Check use by date on prescription items.

[Flutterby]

I need to rant 😡 Why is it that pharmacy people can't get things right? I honestly can't find a decent one in Kidderminster and am losing my rag with them all! Usually I use the new one at our docs, they are quick, recognise me, keep a supply of what I need and seem efficiant. However the last twice they have told me that there is a manufacturing problem with Aviva Accu chek test strips. On both occasions I have taken the script to Boots who look at me like I'm crazy 😉 and assure me there is no problem, they have loads - yippee doo dah!!

So today I took my script to Boots and collected it a little while later. When I got home I went to put the insulin into the fridge and as is my habit checked the expiry dates. I'd got 10 cartridges each of Levemir and Humalog. I discovered a little label which was handwritten stuck to each box - use by 10/10/12 - er ok, what's the date on the box - 2014!! Ok what's going on here? So I rang Boots.

A very pleasant lady assured me that the insulin was perfectly safe but had been out of the correct temperature range recently for more than 24 hours when their fridge played up overnight. But "we rang the manufacturers and it's quite safe to use as long as we make people aware of what's happened" So I replied - "but you are saying that it's only safe until 10/10/12? " (makes sense doesn't it - I am ok with this part) She said that yes that was the case - my problem is that firstly nobody had made sure that I had seen the label, nobody had told me, nobody had asked if I was happy with that AND how the hell do they think I'm going to use all that insulin in the next 3 weeks or so 😱

She said "if you aren't happy then you can bring it back" Well I'm not happy and I will be taking it back but why not tell me there and then? Why make me do an additional journey - and what if I hadn't noticed?! Be warned people, be warned. 🙄

 

[Northerner]

Well, you should definitely have been informed - this could have caused you a great deal of difficulty if you hadn't noticed. Also, you had to ring to discover the reason - you should have been advised in the pharmacy to check it was OK for you. As you say, if you don't use much insulin then you would end up throwing it away so they should have checked this also so you wouldn't need to bring it back - they are ripping the NHS off by giving you insulin you can't use! You should complain so that they don't think this is OK to do to someone else - they should only issue the amount that a person can use ad they won't know that without explaining first! 🙄

I've never had a problem getting the Accu chek strips apart from them running out occasionally and me having to return the following day after the new delivery.

 

[Flutterby]

I will have a word to that effect when I go back. It's utter madness - it's only about 3 weeks away from the use by date yet nobody told me - how ridiculous. I'm ok to get down there and swop it but it could have been somebody who would find that difficult. Drives me crazy lately - and I don't need help with going crazy!!