I decided to email Accord direct and also Alliance Wholesalers who I know deal with Boots and Asda. Not sure who else. But they are a big company.
These are the replies I received. I thought everyone could benefit from the comments.
FROM ACCORD
Good morning,
Thank you for your enquiry.
Unfortunately, the FLECAINIDE 100mg TAB is Short Term Out of Stock with an anticipated return to stock date of 23/07.
Kind Regards
CS
Customer Service Co-Ordinator
FROM ALLIANCE
Good afternoon Gillian
Thank you for your enquiry.
As a pharmaceutical wholesale business, we would ordinarily have contact with the pharmacy regarding any specific order requests. I would highly recommend that your nominated pharmacy contacts our Customer Service team directly so we can discuss the requirements with them, and check availability of the specific brand you require and subsequent supply.
As soon as they’ve contacted us, we’ll do all we can to try to source the item required.
Kind regards
Sarah
SB
Alliance Healthcare
So it appears they need to have a conversation about specific brands not just press a button on an online ordering system.
Hope this is helpful for others seeking particular brands of medication.
I was replied to within 24 hours by both companies. They seem very willing to offer help if possible.
Gillian
Written by
Gilli54
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Thanks for this, Gilli. I went into my local village pharmacy yesterday to ask about getting Accord Flecainide… and it turned out they’d actually got some on the shelf, which she said she would put aside for me. Maybe you just get given the other brand if you don’t specify - I’ve no idea. Just grateful the assistant was helpful.
Thanks, my surgery pharmacy had a problem last month but eventually sourced some from another pharmacy. 🤞for my next pick-up 3/8. Good to know there is no major problem with Accord as been taking for 10 yrs with success and don't want to risk a change.
Introductory note on 'Drug Tarrif' from nhsbsa.nhs.uk/etc. - NHS Prescription Services produces the Drug Tariff on a monthly basis on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care. It’s supplied primarily to pharmacists and GP practices. The Drug Tariff outlines what will be paid to pharmacy contractors for NHS services provided either for reimbursement or for remuneration rules to follow when dispensing value of the fees and allowances you will be paid drug and appliance prices you will be paid.
From NICE - Flecainide acetate 100mg (60 tabs) - Medicinal forms - July 2023:
Just to clarify - my understanding from what you posted is that the amount that pharmacies will be reimbursed by the NHS is controlled by the Drug Tarrif Price which for July 23 will be whatever that tarrif is for that drug, for that month?
As the Accord Healthcare price = £5.02 and the tariff price = £3.56 the pharmacy is not going to supply unless they are willing to take the loss, which of course they can’t because the computer software system the pharmacies use won’t allow them to buy for more than they will be reimbursed.
I have come across this before with another drug I take coincendentally also manufactured by Accord. The price difference was £8/bottle, a price I was happy to pay the pharmacy - but there are absolutely no systems in place for patients to pay the excess, thus we have no choice. It really is time that NHS had a complete overhaul and made our system fit for purpose for the21st C.
They did ask for Almus or Accord, both made by Accord, for me three times and were just sent Tillomed every time, it probably was all that was available especially with the shortages.
My dose was 50mg though and not the 100 mg mentioned.
It’s great you have emailed to check, I had heard before on here that there was a problem with a shortage of accord flecainade that was supposed to be fixed in July.
I really hope your pharmacy sort it for you, I might try asking boots next time I go in. They always give the impression they are up to the eyeballs with work and last time I queried the generic I was given I was getting a queue behind me, they said that they had tried and kept getting the same brand and the packets were piling up on their shelves so I just gave in and accepted them. I felt really anxious and almost teary so left quickly.
I don’t know how open they would be to phoning up every month…
I agree about Boots. I know the pharmacies here have been hugely impacted by Lloyds pulling out of Sainsbury’s. I was pretty cut up about it as had an excellent pharmacist I had known for many years and who was extremely helpful about everything I needed to clarify. Also it was lovely to be recognised and greeted by name. And extremely good for parking and combining with shopping trips. I think the local pharmacies have been completely overwhelmed by the increase in their customer base - all of them seem frantic at the moment. And my husband has great difficulty sourcing his diabetes meds every time. Particularly slow release metformin 60mg. I think it might be glicklozide. It’s either that or Succarto (sorry about the spellings.)
So you are quite right. I guess it’s going to be hard to get them to make the phone calls given they are so busy. But at least we have some clarity about what might be happening. As it’s not hugely expensive, I wonder if you can order it from somewhere yourself? I guess no mechanism for that in this country as they couldn’t have people randomly ordering powerful drugs all over the place. Anyway. I shall remain hopeful, and we can at least show them the reply I got from Alliance and see what they say.
😊
Lovely having an interchange with you all. It seems better sharing the problem than brooding on it. 😊
Totally agree about sharing experiences, we know we are unfortunately not alone in this.
Our boots is really handy for parking and convenience too but without the lovely personal touches sadly, though the staff are nice just really harassed looking.
Awful that your husband is having problems as well and with something as important as diabetes medication.
It did cross my mind about buying it but same as you I can’t see it being allowed unless boots could do it for you. And imagine buying it through Boots and picking it up and them saying “Oh they just sent what they have” which would be just my luck and needing a refund!!
I’ve been down to Boots and they have now said that the brand has to be put on the top line as then they can only dispense that brand. Not put after the drug dosage. Saying please dispense Accord flecainide. It has to say Accord Flecainide 100mg right at the top line.
They had 40 tablets which they gave me. And an owing slip.
They made no comment about ringing Alliance Healthcare direct so I’ll leave that one at the moment
So next step is to ask the doctors to write my prescriptions with specified brand coming first.
We can but try. I’ve heard that before at Peak Pharmacy, but other pharmacies say it’s not true. So work that one out. Lol.
I’m certainly staying busy on the task, but by various means have managed to push the timescale forward.
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