Pharmacy Ridiculousness

[bednobs]

Hi, i have had to go to the pharmacy for the third time in 2 weeks today. Each time was at a different time of day on a different day. Each time there is about a 30-minute wait in the queue followed by a 30–55-minute wait for prescription to be checked and dispensed. If you go away in the dispensary wait, you have to join the queue again to let them know you are back (when you get to the front) Every time the queue was "restive" about having to wait so long, nearly everyone moaning to the staff as soon as they got to the front about the wait, and some outright hostility too.
is this just a local issue, or do you all have pharmacies like this?

[novalis]

A frequent complaint about our local one (outskirts of Oldham) and about one in North Devon which a friend of mine uses.

[sandyRoe]

My local pharmacy collects the script from the doctor and then delivers the medication to my home.

[wolf63]

I use a pharmacy that is part of a small chain.

They pick up the prescription from the doctor after I order it online. I toddle down a couple of days later.

They are not overfriendly but I have never had to wait more than ten minutes to get my drugs.

[Canary42]

I've given up on all local ones (they were really bloody hopeless) and now use online Chemist4U where I get good service.

[bednobs]

in fact i just remembered it's 4 times.
they send me a text to let me know when my "medicines are ready to collect" (their exact words) then when i queued up and it was my turn they said, oh yes, we'll have to dispense those, the wait is 30 minutes. How that is "ready" i don't know. Then they sent me another text a few days later the same, so i queued up again to be told that their texts were probably a bit over-enthusiastic and there was nothing for me.

[bednobs]

i will do that with my regular repeats, but these were one off reactive prescriptions

[naomi24]

My pharmacy is attached to my GP surgery and it’s rubbish. Same with every hospital pharmacy I’ve come across. Always long waits. They just don’t seem to get able to get their act together - or maybe they don’t try. I’ve always found regular high street pharmacies the best.

[perseverer]

Are you talking about a pharmacy attached to the doctor's practice or a 'chemists shop?' We are fortunate to have several local pharmacies. Since covid started repeat prescriptions are collected from the doctor's by your nominated pharmacy. Some will deliver or text you when your prescription is ready for collection. If you go in to the pharmacy and they don't have to order in the medicine, you would normally get it within 15-20 minutes. As I said perhaps we are fortunate.

[bednobs]

they had a sign up that irked me too "please note there is likely to be a 30 minute wait for prescriptions. We ensure you that our staff are trying their best"
it took me the best part of my 30 minute wait to work out what was wrong (and they didnt care when i told them :))

[bednobs]

the one i am talking about is boots

[jno]

hospital pharmacies have to deal with hundreds of patients on the hoof, high street chemists never have more than one or two people waiting. I request repeat scrips online and the GP sends the order on through to the chemist. It still takes time to make them up, but I spend that time at home hoovering/watching TV rather than in line in the pharmacy, so it feels less annoying.

[FoxLee2]

I email the surgery when i need repeat prescriptions which are then sent to my local Tesco. I let two or three days go by and then when i'm shopping in Tesco, I just go to the pharmacy and pick up my pills. There could be the odd time when one or two people are in front of me buying meds or collecting prescriptions but mostly just walk straight up to the counter. I thought I was luckier than my sister who gets her medications from her local Boots and they are always giving her IOU's as they don't have everything in stock but I didn't realise how tough some of you have it.

[Canary42]

///the GP sends the order on through to the chemist.///

... which they then claim not to have received. That was my problem with the two local pharmacies, and which has never recurred with the online one. I got fed up with traipsing along to the chemists with zero results every time, and dealing with staff who seemed they couldn't care less.

[barry1010]

I order our repeat prescriptions from my GP online via Patient Access.net, they are delivered by the chemist next working day. The prescriptions are emailed to the chemist and it works very well.
Same with one-off prescriptions, GP whizzes it to the chemist so I can collect it straight away or wait for next day delivery. Superb service.

[jno]

if in doubt (eg if it's short notice) I phone the chemist first to see if they've got the order. I don't like unnecessary traipsing either.

[burlyshirley1]

I'm surprised you said Boots bednobs, I get my prescription from there and the longest I have ever had to wait is about 10 mins. Most times, I get served right away and the pills are always ready and waiting for me - maybe I'm lucky.

[ladybirder]

They're frightened BS. They wouldn't dare keep you waiting any longer;-))

[MargoTester]

After a visit My doctor sends the prescription directly to the independent pharmacy next door and I rarely wait more that 10 minutes. For repeat prescriptions we request on line and the pharmacy e mails when they are ready and we pick the up next time we go out.

[bednobs]

i also get the prescription (repeat or one off) sent straight to the pharmacy, but it seems get a different experience on the other end than a lot of you. I am deffo going to move to postal prescriptions

[William51]

There are no queues at my local Boots, i must be lucky with it.