Another case of not....

[RachelT]

You can get emergency prescriptions for free, although i don't think it streaches as far as glucose test strips as they're not technically medication (i'm not in work next week or i'd ask) more like an applience and you can buy them over the counter (which at 22 pounds i think you did). You probably need a prescription for prescription only medication to qualify for free ones. But the rules say that you can supply a limited quantitty of drugs without a prescription on the understanding that a prescription will follow when the doctor is next able to send one.
As for the "Code", the pharmacy profession is very tightly controlled by rules, laws and guidelines, breaking them can lose you your license, job and can land you in prision. It's a pain to work with and to be on the end of, but it's the law, basically.

Rachel

 

[MIsmail]

Emergency prescribing is based on strict rules but in practice, they are open to minor changes.

Although one of the key principles a pharmacist must abide by is "making the care of thier patients their primary concern."

I therefore feel that they should have weight out the pros and cons of your situation and make an adequate decision saving you all that hassel.

In my opinion, the pharmacists I have interacted with did not know enough about diabetes to make such a decision as I once experienced a similar situation. When abruptly asking the pharmacist "what do you expect me to do, guess my sugars?!" he just shrugged his sholders.

As a norm (under emergency prescribing), they do charge and then refund when the script comes back. However some nice ones lend them to you and trust that you will get a prescription soon (but this kind of bends the rules).

From their point of view they try save their own backsides by abiding to the law, but surely they must be well informed enough to know that a lack of test strips (especially in your circumstances) is inexcusable.

Sorry for all that and I hope it does not happen again.

 

[getcarter76]

You can get emergency prescriptions for free, although i don't think it streaches as far as glucose test strips as they're not technically medication (i'm not in work next week or i'd ask) more like an applience and you can buy them over the counter (which at 22 pounds i think you did). You probably need a prescription for prescription only medication to qualify for free ones. But the rules say that you can supply a limited quantitty of drugs without a prescription on the understanding that a prescription will follow when the doctor is next able to send one.
As for the "Code", the pharmacy profession is very tightly controlled by rules, laws and guidelines, breaking them can lose you your license, job and can land you in prision. It's a pain to work with and to be on the end of, but it's the law, basically.

Rachel

Hi Rachel,

The pharmacist I spoke to said that they have to sell it for the price that the item costs them. He said if the item only cost 50p we wouldn't have been having this conversation (cheeky monkey). He further said that Dr's and nurses wrongly advise people and this happens all the time. I don't know whether it was because he wasn't the normal pharmacist or whether its down to where you live (which i have seen on here can be very different). He adamantly said that he would not give this item to me even on the preface that a prescription will follow so i had to cough up the monies...

Needless to say...i shall be having a word or two with my surgery and my DSN nurse tomorrow morning...

Thanks for the help though...do you work in a chemist yourself? Any info is always a help...

Bernie 🙂 xx

 

[getcarter76]

Emergency prescribing is based on strict rules but in practice, they are open to minor changes.

Although one of the key principles a pharmacist must abide by is "making the care of thier patients their primary concern."

I therefore feel that they should have weight out the pros and cons of your situation and make an adequate decision saving you all that hassel.

In my opinion, the pharmacists I have interacted with did not know enough about diabetes to make such a decision as I once experienced a similar situation. When abruptly asking the pharmacist "what do you expect me to do, guess my sugars?!" he just shrugged his sholders.

As a norm (under emergency prescribing), they do charge and then refund when the script comes back. However some nice ones lend them to you and trust that you will get a prescription soon (but this kind of bends the rules).

From their point of view they try save their own backsides by abiding to the law, but surely they must be well informed enough to know that a lack of test strips (especially in your circumstances) is inexcusable.

Sorry for all that and I hope it does not happen again.

Hi MIsmail,

Thank you for your guidance...its interesting to know and terrible that you have experienced that too. The pharmacist was really quite a nice chap but i did feel i was banging my head against a brick wall. I too hope this not to happen again so i am going to ask that they increase my test strips amount and from what others have said seems to be reasonable bearing in mind my circumstances...

Bernie xx 🙂