Advice needed

[tillyh345]

My niece is on a methadone prescription and has been for 3 years, she is unemployed but the Job Centre found her a placement to work somewhere for 13 weeks, which she has been doing. Today she was to pick up her prescription fro methadone for today and the weekend, but missed her bus home from work and the chemist was shut by the time she got there. She is panicking now because she wont be able to pick anything up now until she has been to the doctors again. She says if she goes to the chemist in the morning they cant give her anything because she missed picking up today I feel so sorry for her because its a genuine mistake. Anybody heard of this happening or know if theres anything she can do...?

Thanks in advance

[lillylemon]

If she goes tomorrow she should still be able to get the remainder for the weekend and will just have to forgo todays dose.

[zzxxee]

you can call your local g.p for advice they should have an out of hours number

[tillyh345]

Thank you but apparently the chemist is not allowed to give it to them any day it has to be the day agreed?

[northernmonkey]

ring NHS direct maybe and they could poss make arrangments with an all night chemist or even local A & E department. 0845 46 47 is the NHS direct number which I think would be the best thing I could suggest.

NHS direct website - http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

[northernmonkey]

Also yes the methadone is collected from the chemist on a set day. But NHS direct will be able to give you the most suitable help.

[tillyh345]

She has just rang the out of hours and they cant help!!! cant prescribe methadone. So the only option is to go to the chemist tomorrow and hope he has some common sense and lets her have sat and sundays dose. I really cant believe there is nothing set up for this situation.

[northernmonkey]

there will be something set up but its just having the resources and time ect to find them!!

[Mamyalynne]

tilly once this immediate crisis is sorted out she needs to change the day of prescription to another day, so that problems don`t run into weekends, and it would be good if she could redesignate a chemist that opens late, lots do now.

Good luck

M

[northernmonkey]

or even get chemist to deliver as most offer delivery for free

[northernmonkey]

most chemists*

[Eve]

Are there any local support groups you she could get in touch with who might know a way round it through experience?

Samaritans might have a number for some?

[daffy654]

northernmonkey, chemists won't deliver methadone, it has to be taken inside the chemist's shop if that is the way it is prescribed in the area. Some doctors will prescribe a bottle of the stuff for their patients to take at home but lots don't.

[tillyh345]

Just as an update should anybody in the future need this info, apparently there is nothing anyone can do, the out of hours doc couldnt prescribe anything as he had no records etc, but could see no reason why if she went to chemist today she could not be given her dose for today and sunday but when she went to chemist he said he wasnt legally allowed to, when she said doc said he could see no reason why not his attitude was well hes a doctor and Im a pharmacist! so nothing or no-one has helped. So she has to go through until monday and then get an ememrgecy appt first thing, last night she tipped all the dregs from previous bottles to make up a dose, which has helped to a degree, but is now dreading the next 48 hours...but she has a very supportive family so hopefully will get through til monday somehow.