Insulin but no needles? Not my problem!

[Rosiecarmel]

ANOTHER complaint to put in. On Monday I requested my insulin and needles from the chemist. Chemist hand wrote the request because it wasn't on my repeat as A doctor had forgotten to put it on my repeat. The receptionist then said they've never received the "menu" thing I personally handed them last Monday. Yet the glucogel, insulin and new lancets were on the form along with the needles and I've got everything but the needles! She told me she didn't understand why that happened but I'll have to come back Monday to request a repeat which takes 48 hours. In the meantime I have insulin but no needles as I chucked my last one in my sharps bin this morning knowing I was coming to get them today.

FINALLY she said to come back after 2 as she's added it to my prescription but I'm working until 9;30pm and they're not open weekends. I told her this and she said it wasn't her problem. The chemist are giving me an emergency supply BUT they don't have any in until this afternoon when their delivery comes. I started crying out of frustration and the pharmacy assistant has given me her number and home address and at 11pm tonight, when I get back into Leeds, I'm to go to her house and she'll give me them. She is going waaaay above her job and there was even talk of them driving to my work to give me them but I didn't wanna put them any further out. The chemist is in my doctors surgery (it's a health centre) and they're the only reason I haven't left yet.

I am beyond mad and told the receptionist to her face that I'm putting a complaint in. I will be writing it all down once I get to work and the exact dates for the mother of all complaints. I told her I'm sure the CQC would like to hear how I've been treated and she said she's doing the best she can.

I've got my discharge letter with dates on too so they can try and deny it all they like. I will be ringing my hospital DSN today as it was HER that wrote the letter with items to be added to my repeat.

This is definitely the straw that broke the camels back especially after my rant a few days ago!!

 

[grovesy]

Sorry to hear you are having more problems, but a gold star for the Pharmacy for going the extra mile!

 

[Northerner]

Absolutely disgusting! 😱 😡 I remember when I was discharged from hospital with about 7 needles and not realising until I was down to the last one that I really, really needed some! Fortunately, my surgery were much more on the ball. This is sheer incompetence from your surgery, and what makes it even worse is that they were suggesting you'd have to wait the normal 48 hours for a prescription! That is utter nonsense - a doctor can be called and provide a prescription on the spot and you CANNOT use your insulin without needles!!! Stupid beyond comprehension Did the pharmacy not have ANY needles? They may not have had the specific ones but any would have done short term. Good to hear the efforts they are making, though they shouldn't have to.

Rosie, I think they must really suspect that you are an angel and they are trying to see how far they can push you - there can be no other explanation! Your surgery needs a massive re-education and a real dressing down

 

[Rosiecarmel]

Absolutely disgusting! 😱 😡 I remember when I was discharged from hospital with about 7 needles and not realising until I was down to the last one that I really, really needed some! Fortunately, my surgery were much more on the ball. This is sheer incompetence from your surgery, and what makes it even worse is that they were suggesting you'd have to wait the normal 48 hours for a prescription! That is utter nonsense - a doctor can be called and provide a prescription on the spot and you CANNOT use your insulin without needles!!! Stupid beyond comprehension Did the pharmacy not have ANY needles? They may not have had the specific ones but any would have done short term. Good to hear the efforts they are making, though they shouldn't have to.

Rosie, I think they must really suspect that you are an angel and they are trying to see how far they can push you - there can be no other explanation! Your surgery needs a massive re-education and a real dressing down

They did have other needles but aren't allowed to give me needles that aren't on my prescription. The receptionist finally added GlucoRX 4mm needles to my prescription to collect after 2pm which I can't. All my chemist are allowed to do is give me an emergency supply then take it off my prescription when it comes through. It's not their fault, I understand their hands are somewhat tied.

I asked if the receptionist could just ask a doctor to print me a prescription off immediately and she said point blank no. Not at all.

Well they've pushed me to my limit now. I cannot take any more and I'm not going to. I will be staying at my doctors until ive made my complaint so I can find out the outcome of it.

 

[khskel]

Sadly such things are not uncommon. When I switched to half unit pens it took me quite a while to convince the surgery that I needed insulin to go in them. Full marks to the pharmacist for sorting you out.

 

[Austin Mini]

Rosie, you need to order your needles well in advance. When I pick up a box of needles I always order another straight away. I have now one box on standby all the time as you never know what may happen.

 

[Ljc]

The sooner you can get away from that surgery the better. I give the pharmacy assistant a gold star, she's definitely gone more than the extra mile.
It's best to make sure you have enough spare meds needles etc , I like to have a spare Carton of insulin and needles and two weeks of my other meds in hand, just in case.

 

[Maz2]

Rosie - you definitely should put in a complaint. That receptionist is well out of order. She should not be saying "it is not her problem." It is up to her to find someone to sort it out or at least make some effort, not speak to people like that. I work in the NHS myself, I work for a surgeon (A & C staff). I would certainly be in trouble with my Managers if I spoke to patients in that manner.

Well done the Pharmacist. Hope you get sorted out soon.

 

[shirley]

Just thought you may like to know. If you find the Gluco RX needles uncomfortable, you may want to ask to change to the BD Microfine ones. When Jamie was first diagnosed we had the BD Microfine ones but the Gluco RX ones are, I believe, cheaper and seemed to cause more discomfort. So I asked if we could change back and the repeat was amended. However, everytime, including today, that I collect repeat prescriptions the pharmacy tries to palm me off with the Gluco RX ones. You may be fine with them and very sorry to hear about further problems, totally unacceptable.

 

[SB2015]

They really are trying to test your patience in every possible way, but well done to the lovely person who has made arrangements for you to collect them.

It is a lot of a muddle at the start of using all the equipment and I would be surprised if there are not quite a few of us on here who have forgotten to over stuff in time, or not allowed for the 'pharmacist factor' in planning for repeats. ( I know someone nearby who used the same pens and needles, and now the same cannulas for our pumps so we are each other's emergency if needed). You will get into a routine once things settle down.

I am not writing this Rosie so just imagine that the letters are in invisible ink.
I know that the needles say use only once, but I am aware of many who do not change them every time (including me). Sometimes when I got a bruise I remembered how long ago it was since I had changed the needle. Obviously the advice is to use a new one every time but I certainly made sure that I had a replacement in hand before I removed a needle from my pen. I know that is no help at the moment but it may be useful next time.

 

[heatherjoy]

Just thought you may like to know. If you find the Gluco RX needles uncomfortable, you may want to ask to change to the BD Microfine ones. When Jamie was first diagnosed we had the BD Microfine ones but the Gluco RX ones are, I believe, cheaper and seemed to cause more discomfort. So I asked if we could change back and the repeat was amended. However, everytime, including today, that I collect repeat prescriptions the pharmacy tries to palm me off with the Gluco RX ones. You may be fine with them and very sorry to hear about further problems, totally unacceptable.

I had the exact same problem with the needles when they tried to change me to gluco RX from BD microfine! I also found that they didn't click into place on my lantus pen.

Good luck with the complaint hope it works out and your care is improved!

 

[Caroline]

This is a big problem. It has happened to me too where I have put in a repeat request, all nicely typed and have been told they couldn't read my hand writing. My response was well I'll come down with another repeat request, which was all nicely typed and I made the receptionist read it while I was there. When I was told again my writing was not readable I put in a complaint stating I'd typed my request and was told by the lady who took it things were readable. AT this point I said well someone is trying to kill me because here are things I need that I have run out of and that I was going to put in a complaint and take advice. It never happened again...

 

[Matt Cycle]

I had the exact same problem with the needles when they tried to change me to gluco RX from BD microfine! I also found that they didn't click into place on my lantus pen.

Good luck with the complaint hope it works out and your care is improved!

They're following the NICE 2015 guidelines (para 1.8.4) for Type 1 which states the following:

1.8.4 After taking clinical factors into account, choose needles with the lowest acquisition cost to use with pre‑filled and reusable insulin pen injectors. [new 2015]

i.e. give them the cheapest. I must be lucky as my surgery still give me the BD Microfines.

 

[Robin]

They're following the NICE 2015 guidelines (para 1.8.4) for Type 1 which states the following:

1.8.4 After taking clinical factors into account, choose needles with the lowest acquisition cost to use with pre‑filled and reusable insulin pen injectors. [new 2015]

i.e. give them the cheapest. I must be lucky as my surgery still give me the BD Microfines.

I still get the Microfines as well, I always brace myself to look in the packet in case they've changed them!

 

[Ljc]

I'm lucky too I still get microfines

 

[Matt Cycle]

I still get the Microfines as well, I always brace myself to look in the packet in case they've changed them!

My scrip specifies them by name. I've always had them (even in the early days of pens when we had to buy them ourselves before they were put on prescription) and I used BD syringes as well. Could just be fear of change and the cheaper ones may be fine but I'd rather stick to what I know. 🙂

 

[KookyCat]

GlucoRX are awful, but my surgery refuses to change then despite the fact I'm covered in bruises from them. Rosie it isn't uncommon to have these problems sadly, definitely complain, it's the only way they'll learn. I once stood at the desk and said I wasn't moving until the gave me a prescription for insulin (their fault not mine), the receptionist said she'd ring the police at which point I said please do, I'm sure they'd like to hear how you are attempting to murder me by withholding vital medication. The look on my face clearly did the trick, 20 minutes later the prescription they'd been messing me about with for 3 weeks was in my hand. I'm stuck with my lot (it's a postcode thing here, but if you can change surgery, change, it's not worth the extra stress and hassle. Good luck and make sure you sock it to em.

 

[Ralph-YK]

*splutrers*
This is so f&(!$|` bad. So sorry Rosie.
What is wrong with these people.

 

[Ralph-YK]

*makes a pot of tea and sits with you*

 

[Copepod]

Really bad that repeat prescription list went missing and you didn't get expected needles, but please don't ever put your last needle in bin. I know we're not supposed to reuse needles, but lots of us do it most of the time.