So frustrated with my chemist!

[DeusXM]

I am the sort of person who leaves things a little to the last minute so perhaps I've only got myself to blame for this.

Last Wednesday I was down to my last Novorapid cartridge and my last test cassette. Usually a Novorapid cart will last me a week while a test cassette tends to be done in five days, although I can always dial down the testing to stretch it out a bit longer.

So I got my script renewed (with everything on the list I usually have) at the doctor on the Thursday and dropped it off at the chemist in the afternoon.

Went in on Friday afternoon to pick up, to be told they had none of it in stock - no insulins, no needles, no BP meds, no test cassettes, no ketostix. So far, so bad, but I was told they'd put an order in and it would be in on Saturday.

I decided I had enough to keep me going until Tuesday, so I went back in last night. When I went in, I was told again they didn't have some of the stock so I told them to just give me what they had and I'd take the rest of the prescription elsewhere as I couldn't afford to wait any longer.

It then transpires that they still hadn't even bothered to prepare my prescription, so I had to wait another 10 minutes while they boxed everything up. They still didn't have the mobile cassettes so they would have to 'owe' me those. I asked for the script so I could find somewhere else to pick them up and they said they couldn't let me have it because it was on a script with another item - the Novorapid, which I need to live.

So I had to take the Novorapid from them (as I didn't want to dash across town to another chemist at 6.30pm only to find they didn't have any!) and now I'm still waiting for my test strips. I'm guessing as they hadn't even bothered boxing up my stuff yesterday, they've only just discovered they don't have some of it which means they won't be ordering until today, which means I won't actually get my test strips until late Thursday afternoon - a full week after placing the prescription!

Luckily I managed to find a spare meter with a sample box of strips to tide me over but frankly I'm absolutely fuming. I've already yelled at the chemist pointing out that I need this stuff to actually avoid dieing - if I can't test my blood sugar, I can't safely take insulin, and I also can't safely drive either. I appreciate there needs to be a reasonable amount of time allocated to this but I think it is a bit unreasonable to have wait 7 days for an item to come in, particularly when it should have been placed on the order sheet on the very first day I handed in the script and there have been a further 3 working days in which an order could have been placed.

It's not even the first time they've done this. Every time I go there (and this is quite a big and busy chemist) they are always out of stock of something. Will definitely be changing chemist in future!

 

[Northerner]

Very poor I've had similar situations in the past. At one point I agreed to have my repeats handled by the pharmacy, the idea being that I would take the repeat in to them and they would get it signed at the surgery (next door), ensure all items were available, and prepare the items ready for collection in 3 days. I gave them three attempts before giving up on them. Not only did they never have my script prepared, but they also didn't have the items to fulfil the order. I would be left waiting 30-60 mins whilst they made up a part-order, in the meantime they would be serving people who had just walked in the door having collected their scripts from the surgery 😡

I appreciate that some pharmacies may have a very rapid turnover of some items, but it is very poor if they had said they would order the items and then either not do it, or perhaps dispense the items ordered for you to someone else who came in before you were able to collect them. For me, I'm a bit tied to this pharmacy as it is next to the surgery and the nearest other one is a couple of miles away. Thankfully, they have now improved - I hope yours gets its act together soon!

 

[newbs]

If I take a prescription to my chemist they check there and then if they have the items in stock or not, before I leave it with them. It is then 2 working days before I can pick it up usually, although I now tend to order my prescriptions online in advance. Definitely very bad service from your chemist, especially when the items needed are so essential.

 

[Cleo]

Its ridiculous that its taken this long!. When I read your thread I assumed that the pharmacy was a tiny little one - I was quite surprised to learn that it wasnt the case. I think its time to change pharmacies 🙂......

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Complain in nice polite terms to head office 😡 I had the same problem last week. put the order in on Monday morning went to collect on the Friday, to find test strips missing. Was told some dopey whatsit hadn't ordered my test strips and they would be in after the bank holiday.
So I said fine lets have the script back I will take it else where. Went to the small independant chemist 2 doors down and all items in stock.

 

[delb t]

Ours is quite a small lloyds chemist- they check if theyve got the items -which they usually have cos I always go there - if not they order in for collection the next day- couldnt be doing with the hassle I'd change chemists

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Went in on Friday afternoon to pick up, to be told they had none of it in stock - no insulins, no needles, no BP meds, no test cassettes, no ketostix. So far, so bad, but I was told they'd put an order in and it would be in on Saturday.

There must be something in the air... Last time I put a script in (and stupidly didn't ask before I left it with them) they didn't have the insulin vials in stock. This is a first - I'm fairly used to having to go back fro a box or two of test strips but they have always had the insulin vials in.

Went in on Monday (after the Saturday they had promised) and nope. Still no insulin. I *just* managed to stretch out the little I had left, but it's amazing how just a few extra days can really put a strain on your expected supplies.

I only get 2 vials at a time, so I spend at least half my time on my 'last one' which doesn't help - luckily we dont have tiled floors. I'd hate to drop and smash a vial during a set change!

 

[Northerner]

There must be something in the air... Last time I put a script in (and stupidly didn't ask before I left it with them) they didn't have the insulin vials in stock. This is a first - I'm fairly used to having to go back fro a box or two of test strips but they have always had the insulin vials in.

Went in on Monday (after the Saturday they had promised) and nope. Still no insulin. I *just* managed to stretch out the little I had left, but it's amazing how just a few extra days can really put a strain on your expected supplies.

I only get 2 vials at a time, so I spend at least half my time on my 'last one' which doesn't help - luckily we dont have tiled floors. I'd hate to drop and smash a vial during a set change!

I'd be building up a bit of a reserve. I have currently 2 carts left plus one box of 5, and I've just put an order in for another box so I always have at least one unopened box should something untoward happen. I'm usually down to my last box of strips though, but I do have a couple of spare meters should the worst come to the worst!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Yes I confess I do feel much easier when I have an unopened vial in the fridge.

 

[DeusXM]

I usually like to keep a couple of carts in the bank but this time it's my own fault. Still annoyed by the strips though, I've spoken to the AccuChek careline and they've told me while there was a problem with the lancets a while back, there's never been a supply problem with the test cassettes. So it's definitely the chemist screwing things up.

I'm just so glad I've got a spare meter with sample strips knocking around.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I only get 2 vials at a time, so I spend at least half my time on my 'last one' which doesn't help - luckily we dont have tiled floors. I'd hate to drop and smash a vial during a set change!

Put in a request for extra vials. I asked my GP to do this as soon as I went on a pump, when he asked why I pointed out that living on a knife edge just in case one was broken by mistake was not good for me. I also pointed out that there could be a problem if there was ever a supply problem. There was no problem with the request at all, I pick up four vials when ever I need them. Half way down the third vial I put in a request for more.

 

[AlisonM]

I do the same with my insulin, place the order as soon as I take the third cartridge out of the fridge. And with the Victoza, I place the order as soon as I start the last pen. The two seem to work out fairly well and I normally end up ordering everything at the same time. Lloyds are pretty good and I've not had any real problems with them, those few there have been were because of bad weather holding up deliveries and not incompetence.

I can't say the same for the Boots on Streatham High Road though, before I moved home, I had several prescriptions mucked up by them. Even had a fight with the pharmacist once when he gave me the wrong pills and tried to insist that was what was on the script, which I had in my hand at the time! I never once managed to walk out of there with a complete prescription.

 

[Lauras87]

That's bad for a big chain.
I was going to say if you were short on novo, I could of sent you a box as I have 9 in the fridge (due to stock piling as mine never have novo or glargine in stock)
My chemist have diabetic allowances so if I miss the deadline I have to play hunt the pharmacy with the item in stock.

 

[Redkite]

How annoying! We get this problem with our local Boots, and like you said it's even more frustrating when they can give you bits but not everything, but you can't take that part of the prescription elsewhere! I have a friend in town with a T1 daughter who I can get a vial of insulin from in an emergency (and she's had a couple from us too, as well as some ketone strips), but she uses a different meter so no good for strips. I've taken to keeping large stockpiles at home - I now reorder when we're down to 3 vials of insulin, 4 boxes of testing strips, and an unopened box of 200 lancets.

 

[MargB]

I have written before about the problems I have had with a chemist getting my prescriptions made up but have been thinking about it. I think they are struggling because of this silly change which means you have to re-order all your medication every 28 days. Mine was always 56 days but apparently there was too much wastage so now they can only give us one month's stuff at a time. Fine except the chemists now have double the workload and I certainly have not seen any new staff go in to the chemists.

I had problems with that chemist before the change but since has been a nightmare! I thought it would be easier having them do the re-ordering but it was really stressful.

 

[Redkite]

I think they are struggling because of this silly change which means you have to re-order all your medication every 28 days.

True, that must surely have created more work for the pharmacists. However, people with type 1 can't be held to a fixed 28 day reorder cycle, as the amount of insulin and strips used varies. We put in a repeat prescription order whenever our stocks fall below the minimum level I like to keep!

 

[Tina63]

I too have always got in the habit of stockpiling. I always have one complete unopened box of insulin in and as soon as the last box is opened, I order another. Now my lad is using a complete box a fortnight, I have to be on my toes with it. I really will have to remember to allow for bank holidays.

We have always been lucky with our local Boots. Last month was the first time I went to collect it and it was still sitting at our doctors. But Boots offered to phone them to chase it and they confirmed it was in the box to come to Boots the next morning, so it was the surgery's fault, not Boots'. Our local Boots have a delivery every day too, so if something isn't in stock today, it WILL be tomorrow. Dreadful if a larger branch can't get themselves organised.

 

[Steff]

Your first 2 sentences summed it up really, helpful ain't I
Lesson learnt the hard way

 

[DeusXM]

Well, yes and no. I shouldn't have to wait for over a week for my chemist to order supplies, particularly when I was assured on a Friday that they'd be in on a Saturday. The issue was made worse by the fact I'd left things late, yes, but frankly it's inexcusable to take 8 days to order in some test strips, particularly when a meter manufacturer can get a new meter direct to your door within 24 hours.

 

[Homedaze]

Prescriptions to be paperless...

I was informed by the chemist that in August the green prescription forms will be phased out and prescriptions will be electronically transmitted to your nominated chemist at the time of prescribing or when ordering a repeat.