7 week prescription wait

[Michaela Booth]

Hi!

I receive my prescriptions through Pharmacy2u. I requested online for insulin and hypo stop. Even though I had only received hypo stop 3 weeks before, I did state that I'm a Type one Diabetic who is currently pregnant and having a lot of hypo's. I have only just received my request which took my doctors 7 weeks to accept. Is this normal? Am I entitled to complain?
Luckily my antenatal diabetic team got me my insulin straight away as otherwise I would of been without!

 

[trophywench]

Have you asked either the pharmacy lot or your GP Practice, why?

 

[Michaela Booth]

I repeatedly asked and requested that they allow my prescription to be put through to be told that all they can do is keep putting it forward to the doctors.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

You can buy liquid glucose in the cake making dept of any supermarket which is all hypo stop is. It costs about £1 for a large tube, rather than astronomical prices charged to the nhs.

Why oh why anyone would get their insulin delivered in the post is anyone's guess. You would be far better off using your local pharmacy who can sort things out a lot quicker for you.

 

[Michaela Booth]

You can buy liquid glucose in the cake making dept of any supermarket which is all hypo stop is. It costs about £1 for a large tube, rather than astronomical prices charged to the nhs.

Why oh why anyone would get their insulin delivered in the post is anyone's guess. You would be far better off using your local pharmacy who can sort things out a lot quicker for you.

I used to get it through a local pharmacy but I work 60 hour weeks so it's far more convenient to my situation as I don't have the time.
Not everybody has time to go and sit in a pharmacy.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I used to get it through a local pharmacy but I work 60 hour weeks so it's far more convenient to my situation as I don't have the time.
Not everybody has time to go and sit in a pharmacy.

You can order your prescription on line have it electronically sent to your local pharmacy walk in and collect it 48 hours later.Takes all of 2 mins. To make double sure it's ready just ring them before you collect, problem solved
You also have time to visit the hospital for anti natal care etc so another 2mins out of your day once a month isn't going to make any difference. The glucose you can buy whilst doing your food shop.
The pharmacy you mentioned in your original post has a reputation not to be proud of. Personally I would not order insulin from a pharmacy that sticks it in the post as you have no idea of the condition or temp it has been kept in.

 

[Michaela Booth]

It's not 2 minutes,never has been. I've been diabetic 25 years and I've had more issues with pharmacies themselves messing me about than I have with Pharmacy2u. But also I never stated that Pharmacy2u was the issue. The issue was with the doctors repeatedly ignoring the request for the prescription.

Which is what the post was about.

But once again seeing as you stated I have time for my antenatal appointments so I should have time to collect a prescription. Making me the problem to why I didn't get my insulin. The problem was the doctors took so long to accept my online prescription. But you are alternating this around to me being the problem when no. I'm sorry. Whether you are choosing to make me the problem or not. The issue was still that it shouldn't take that long to agree to a prescription.

You can order your prescription on line have it electronically sent to your local pharmacy walk in and collect it 48 hours later.Takes all of 2 mins. To make double sure it's ready just ring them before you collect, problem solved
You also have time to visit the hospital for anti natal care etc so another 2mins out of your day once a month isn't going to make any difference. The glucose you can buy whilst doing your food shop.
The pharmacy you mentioned in your original post has a reputation not to be proud of. Personally I would not order insulin from a pharmacy that sticks it in the post as you have no idea of the condition or temp it has been kept in.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

It's not 2 minutes,never has been. I've been diabetic 25 years and I've had more issues with pharmacies themselves messing me about than I have with Pharmacy2u. But also I never stated that Pharmacy2u was the issue. The issue was with the doctors repeatedly ignoring the request for the prescription.

Which is what the post was about.

But once again seeing as you stated I have time for my antenatal appointments so I should have time to collect a prescription. Making me the problem to why I didn't get my insulin. The problem was the doctors took so long to accept my online prescription. But you are alternating this around to me being the problem when no. I'm sorry. Whether you are choosing to make me the problem or not. The issue was still that it shouldn't take that long to agree to a prescription.

Oh come on it takes less time to order your prescription then it took to write your post.
On line ordering also shows if the prescription has been declined so you can track it no problem at all.
If it had been declined then all you do is ring the surgery and speak to a GP or receptionist to find out why.

I've been on insulin for 53 years and never had a problem receiving my insulin. I live a 14 mile round trip from the pharmacy so for obvious reasons check before I collect.

Bottom line is though it's your diabetes and you know you need insulin to stay alive so it's you that needs to chase things up. 🙂

Good luck with your pregnancy.

 

[Michaela Booth]

But this is my point you've just completely not answered my thread at all. All you have done is repeatedly try and find reasons as to why you think I'm to blame. And once again as I had already posted it didn't get declined as I was tracking it! It was waiting for approval from the doctors for 7 weeks. Which it should never take that long. But millions are now using Pharmacy2u and your opinion on whether I should order my insulin via online services or as you've quite clearly tried to interpret I'm lazy and should go and collect my prescription isn't a valid point at all.
That's good for you but as I have stated that I have had numerous issues throughout my years and I much prefer doing it this way.

Bottom line is I sorted the situation and got myself insulin but the doctors should not take 7 weeks to respond to a request.

 

[ukjohn]

Sue why are you so adamant that your way is the right way and the poster is wrong, its her choice how she obtains her medical supplies and is asking for advice not asking you to dictate how long it takes to get to a pharmacy, taking two minutes is a bit simplistic to suggest, bet it takes you more than two minutes for your round trip of 14 miles, you have no idea if the lady has a car or has to use public transport. The last thing this lady wants is someone preaching to her that she is wrong in everything she is doing. CALM DOWN. we are not all perfect.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

John, I stated it takes to mins to order on line not collect the prescription.
So stop shouting at me please.
Ordering on line is quite simple so she can check herself where and what the problem is and go directly to source.
There is no point in moaning about things unless you get off your backside and do the basics to sort things out.

 

[Bubbsie]

Whatever the rights & wrongs of getting prescriptions...whether online or by collection in person if there is a wait of 7 weeks without any justification for it I would consider writing to the practice manager to ask for an explanation…anything we write to our surgeries is scanned onto their system...detail the difficulties you experienced...what effect that had on you & impress on them this is how you need to have your prescriptions issued in your current circumstances...if everything is put in writing then we can all be clear about who said what to whom...doing that is likely to prevent a reoccurrence of the problem...good luck.

 

[trophywench]

Well my suggestion once I knew exactly where the problem lay which I now do know - the GP surgery - was to speak to whoever was to blame and try and discover why the hell there was such a delay?

However I can't see that Michaela has done this - ie spoken to her GP surgery - and I don't understand why not?

You need to, Michaela, because as your pregnancy progresses, you will need more and more insulin - in the third trimester it's not at all unusual to need 3 times as much insulin as you used before you were pregnant so whilst you are expecting, the doctors need to change whatever's written in stone on their computer that you can order and when you can order it, to be a lot more flexible!

As it happens I wouldn't want my insulin posted either - when our regular postie comes back off holiday, we suddenly get a lot of post delivered that should have arrived through our letterbox during the previous week or fortnight!

 

[Michaela Booth]

Once again you are interpreting I'm lazy. I have a three year old boy,im 22 weeks pregnant and I do a 60 hour a week job. The problem was the doctors response time to my prescription request. Which I repeatedly rang to see what the issue was.

I can't comprehend with what you are getting at here. It seems you are not happy and think I should do things differently. Doctors should not take 7 weeks to respond. Simple as that.

John, I stated it takes to mins to order on line not collect the prescription.
So stop shouting at me please.
Ordering on line is quite simple so she can check herself where and what the problem is and go directly to source.
There is no point in moaning about things unless you get off your backside and do the basics to sort things out.

 

[Michaela Booth]

Th

Well my suggestion once I knew exactly where the problem lay which I now do know - the GP surgery - was to speak to whoever was to blame and try and discover why the hell there was such a delay?

However I can't see that Michaela has done this - ie spoken to her GP surgery - and I don't understand why not?

You need to, Michaela, because as your pregnancy progresses, you will need more and more insulin - in the third trimester it's not at all unusual to need 3 times as much insulin as you used before you were pregnant so whilst you are expecting, the doctors need to change whatever's written in stone on their computer that you can order and when you can order it, to be a lot more flexible!

As it happens I wouldn't want my insulin posted either - when our regular postie comes back off holiday, we suddenly get a lot of post delivered that should have arrived through our letterbox during the previous week or fortnight!

Thank you so much for this response. Honestly.
I have had the conversation with my doctors already that as a diabetic things and activities change and very so much that a date isn't always justifiable to when and what we can order.

I'm going to write in and see what happened as yes as my pregnancy is progressing I'm needing more and more insulin.

But thank you so much.

 

[Bubbsie]

Once again you are interpreting I'm lazy. I have a three year old boy,im 22 weeks pregnant and I do a 60 hour a week job. The problem was the doctors response time to my prescription request. Which I repeatedly rang to see what the issue was.

I can't comprehend with what you are getting at here. It seems you are not happy and think I should do things differently. Doctors should not take 7 weeks to respond. Simple as that.

You need to address that with your practice... otherwise the potential remains for it to reoccur...I have no idea what the process is...or how it works...but 7 weeks seems an inordinately long time to wait for a response from your surgery...make them aware of it...then whoever caused the delay can be identified & advised of their failure to deliver the service they should have.

 

[Bubbsie]

Th


Thank you so much for this response. Honestly.
I have had the conversation with my doctors already that as a diabetic things and activities change and very so much that a date isn't always justifiable to when and what we can order.

I'm going to write in and see what happened as yes as my pregnancy is progressing I'm needing more and more insulin.

But thank you so much.

Comments are often misinterpreted...go unrecorded Michaela...that's why I always put it in writing having 'learnt my lesson' the hard way...the rights & wrongs of it are not important now...resolving the problem is...so concentrate your energies on making sure there isn't a repeat.

 

[Michaela Booth]

Th

Whatever the rights & wrongs of getting prescriptions...whether online or by collection in person if there is a wait of 7 weeks without any justification for it I would consider writing to the practice manager to ask for an explanation…anything we write to our surgeries is scanned onto their system...detail the difficulties you experienced...what effect that had on you & impress on them this is how you need to have your prescriptions issued in your current circumstances...if everything is put in writing then we can all be clear about who said what to whom...doing that is likely to prevent a reoccurrence of the problem...good luck.

Thank you for this!

I'm going to write in and see from there if I get a response. Which I should hope I do. But my antenatal team have changed my insulin from novorapid to Fiasp 2 weeks ago now and even though they have forwarded me the letter from my doctors so obviously they received the request they still haven't put it on my prescription. It's getting beyond frustrating.

But thank you. I'm going to find out where to write to or just wrote a formal letter and drop it in.

Whatever the rights & wrongs of getting prescriptions...whether online or by collection in person if there is a wait of 7 weeks without any justification for it I would consider writing to the practice manager to ask for an explanation…anything we write to our surgeries is scanned onto their system...detail the difficulties you experienced...what effect that had on you & impress on them this is how you need to have your prescriptions issued in your current circumstances...if everything is put in writing then we can all be clear about who said what to whom...doing that is likely to prevent a reoccurrence of the problem...good luck.

 

[ukjohn]

John, I stated it takes to mins to order on line not collect the prescription.
So stop shouting at me please.
Ordering on line is quite simple so she can check herself where and what the problem is and go directly to source.
There is no point in moaning about things unless you get off your backside and do the basics to sort things out.

Sue, The capital letters were not meant to imply shouting, but to make the words stand out. I am sorry if it sounded that way to you, I would never shout at a pretty lady and good friend as you. 😳🙂. Anyway I haven't had that lunch you promised me when I'm down that way, so must keep on your good side 🙄 xxx

John

 

[Bubbsie]

Th


Thank you for this!

I'm going to write in and see from there if I get a response. Which I should hope I do. But my antenatal team have changed my insulin from novorapid to Fiasp 2 weeks ago now and even though they have forwarded me the letter from my doctors so obviously they received the request they still haven't put it on my prescription. It's getting beyond frustrating.

But thank you. I'm going to find out where to write to or just wrote a formal letter and drop it in.

You know Michaela the problem often transpires to be a lack of communication between various health care professionals … clinics & departments...the missed note...a missed telephone call...a wrongly worded letter...departments get busy...we can't always rely on them to do what is necessary...so there will be times when we need to take 'charge' of some of the admin tasks we can do ourselves |(we shouldn't really have to but it makes things easier)… so now when there is a change with my meds...or appointments I follow them up...it cause less friction...less anxiety & stops my blood from boiling...just a simple email can often be enough...it is worth avoiding all the angst...good luck.