Repeat Medical Prescriptions

[Hymie]

Do others suffer the same poor service with repeat prescriptions, or am I just unlucky in my dealings with my pharmacy?

This year alone, when attempting to collect my repeat prescription, on 4 separate occasions the medication had not been prepared, ready for my collection. Worse, on one occasion the pharmacy claimed that the reason my medication was not available was that my GP surgery had not notified them that the medication should be issued. I complained to my GP surgery that the pharmacy would not issue my medication due to their failings.

The surgery advised that this was not the case, and that the fault lay with the pharmacy in relation to the issue of the repeat prescription.

The same thing happened today when I attempted to collect my medication, which should have been ready last Saturday – and although my medication is nothing special, it will not be available to me until at least Wednesday of next week.

Fortunately my life is not dependent on me having the medication, and I suffer no outwardly noticeable symptoms if not taken – but if this was not the case, based on my experience I would either be dead or suffer unnecessarily due to the failings of my pharmacy.

Certainly if I was to behave in this fashion towards a client of my employer, I would expect them to find me alternative duties, which were within my capabilities.

[dannyk13]

I order mine from the chemist who get the prescription copy from the surgery by the electronic route.

[ethandron]

Every two months I tick what I need on the 'repeat medication' bit of my previous prescription, shove it in a box at the surgery, and 48 hours later collect it all from the pharmacy. The connection from surgery to pharmacy is done electronically. No probs.
My other half has a plastic card which he presents to the pharmacy every three months and is given three months worth of his repeat prescriptions. All done electronically. No probs.
I think you're just unlucky Hymie, perhaps you need to have a medication review with your doctor and explain how things are going wrong between the surgery and the pharmacy you use. Our pharmacy is right next door to our surgery, on the same site.

[bhg481]

Having high blood pressure my wife is, and always will be, on tablets. She is given a prescription for 12 lots of tablets at a time. The problem is that each prescription is for 28 days' tablets, so it lasts for 12 lunar months ie 11 calendar months, so has to get another lot every 11 calendar months. Doctors are only allowed to issue 12 prescriptions and no-one has realised that this isn't a full year. Long-term prescriptions need to be reviewed, so the review advances by a calendar month every year.

[Hymie]

EcclesCake, please enlighten me as to when I should call in to collect my repeat prescription.

Bear in mind that I will have finished my previously issued prescription 28 days after it was issued.

[Doof45]

I too order and collect my regular monthly prescription from the local chemist. On collection they give me a card showing the date the next prescription will be ready. It's not always ready when I call, but at least when I present them with the card they make sure they prepare it straight away.

[EcclesCake]

I must have a different system in my area as it is up to me to request my script. I can't quite see how a script can be knocked out without consideration to a change in medication. Perhaps I have misunderstood how you system operates.

I request a script and I can either physically collect it or have it emailed to my pharmacy of choice.

[maggiebee]

I order my repeat prescription on line and it's always ready at the local pharmacy within 4 days (unless over the weekend). I changed my pharmacy about a year ago as I was sick fed up of having to wait in a line until the methodone users had been seen to first. I can understand why, but it was still really annoying. I now go to one which doesn't deal with methodone.

[Teacup99]

Strange that the more technology 'progresses' the more problems one encounters.

[Hymie]

The whole point of electronic repeat prescriptions is that you do not need to request a repeat prescription from your GP and take it to the pharmacy (it is all done electronically, every 28 days).

If you are on long term medication, once a year your medication needs to be reviewed (by your GP), otherwise the repeat prescriptions will stop.

[Teacup99]

I tend to disagree. If I do not order mine over the phone nothing happens.

[bhg481]

I get the impression that doctors and pharmacies deal with repeat prescriptions in their own way. Some doctors issue an electronic prescription every 28 days, ours issues 12 all at once. Some pharmacies need to be asked to fill the prescription (ours), others realise you'll be wanting one in another 28 days and get it ready immediately after you've collected one.

[ducksie]

I have no problem with my repeat prescriptions but if I was you, I'd ring the chemist maybe an hour or the day before you go into collect them, just to remind them you are going in to collect or that you want them delivered. My prescription is always ready and the staff are great in pharmacy if they had a query about any of my meds, it would be sorted with Dr's before I get it and the pharmacist would explain what the difference is, I also get mine in little 'Vena link' packets, they're great, that way I don't forget to take any of my meds

[Eleena]

I have no problem with mine either. My daughter now has hers delivered, she downloaded some app where you order via your phone, seems like a very good system that works. Obviously anything bulky would be awkward if you weren't at home. My daughter works full time and everything is posted through the door.

[ducksie]

She wouldn't want to have anything in a bottle Eleena, could you imagine the mess of that on the hallway ;)

[Teacup99]

Then you are very fortunate ducksie. I also sympathise with a previous poster having to wait while the methadone users et al are attended to.

[ducksie]

I think I am Teacup :)

[Eleena]

Lol, yep very messy! Seriously though, she thinks it's brilliant.

[ducksie]

It is Eleena, it's a cracking idea

[Eleena]

'Echo' it's called.

[Eve]

That sounds impressive! I have had quite a few issues with mine though wonder if it's glitches with the electronic prescription service. Had quite a few times my repeat hasn't come through and it's taken chasing up though the pharmacy sort me with an emergency supply if I've run out. I tend to try and check in advance with them now to try and work out if there might be an issue. Usually have to pop in as difficult to get through by phone. They are a very busy city centre pharmacy.

I do love the electronic prescription service though, have been prescribed things over the phone before now (you get a telephone appointment and the GP then decides if you get an actual appointment, great system) and it's been sent to my pharmacy of choice so I can get it without even having to go to the GP surgery.