Delay in delivery of Enbrel

[Care4you]

Is anyone else having to wait for their Enbrel delivery? Health Care at Home say they are waiting for the perscription from the hospital, I have had no luck chasing it up. This happened 6 months ago and I missed two weeks injections I must say it didn't really effect me, but I get very nervous that my symptoms will get worse. One can't help wondering if this is cost cutting, just tell us, don't keep us in limbo.

[gradyjackjacob]

The same thing has happened to me,i rang the rheumatology helpline and they chased it up for me,it only seems to happenwhen the hospital has to renew the prescription.

[Mandalou]

Phone your Rheumatology nurse and ask them to call you back urgently.

Missing doses is an unacceptable delay in treatment.

This is happening a lot currently especially with the switch to Benepali the Bio similar in the offing one of the factors. So I reckon things will get worse before they get better.

I got my last delivery at 7pm on the day I was due to take my injection, exactly because of this prescription business.

Don't let them muck you around and tell them how the system is flawed.

The communication between Health Care at home and the hospitals is appalling. My rheumatology nurse really took them to task about the whole fiasco.

Good luck

Mx

[Hidden]

I has similar problems with H&H over an ongoing period (I have been on Enbrel since 2009) with delays being blamed on them outsourcing their delivery service to problems getting prescriptions which my rheumy nurses denied (who do you believe?). This led to me missing deliveries and injections. It got so bad my consultant and health authority looked at all options to bring the delivery service in house but were unable to do this due to costs but they awarded the contract to Boots who have a presence in my local hospital (Royal Hallamshire Hospital Sheffield). Boots have an Enbrel specialist on site who deals with all enquiries and you have the option of having injections delivered (by Boots) or collecting them from the hospital and so far it has gone swimmingly without the slightest hitch (fingers crossed). I think part of the problem was H&H got to big too quickly (they took over another supplier who was leaving the market) AND they tried to streamline their operation by reducing staff levels AND they got rid of their own delivery service and outsourced delivery and the consequences were disastrous I am so happy and relived (on a selfish level) my Health Authority took decisive action to remedy the problem but can really empathise with your difficulties I simply don't think they (H&H) truly appreciate how devastating failure to deliver can be both physically and mentally.

Having said all that I know it doesn't help you in the slightest - perhaps you could talk to your consultant and mention the Sheffield example? I hope your service delivery improves and you get back to having a reliable and dependable service.

[popsmith1874]

Hi I was supposed to get 8 weekly deliveries but got 2 4 week deliveries because they were short off Benepali , then hc at home phoned last week to say I should've been getting 8 weekly deliveries and updated system and said it would be here yesterday, well I stayed in and they never appeared but it's the post office that deliver mine so they will probably come today, after this delivery I'm going too ask them to deliver it too the chemist to save me waiting in for it

[kaypiercy]

Hi

I have had a delay in getting my methotrexate prescription this month I only have one injection left for tomorrow, the home care says that they had only today received the prescription from the hospital who are cutting it fine, maybe its a result of the underfunded NHS, it can only get worse, I will say no more!.

btw had my first Abatacept injection this week and "so far so good" wish me luck.

regards to all

Kay

[Hidden]

I had similar with my Humira. It was even more stressful because I was about to go on holiday. My rheum nurse is always very busy but she's very efficient. I am inclined to say that HaH don't give them enough time and say "oh hey, we need the prescription right now" which is not reasonable for busy NHS works, many of whom work at more than one site so don't pick up messages more than once a day or so. I think HaH are inefficient and a waste of precious NHS resources. When something goes wrong, they seem unable to rectify it in a simple and stress-free manner.

Missing doses of medication it entirely unacceptable and I'd be cross, wanting answers.

[Silvergilt]

Oh dear...I've just been prescribed this medication after being on Simponi and I have no idea when or how it's supposed to go. HaH is a fair mixed bag; I've had to call and chase up meds before, or the delivery was in the morning even though they told me it would be the afternoon. It's a bit of a struggle, and I live in a very rural area which doesn't help. It might be the shipment of medication itself is late. I hope it gets sorted for you!

[Care4you]

I am totally confused by all the different help people seem to get,my hospital has no Rheumatology nurse, went in the cuts! There is no help line, and I am meant to see the Consultant every 4 months but it ends up as 8 months, with me getting nowhere with the appointment dept. When desperate I go to the GP but he doesn't like to override the consultant, and don't get me going on antibiotics GP says no, Consultant says yes, but when you can't get to the Consultant it end up as no. Now overdue a week on my Enbrel RA is a lonely condition. My rant over!