A little rant: Hi ,Hope you are all keeping well is... - NRAS

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A little rant

Curcubeu profile image
44 Replies

Hi ,Hope you are all keeping well

is anyone else fed up with this company Sciensus that delivers our medication.....I feel I need to sue them that furious I am. This is a joke they don't care about anything and anybody 😒 I missed my injection twice now because they couldn't locate my prescription kept on saying is expired when it was not. Been on the phone with them and the hospital since last week passing the messages from one side to the other 😤 I said they need to pay me salary as I worked as a call centre operator for the past week and a half.

They even suggested I could call today to request delivery, there wasn't any available yesterday, but could not comprehend that I don't want to change my day ( I inject Methotrexate). They wouldn't understand what I am actually talking about! 😡

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Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu
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44 Replies
Moomin8 profile image
Moomin8

That is soooo frustrating for you! 😖Are you able to get your MTX prescription transferred to your GP surgery? Mine is simply a part of my monthly repeat prescription, and has been since the first couple which came from the hospital. I have a shared-care arrangement. My Tocilizumab gets delivered from Lloyd's, but that's a different thing altogether. If you haven't already discussed that with your rheumatologist, maybe try that?

Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu in reply to Moomin8

I honestly didn't know I can request this. Will give it a try. I always wondered how other people in this group are able to get their px from the GP directly. I have the answers now. Thanks a lot ! 😘This is just my second year battling this disease so still learning 😔

Moomin8 profile image
Moomin8 in reply to Curcubeu

We are all on a learning curve - good luck 🤞

in reply to Moomin8

Are you on tabs or subcut mtx? I might be wrong, and definitely am if you’re using jabs, but I was under the impression that injections have to come through a hospital or homecare service, it’s only tablets that can come through the GP.

Moomin8 profile image
Moomin8 in reply to

I have the injection - Metoject.

in reply to Moomin8

Good to know, Moomin8. Perhaps there’s a regional/CCG policy element to it.

Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu in reply to Moomin8

I also inject.

Boxerlady profile image
Boxerlady in reply to Moomin8

Sadly it be varies - my health authority doesn't allow GPs to prescribe the injections, only the tablets 😩

Moomin8 profile image
Moomin8 in reply to Boxerlady

Oh 😒

ABwn profile image
ABwn in reply to

Hi Charlie - I'm on mtx using ipen and I receive it through repeat script monthly. Apart from the first month's supply from hospital it was put on repeat. They have always shared care treatment. Good luck.

KittyJ profile image
KittyJ in reply to Moomin8

I got my injections from the local pharmacy too, no delivery company. Definitely worth asking about this for your area Curcubeu🤞🏻

Stick Sciensus in the search box and you’ll find literally dozens of posts in the same vein: they are absolutely diabolical. I’ve had nothing but problems with them for the last 3 years. They were initially just delivering my daughter’s expensive respiratory meds, but when I went on to imraldi last year, they also got the script for that. Could have cried, and then cried again with relief when I switched to etanercept a few weeks ago and it comes from someone else. They’ve always been very problematic, but every script since last May has been a hellish experience. Complaining has got me nowhere. Speaking to my daughter’s hospital, they have very little joy with them either, in spite of the contract being worth huge amounts of money. They don’t even have a dedicated account handler, they just have to talk to whoever answers: my daughters medication costs more than £10k a month. All I can say is document absolutely everything, ask for names of people you speak to, and make a written complaint.

Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu in reply to

Yes, this is what I am talking about! They are an absolute joke but full of attitude 🙄 Like we don't have enough on our plates already 😒

allanah profile image
allanah

That's terrible!

medway-lady profile image
medway-lady

I mailed them as spent 40 mins on phone trying to get through. I BCC a copy to me and not impressed. They used to be good when 3 monthly packages now monthly it is not good.

Sciensus repeatedly kept saying they didn't have my hospital prescription, I contacted my rheumy nurses and they emailed Sciensus; Two days later a guy at Sciensus accidentally emailed me this (in photo) 🙄

Over and over the call centre would say "no we haven't received the prescription " im sure its just a template reply they say. I've heard it for my last 3 deliveries.

They are so unorganised, if I left it up to them I would never get my drugs.

We've messed up but let's blame someone else
Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu in reply to Marionfromhappydays

Thank you! Good to know 👍

Runrig01 profile image
Runrig01 in reply to Marionfromhappydays

Hi I had similar issue, where they insisted they couldn’t deliver as hadn’t received the prescription. When I checked with my team it had been sent 2-3 weeks previously. When I got back to scienceus they had to admit, they did have it but hadn’t processed it. I said I expected it to be prioritised. I got delivery a few days later. Requesting a sharps box is such a pain now. Initially the app let you tick a box requesting one. Now you have to wait in a queue to chat and request.

medway-lady profile image
medway-lady in reply to Marionfromhappydays

I think that is dreadful and did you advise the hospital as surely bad reports are then taken into account when a contract is awarded or renewed. This stuff is not cheap but glossy paperwork abounds!lol xx

Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu in reply to medway-lady

I am going too

Marionfromhappydays profile image
Marionfromhappydays in reply to medway-lady

Yes it has been logged 👍

MrsSBJ profile image
MrsSBJ in reply to Marionfromhappydays

That made me laugh out loud! I know it shouldn’t-as I’m sorry you’ve had such a time with them. I’ve been lucky so far. 🤞

Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu in reply to MrsSBJ

I know is fun and pain at the same time though. Keep safe 😊xx

Jacey15 profile image
Jacey15 in reply to Marionfromhappydays

Shocking and so dishonest!

bpeal1 profile image
bpeal1

I have had a nightmare with Sciencus delivering my daughters Amgevita. On Wednesday after the 5th attempt at delivery failed I searched the old posts and found the email addresses below. I sent an email late Wednesday evening and had a call back from one of the managers 9.30 the next morning and they sorted it and sent medication with same day courier. I suggest you do the same, include as much detail in your email about what should have happened and what actually happened and include a contact number. Hopefully you will also get a quick response. It shouldn't take emailing managers to sort things but it does seem to be the best way. Hopefully they will get the message and sort things out if we all keep bothering them! Good Luck!

patientadvocacy@sciensus.com, darryn.gibson@sciensus.com, nikki.powell@sciensus.com, andrea.roberts@sciensus.com, ptcomms@sciensus.com

Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu in reply to bpeal1

Will definitely save these emails for further reference. Thanks a lot xx

Joes_Nanny profile image
Joes_Nanny in reply to bpeal1

Thank you for the contact addresses 👍🏻

Brikel profile image
Brikel

I have to say that maybe I am one of the lucky ones I don’t have any problem with my Benepali delivery from Sciensus I get mine on schedule every 3 months

Celticdancer profile image
Celticdancer

I'm really sorry you're going through this. I've heard many similar stories as the NHS is now close to complete privatisation and many of these private companies contracted to the NHS are just about making money. They don't care about patients. It will get worse over time as Noam Chomsky and others have said "That's the standard technique of privatisation: defund, make sure things don't work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital".

Some patients are now going private for better care. Hold on as it's going to be a bumpy ride.

helenlw7 profile image
helenlw7

I’ve had my biologic delivered by Sciensus for over 10 years, and it was mostly ok. Then the biologic stopped working and I was changed to Baricitinib,a JAK inhibitor, posted from the hospital pharmacy for 5 months. They now tell me Sciensus are going to start delivering and I am dreading it!

HappykindaGal profile image
HappykindaGal

That's not good. To be honest, I've never had an issue with them at all and they've been really good, particularly on live chat. Hopefully it will be sorted out soon 🤞

AgedCrone profile image
AgedCrone

Did you opt to have your meds delivered or is that the only way things work in your area?Speak to you rheumy department …explaining how inefficient the system is & ask if you can have a prescription & collect it yourself.

MrsSBJ profile image
MrsSBJ

I must have been lucky so far! Both Benepali and Metoject come from Sciensus and it’s been OK-apart from waiting for them to answer the phone-I’ve never run out and delivery always happens on the planned day. (For me, the GP won’t/can’t take over the Metoject prescriptions because my white blood count/neutrophils is always low). I’m sorry to hear all these frustrations for everyone else.

Jacey15 profile image
Jacey15

I've complained to the company, NHS England and my CCG about them but they have all passed the buck. Next step is my rheumatology department - if I ever get an appointment.

Leics profile image
Leics

Yeah I’ve had problems too. Firstly I moved and healthcare at home as they used to be called told me my account was no longer valid. Then they couldn’t find prescription then when they changed name to sciensus the same thing happened. I think our hospital got so fed up with it they changed companies as the last med I was on tofacitanib was delivered on time and as planned more than sciensus could manage. As others have said get in touch with rheumy department as see if there is another option if you can because that’s like finding hen’s teeth these days.

Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu in reply to Leics

It is so sad to see how many of us have had and continue to have problems with this company. Don't know how but we need to make the NHS aware so Sciensus won't won the contract again! Honestly

Bagpuss2021 profile image
Bagpuss2021

I am totally the same. Complaints were made by myself and my consultant and it was a waste of time, so I am now going to take it further. this company is a total joke.

jf211 profile image
jf211

Seriously - if you think they are bad - wait til you get transferred to Lloyds delivery - multiple calls holding for 40 mins+ before you even get to talk - I found Sciensus live chat fantastic when they started it

Lorrayne profile image
Lorrayne

I have methotrexate metoject pen on repeat via GP, but biologic injection delivered with these people, you are right they can be a nightmare, I had the opposite they would tel me every two weeks insisting on a delivery for four weeks injections, they got snarkey with me when I said I had more than enough thank you and I've only got a small fridge !! They used the excuse that they needed to make sure I had enough in case of any delays, I replied with "personally I think you are charging the hospital for more deliveries than need be, and someone is calling me two or three times a week" I did have to give them a very firm no in the end.

bienassis profile image
bienassis

Sorry to read about your troubles with Sciencus. I'm no longer taking the biologic that used to be delivered by Sciencus, and my Methotrexate I collect from the hospital pharmacy.

This problem with your deliveries must be something to do with whatever arrangements the hospital has with Sciencus. I never had any problem with deliveries, but it does depend on the hospital sending the prescription to Sciencus. Sciencus won't deliver without notification from the hospital. So unless the hospital acts promptly with its side of the arrangement - that is, notifies Sciencus that the next batch of drugs can be delivered - you won't get your drug or it will be delayed.

It's quite a complicated roundabout way of delivering medication and if the wires get tangled it's a nightmare. Still, it's not beyond the capabilities of the two authorities to sort it out. But it's not satisfactory for patients when these mishaps occur. I do hope it gets untangled. It's no fun having to run around as you have been doing.

Good Luck!

Knip profile image
Knip

It might be worth trying to find a local pharmacist to deliver for you. You order online, the script goes to them and they deliver it. Boots do something similar. Hope you find a reliable service soon.

in reply to Knip

Unfortunately, this isn’t an option for drugs coming from a homecare service. My understanding is they’re usually prescribed that way because local arrangements mean the GP is unable to prescribe them. If the GP can’t prescribe them, then a local chemist can’t dispense them, so then it has to be either the hospital pharmacy or a homecare service like Sciensus. Personally, I don’t think anyone in their right mind would choose a company like Sciensus if there was an alternative, not if they’ve experienced problems the way many of us have.

Knip profile image
Knip

Point taken Curcubeu. Hope things improve soon. You don't need all this frustration. Take care, Knip.

Curcubeu profile image
Curcubeu in reply to Knip

Thanks, you too. 😊

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