Pharmacy Withholding A Prescription

[susanxx]

My mother has fallen, broken her hip and is in hospital. The day after she fell her prescription was due to be delivered to her house. I called the pharmacy to request that it be delivered to her neighbour as some meds would be needed upon her return home. It is now over a week since I made the call and now it transpires that the pharmacy have chosen to hold onto the dispensed meds and will now require proof that the hospital has not removed any of her usual meds before they will deliver the meds or not. I live over 130 miles away and therefore cannot visit the chemist to sort out the issue and the will also not send the repeat prescription part as "she has them delivered"! My question is this, does a pharmacy have the authority to withhold the meds until my mother has returned home(by which she will be in need of some meds that are essential) and how can I prove that they will not send the prescription to the pricing authority even though the prescription has not been dispensed?

[Mamyalynne]

Can the Hospital contact the Pharmacy to give them the info they need?

[barry1010]

The hospital would usually make sure that your mother has enough of her prescription medication before discharging her.
The pharmacist cannot deliver to a neighbour, they have to deliver to the patient's address.
The pharmacist also has a duty of care to make sure the medication they prescribe is correct. It is not unusual for the same medication to have different names (brand names, generic names etc) and they should be concerned that if your mother is given x branded apple by the hospital and they give her x branded pear (but it is the same) she might take twice as much as she should.
Equally they will be concerned that the hospital could prescribe your mother a medication that will have a severe reaction if she takes one of her old prescription medicines as well.

I think the pharmacy is behaving properly and responsibly. The hospital will (should) be aware of all her prescribed medicines - phone the ward sister to put your mind at rest and ensure she leaves with adequate supplies.

[jno]

many hospitals have their own pharmacy; which would be the obvious place to get them dispensed if possible.

[barry1010]

jno said it so much better.

[woofgang]

My sis gets her meds delivered to my address. She set it up during lockdown 1 when she was living here and finds it convenient to continue as she visits often. Her pharmacy would not do it without authorisation from her GP as my address is not the one they have on record.
What usually happens is that on discharge from hospital, the patient is sent home with TTO (to tide over) meds and a prescription for whatever the ongoing regime should be.
Can I suggest that you check with the hospital, just to conform that this will indeed happen?

[bednobs]

i too think the pharmacy are acting properly.
i do however think the prescription HAS been "dispensed" (ie the pharmacist has done the work involved) so you dont have to care about that side