the small local one saying I would get so much better service there - he was so right!

My GP is very understanding about ordering ahead if I go see her, but you are right, the software won’t allow you to order before certain date so if there is a delay at the pharmacist I can see that would cause a problem for some people - like my husband who is always last minute ordering anyways!

[DevonHubby1 in reply to CDreamer]

I guess each pharmacy has to be judged separately. Our local village pharmacy happens to be big chain but I still feel we get that local personal service.

[CDreamer in reply to DevonHubby1]

And that’s great if it works for you but my learning here in East Devon was that the big chains practice ‘just in time’ management so no slack in the system and they use one supplier rather than wholesalers so if there is a shortage on a drug, they don’t have the freedom to shop around and with the bigger demand they haven’t increased their staff so our local chains tend to use only locum staff so you never get to know the Pharmacist. Small, independents are more personal and they are free to buy from multiple sources.

The other thing that really pissed me off at our local Boots store was they don’t provide chairs and I can’t stand for long and when I asked for a chair I was told I’d just have to put up with it - so I wasn’t impressed. I wasn’t the only one as there was a long queue and many said that sort of treatment was a regular occurrence. The only kind person was the Pharmacist - who took the time to explain why things were going awry and referred me to the Pharmacy I now use.

[Mrsvemb]

We must be spoilt here. I order repeat prescriptions online with our surgery. They are issued the same day and sent electronically to the pharmacy. We can choose any local pharmacy. They say allow two working days from when you put the request in but I usually collect the next day and they are always dispensed and waiting.

Val

[Maggimunro]

Good grief, that is shocking service.

My GP has a software service called Evergreen where you go online order your repeat prescription and pick up your drugs 2 days later.

Works a treat.

[CDreamer]

Like others I just go online for repeats - never had a problem if I steer well clear of the big Pharmacists such as Boots/Tesco etc. I have a very small, helpful pharmacist a few hundred yards down the road who dispenses within 36-48 hours - I have confirmation as to when it will be ready for collection and never been let down which is amazing as I am the only patient on their books who has a prescription for a particular med I need and in an emergency they will locate for me within hours.

Sorry but I can’t understand wanting to visit the surgery to collect and then take in and wait.....way to catch whatever is doing the rounds if ever was.

[reinaway]

I order on line through Patient Access and they pass it to my GP for confirmation and then to the local chemist in the village for making up and collection two days later. Works well and they offer other services but my surgery only uses the prescription reordering one unfortunately.

[Madscientist16]

I guess we are pretty lucky in the states. The doctor writes the script for up to 1 year. It is presented to the chemist (here a pharmacist), they fill it and call/text you when it is done to pick up. Many of my meds are on ready-fill; they automatically fill your script a week before you are going to run out and text you when it is ready to pick up. Meds are pretty expensive here, but I got to give them congrats for the convenience.

[Gowers in reply to Madscientist16]

I remember when my daughter lived in the states late 1990's being amazed how the prescriptions were done electronically & ready for pickup within hours. It is only in last year or so the electronic system is being used in my part of the uk. To have your prescriptions written year in advance is amazing.! Out of interest read earlier that in Wales (where prescriptions are free) chemists are now going to be able to dispense antibiotics for tonsillitus following examination/consultation at the pharmacy without having to visit gp

[KMRobbo]

Are there not other chemists you could use?