Let’s Hope This Isn’t A Repeat Problem
EMPLOYEES, IGNORING & INATTENTIVE, PHARMACY, STUPID, UK | HEALTHY | DECEMBER 21, 2020
Our general practitioner sends any prescriptions straight to our local pharmacy for us to pick up. For repeat prescriptions, we pop the request into the GP and then the medications are ready for pickup three days later.
Today, I have a telephone appointment and my GP prescribes some medication to start taking straight away and sends the prescription over to the pharmacy. I dropped a repeat prescription request into the GP two days ago, but I know those meds should not be ready yet.
Me: “I’m here to pick up a prescription for [My Name].”
The pharmacist assistant checks the computer.
Pharmacist Assistant: “I’ve got a few different items on here for you. Did you put in a repeat?”
Me: “Yes, but I don’t mind if they’re not ready. I just need [medication].”
Pharmacist Assistant: “Did you see your GP today?”
Me: “Yes, I had an appointment about two hours ago; he said he’d send the prescription over.”
Pharmacist Assistant: “Okay, hold on.”
She goes to speak to the pharmacist.
Pharmacist: “[My Name]? Your repeat prescription has only just been sent to us. It takes three days.”
Me: “Yes, I know. I saw my GP today and he gave me [medication]; that’s what I need to pick up.”
Pharmacist: “We can’t issue your prescriptions today, I’m afraid. We haven’t processed them yet.”
Me: “I don’t want my repeat prescriptions today. I’ll come back for them. I just want [medication].”
Pharmacist: “Your repeat will be ready tomorrow. If you’d like to come back we can issue everything together.”
Me: “Look, I spoke to my GP today, he sent the prescription for [medication] today, and he wants me to start taking it today. Can I please just pick up [medication]?”
Pharmacist: “You don’t want to wait for the repeat to be ready?”
Me: “No. I want [medication]. I do not want to wait for the repeat. I will come back tomorrow for the repeat. I want [medication] today. Can I pick up [medication], just [medication], only [medication], right now? And I will pick up my repeat tomorrow!”
Pharmacist: “Uh… let me get that for you.”
A few minutes later, the assistant calls me over.
Pharmacist Assistant: “[My Name]? I’ve got a prescription for you here. Would you like to pick it up now or add it to your repeat for pickup tomorrow?”
Me: “Really?!”
|