Clinical Pharmacist - I'm quite cross!

[anng18]

I received a letter from the Doctors asking me to make a telephone appointment on certain dates to speak to a clinical pharmacist regarding treatment for COPD.

I telephoned the doctors, yesterday and after a long hold spoke to the receptionist who gave me an appointment for today for 11:30. I had one missed phone call registered on my mobile at 10 o'clock, but no message. I waited over half an hour for the phone call and had both my landline and mobile nearby. I don't know how other people feel, but I stupidly get quite nervous about these phone calls. I finally rung the surgery and after being on hold, yet again, I got through to the receptionist, who told me that as I had not answered at 10, so the pharmacist had gone ahead and reviewed my medication and didn't need to speak to me.

I'm bemused, as the medication I'm on is not wonderful and I was hoping to get it tweaked.

I feel this is another tickbox/target setting ploy that is absolutely pointless and I'm quite cross!

[Hidden]

I have had three of these telephone sessions in the last six months. All initiated by the surgery. All useless because nothing changes. It must be a tick box exercise to get money. The last one got halfway through the list then said she didn’t have time to finish. She then left me a message to call the surgery to make an appointment to complete. Guess what, I didn’t bother.

[Karenanne61]

Hmmm I would feel a strongly worded email to the surgery coming on. Why ring at 10 when appointment was for 11.30 and how can your meds be reviewed without your input?!

[Hidden in reply to Karenanne61]

Back in June I had a phone appointment and they had said between 9 and 12 and they rang at 8.45am!

Thankfully I didn't mind an early call but that's not the point!

[anng18 in reply to Karenanne61]

Exactly!

[Hidden in reply to anng18]

Thing is you say an appointment time for a reason say like calls between 9 and 12 and then you can prepare to b3 called then.

With myself they had said between 9 and 12 and had rung at 8.45am without asking me did I want an earlier time in advance but it was lucky that I didn't mind the early 8.45 call but that's not the point as if you book a call between 9 and 12 you book the time then for the call not get called at 8.45 without them asking if it was OK to be early as I wouldn't have minded doing an early call but it's the way they went about it that I felt was rude and inconsiderate!

[Bevvy]

I also would be cross but have learnt that with telephone assessments I need to be prepared beforehand and after time given. Mind you I think an hour and a half early is a bit much!! I have been on landline phoning surgery 40/50mins after appointment time, when mobile has rung! That has happened twice to me.

If I was in your situation (once I had calmed down) I would be seeking a new appointment with pharmacist to go through my medications, especially when you want medications to potentially be tweaked.

[CDPO16]

I would be very annoyed too. Having made an appointment time I would have expected that to be adhered to. As Bevvy said, I would consider asking for another appointment on the basis that you wanted to discuss your medication.

[B0xermad]

try sending an admin econsult with all your requests on it may get dealt with better

[Alberta56]

Grr. This throws an interesting light on an occasion when we missed a phone call from a hospital nurse, because no-one got to the phone in time. (It didn't ring long.) I'm not surprised you're annoyed. They do treat us like rubbish.

[Izb1]

No wonder you were annoyed anng18, I would ring back and request another appointment telling them you are not happy and that you want a review. It seems to me they are getting really bad at looking after patients x

[anng18 in reply to Izb1]

Yes, I also wonder where this is leading. I can't help but think they are maybe cutting the role of the COPD nurse, who normally would deal with any problems, albeit not very quickly, as she is normally booked up for weeks.

[Izb1 in reply to anng18]

The nurse at my surgery knows nothing about bronchiectasis and was testing me for asthma every time I saw her. When the doctor queried why i havent been going she laughed and said she agreed it was a waste of my time so took me off the list. I really think they should be trained for all lungs disease as I now look after myself but am glad you can see your nurse albeit a long waiting list x

[Jaybird19]

dont like the sound of this . I have had an emergency opp for strangulated hernia and now nothin g is known about lungs .hsve had problems with kidneys being cloudy urine thst is not infected but cloudy with protein affected by tablets given for raised blood pressure years ago when it was difficult to balance out this against poor kidney function and now nothing is listened to. So i have halved my blood pressure tablets and urine is now clear. Told them this but no comments from any doctor . So do it yourself meds in 2022.

Dont do this yourself i am not qualified to give advice but I was qualified to work in microbiological lab all my life . No doubt when i peg out from "old age " i will be blamed for it and not neglect!