I just want to have a rant. For 30 years I have had the usual frustrations of doctors constantly trying to reduce my dose but nothing has compared to this latest scenario. I put in my usual repeat prescription request with plenty of time because pharmacy needs a week now. It was blocked so I phone the surgery no easy thing as you hang on for what seems hours, couldn't even get through first night. Next day when I finally get through the receptionist says I was due a review on 31st August ! No one told me and I have had a prescription since then anyway. Why on earth I need a review when I have a letter from the endocrinologist saying what my dose of T4 and T3 is and this letter dated less than 3 months ago . You used to only have reviews every year and even then they didn't bother unless you reminded them. 24 hours later and I am still blocked this is not doing my blood pressure any good as I am worried that they will insist I speak to someone and getting the phone appointment to speak to anyone takes days now as the surgery has adopted the new do every thing online and we will get back to within 5 days if we feel like it. Why does a pharmacist have the authority to block a medication she should know is vital and needed for life or they wouldn't give it you for free. With appointments so difficult to get its ridiculous that I should take one up when they only have to read the endocrinologists report to see I dont need one. I have a very busy week coming up but can see I am going to spend half my time chasing my prescription.
Am I right to suspect its the cost of my T3 or do they just like to make anxious hypothyroid people even more anxious
Written by
pinolover
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If you are prescribed by an endocrinologist I would put in a complaint to your GP surgery either by email or letter. I wouldn't waste energy on trying to deduce why this pharmacist is acting this way, just take immediate action. Here is a template for a complaint letter or email:
Are you at the same surgery as me? The last time I requested my levo (they don’t know about my T3 yet) the request was ‘rejected’ according to the nhs app. I decided to play dumb, went to the chemist to pick it up and there was no problem there at all.
Yesterday I got a call from the surgery saying one of the doctors had decided I needed a medication review and then a follow up with them. So despite being told when ringing that there are no appointments available for the foreseeable future I now have a face to face appointment with the pharmacist at the surgery today and a phone appointment with one of the GPs (not my ‘named’ one who has been on mat leave for the last 14 months, not the one I saw when my kidney kicked off or found out about the cysts on my thyroid, a totally different one) next week.
None of that helps you or answers your question, but there may be a drive to get reviews done??????
I know the aim for reviews is normally yearly, at my surgery they have a pharmacy team doing them now. Usually via a phone consultation. I found the pharmacists pretty useful actually. They know far more about medications, interactions and side effects than GP's. However they shouldnt leave you without vital medications whilst they try and fit you in.
I've now had 3 letters allegedly reminding me my NHS blood test is overdue. The first one went awol and I never received it and the 2nd one was dated 31 October but didnt arrive until 10th November, so very urgent clearly.
I'd also ring the endo's secretary and ask that he or she be told. They can be very helpful and may contact GP for you. I've found the secretaries very helpful. Worth a quick call.
NHS pharmacists do not have a discretion to refuse to supply NHS medicines where doing so would cause them financial loss. Pharmacists who refuse to supply may face enforcement proceedings by the relevant health authority and could even become subject to a fitness-to-practise investigation.
On those grounds I would go back to speak to the pharmacist and ask for an explanation as to why a vital medication has been blocked because you have all the paperwork supporting the prescription....and "please dispense my prescription before I run out with risk to my health, otherwise I will lodge a complaint about this to the appropriate authority"
It's rediculous that you are left having to "beg" to receive your prescription.... you shouldn't have to write letters of complaint which just prolong and complicate what should be a straightforward procedure.
The pharmacist has too much power over people’s prescriptions …. Can’t you ask the pharmacist for a couple of weeks supply while you wait for the doctors appointment .. so much craziness.
Oh isn't it frustrating, I've just been through the same sort of craziness. The online system would not let me order more T3 (I'm on T3 only) until 10th November although my tablets were going to run out on 11th and it takes a good week for prescriptions to be made up. What I hadn't been told was that the Pharmacy had only given me a part of my prescription last time I collected and the remaining 4 weeks worth was sitting on their shelf!!! I rang and had a flap (great believer in playing the easily panicked, sweet but a bit incapable, aging lady even though I'm not!) and they were all very kind and resolved quickly. Could you try that?
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