Just Been Quizzed By My Chemist?

[jd_1984]

I went in today to pick up a prescription and the chemist asked me if I could come into the office and answer a couple of questions?
He said it was routine and from time to time he surveys patients about the medication they are being prescribed.
The medication isnt something I am always on, I have been recently prescribed it and it isnt a long term course or anything. He was asking how long I have been on the medication, what is my lifestyle like and general stuff like that. He was a perfectly nice chemist, laid back but informative and seemed to take a real interest.

Is this a random thing and has anybody been quizzed by their chemist before?
It was a new one to me?

[grasscarp]

He just wanted to know what living with Viagra is like.

[sandyRoe]

I went into a local chemists to buy some Niquitine tablets. She asked if I'd mind answering a few questions. Probably on a commission from the tablet manufacturers.

[ck1]

Fortunately not, I hate going to the doctors / chemist etc and try to depart as quickly as possible, having a conversation about what I was being prescribed would really freak me out!

[jd_1984]

Haha grasscarp!!

[Sqad]

grasscarp........LOL

[boxtops]

Not unusual - many pharmacists are now offering a medicines review service, just to make sure that the patient understands what they are taking and what the medication is for. Some people still get repeat meds they no longer benefit from...

[jd_1984]

Ok boxtops, I thought that.
But I have been on this prescription 1 month, not long term.

[DrFilth]

if you stick two straws up your nose they serve you very quickly and never ask anything

[boxtops]

Perhaps they'd doing a spot check to see how people are getting on with that medication....

[~Wingnut~]

Hope they don't do it to my husband when he goes to collect his. He's on 15 tablets a day, would take him forever to go thru them all lol! Plus he doesn't like to talk about things like that as its a reminder to him that he's ill and always will be.

[Mamyalynne]

Happened to me last week (not the first time) she was impressed I knew what each medication did - seems a lot of people have no clue what they are taking and sometimes why.


I did leave her in tears of laughter after wanting to tick more than one box in the ethnic origin section. :-)

[Robinia]

Yes, our pharmacy does a review, yearly I think. The pharmacist who did mine doesn't work here which felt more confidential than having to talk with the ones in there on a day to day basis. She was lovely, very knowledgeable about my problems, listened to what I said and made some helpful suggestions. in fact she was better than some GPs I've seen.

[albaqwerty]

I collect Mr Alba's meds every 4 weeks, was only asked a few months ago if I knew what meds he was on, what they were for, etc, etc, there was only one I couldn't identify but he did when I asked him.

[VHG]

I guess if you refuse to answer the questions he cant force you to answer them and still has to give you the tablets.

[Merlin2007]

Hi jd_1984,
my Dad had the very same thing happen to him last week - thing is he is on medication for Alzheimer's! Fortunately he passed the test, phew! I wonder if it is a new thing that pharmacists are doing? My GP seems to review meds 3 times a year, and I am on a ton all prescribed by various hospital consultants, I guess it is good that so many people are keeping an eye on us.

I wouldn't worry - it can only be a good thing. Worry when they don't care. As a by the by, I asked my pharmacist some advice following an accident and very swollen ankle and foot - fully expecting her to sell me some tubigrip - she advised attending the local emergency department, where I was diagnosed with a broken foot and am now off work and in a cast for 6 weeks -never underestimate the power of the advice of a good pharmacist!

[hc4361]

The pharmacists get paid for carrying out this review.

[Sqad]

merlin

\\\\I asked my pharmacist some advice following an accident and very swollen ankle and foot - fully expecting her to sell me some tubigrip - she advised attending the local emergency department, where I was diagnosed with a broken foot \\

I cannot believe that someone would go to a pharmacist with that history and disability.

[hc4361]

"There is a fixed fee for every MUR that is completed, this is around £30. These payments paid in trust and there is no requirement to submit paperwork however, a number of pharmacies have come under inspection, checking the quality and quantity of MUR's performed. A pharmacy can do a maximum of 400 per year, this figure can be sometimes extended by the local PCT if it is deemed worth of funding"

MUR - Medicine User Review

[Sqad]

hc....amazing. Well if that is on offer to the pharmacists, I don't blame them for taking advantage of it..........money for old rope.

[viv38]

Absolutely love DrFilth's answer ......