OH had a recent blood test done, nurse at the practice told him he should have had it done in May. She did shut up when he told her that he had phoned immediately on receiving the invitation for the test and this was the first available appointment! Always gets me annoyed when medical staff who should know better, say things that could make the patient feel guilty, either deliberately or accidentally, without knowing the circumstances.
No joined up system. Too many GPs who don't believe good admin is an essential part of patient care, too many untrained or overloaded receptionists trying to process too many things at once, pharmacies with their own systems too and all believing they know best.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
When I need a repeat prescription, (every 28 days), I write a letter to my GP. I give him three working days, then trot along to my pharmacy, and usually (but not always), they have received the request. Once I'm there, they decide to check and see if they have the drugs - normally some, but rarely all. I get asked to return the next day. So I give it two or three (plus they're closed at weekends), and occasionally they have the extra drugs. At that point, they do ACTUALLY order the extra.
I've learnt to keep about two weeks' supply in reserve.
Sometimes, when prescription requests haven't been received from the GP, I speak to a receptionist, who tells me I'm early in my request - that I can only request a prescription once a month. But I only ever get 28 days supply, so have to book an appointment with the GP, just to get my medication. The receptionist just can't see the logic. As an epileptic (much like so many others), I can't afford to miss any doses. The consequences are dire - and I've tried to explain that to staff.
Blank faces!!!
Now of course, the receptionist doesn't always pass on the correct request. So trying to explain that and re-request is a palaver.
I think it depends where you live to an extent. My OH has 3 meds on a repeat prescription basis. He can telephone his GP giving a few days notice and the meds are either delivered to our local PO for collection or collected from the GP. Both options are available. Judging from experiences posted on here, he's obviously very lucky.
@rowlandscastle444 we always try to keep at least 2 weeks worth in reserve. As my wife has recently started a new medication the system wouldn't permit that to be reordered until 8 weeks after the original prescription. As the maximum period our GP surgery will issue for is 8 weeks you can see the potential problem when the surgery demands 2 weeks notice for prescriptions to be issued.
Not that long ago they only needed 24 hours, that increased to 48, then 5 days. Although they haven't updated the information on their systems to change that, when you speak to them they say 10 working days. I agree it's ridiculous, but what can patients do. The receptionist said today that if you try to order too soon, the request may be rejected. You just can't win.
Our surgery used to issue up to 3 months worth on repeat prescription but suddenly reduced it to 2 months. Seems crazy as they have increased the GP workload on prescription by 50% by doing so.
From what I read about other surgeries in our area, most aren't much better.
Posts
Always gets me annoyed when medical staff who should know better, say things that could make the patient feel guilty, either deliberately or accidentally, without knowing the circumstances.
Once a month I go on my pharmacies website, request the drugs I need, and they email me, usually 48 hours later, to tell me I can pick them up.
It isn't rocket science, why is it so difficult for some people to get their drugs?
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Once I'm there, they decide to check and see if they have the drugs - normally some, but rarely all.
I get asked to return the next day.
So I give it two or three (plus they're closed at weekends), and occasionally they have the extra drugs. At that point, they do ACTUALLY order the extra.
I've learnt to keep about two weeks' supply in reserve.
Sometimes, when prescription requests haven't been received from the GP, I speak to a receptionist, who tells me I'm early in my request - that I can only request a prescription once a month.
But I only ever get 28 days supply, so have to book an appointment with the GP, just to get my medication. The receptionist just can't see the logic. As an epileptic (much like so many others), I can't afford to miss any doses. The consequences are dire - and I've tried to explain that to staff.
Blank faces!!!
Now of course, the receptionist doesn't always pass on the correct request. So trying to explain that and re-request is a palaver.
Sigh! 😶😶
Judging from experiences posted on here, he's obviously very lucky.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.