Our local GP is wonderful....but

Picking up a prescription is abysmal. Stood in line yesterday to pick up a prescription, every one in line the order was missing something, wrong or they just couldn't find it. After a very long wait, my turn came, "Sorry we don't have your tablets ready can you come back Friday." Then discovered they just hadn't ordered any and none were available from the normal supplier. Explained I would be in France then and away for best part of a month and they said "We will give you a prescription form and you can try to find some somewhere else"
A small earthquake was then felt between Lands End and Bodmin and they said "OK we will order some in for you"
Went round today to pick them up and fair dues they were ready.
I have to take half a tablet a day, there are 28 in a box so they take half of them out and I pick up 14. This time I wanted 28 as a double prescription, the same number as in one box. What they did was opened two boxes and gave me 14 in each box!. I asked what they did with the remaining half packets and you've guessed it they are destroyed!! "We are not allowed to give you more than your prescription in a single box"
Now tell me there isn't room for improvement and cost cutting in the public sector... insanity!

It's very similar here. There seem to be three problems - firstly there is a shortage of some drugs, and there has been for months now. Secondly almost all of the pharmacies have closed down in town - there used to be five and now there are two. I've heard that the pharmacists can't take the pressure of having to see all of the people that can't get doctor's appointments and don't want to or can't go to A&E. And thirdly, all but one of the town's GP surgeries have been taken over by one huge, disorganised and incompetent company (Modality).

It's an utter mess, and it doesn't really make much difference how good the GPs are when the whole system is dragged down by the above. I wish I had some confidence that things will get better soon, but I don't think it will...

That's a coincidence: 2 weeks ago my wife produced two forms from our village pharmacy, whereby to synchronise our prescriptions so as to be able to pick up his and hers together. At the same time we signed up to be able to use the newfangled delivery machine outside the pharmacy, whereby we can collect our prescriptions at any time of day or night after they're ready without having to queue.

So excitedly, upon receipt of an SMS telling me that my next prescriptions (2 tablets, daily for 28 days) were ready for collection, and giving me the code for the machine, I went and successfully obtained the packet from the machine. To find not 28 days' supply of the 2 tablets, but a box containing one solitary tablet! My wife had none.

I went into the pharmacy, and saw the ever-helpful pharmacist. He sighed and explained that it was the adjacent GP practice which calculated the synchronising supply. He said he'd sort it out. I then complicated matters by saying that we need 2 months' supply as we're going on holiday. Fine.

Lo and behold, another SMS came on Monday for me and for my wife. To the machine. We needed a wheelbarrow! I now have 84 days' supply of my 2 tablets, as does my wife!  Lucky prescriptions are free in Wales!

Cymro

We get 2 months supply of pills here, perhaps that's down to Betsi Cadwallader health board, if it is it's the first good thing they've done in years. As for pharmacies, I use Tesco, wife uses one of a chain. One pill we have is the same for both of us. They come in packs of 30, I get 2 packs of 30, wife gets 2 pills cut out of each pack, sometimes her packs contain multiple pieces of 2 pills that have obviously been cut from multiple patients packs. What they charge the NHS for those packs is anyone's guess.!

Happily retired after 40 years as pharmacist, first 20 in High Street shops, second 20 in GP surgery, hospital and ultimately moving to senior NHS management, all I will say I have lots of sympathy for pharmacists, dentists GPs etc after the chronic defunding and abysmal lack of future workforce planning that have left the NHS in the appalling state it is in now compared to even 10 years ago. This was a car crash caused by politicians ignoring what advisors and health professionals told them.

Glad I am retired but saddened by what has happened, even if sufficient cash provided training  of staff will take 5 to 10 years, then they need to gain experience in their chosen field so honestly can't see it getting better now in my lifetime. I was privileged and proud to work in NHS in what now looks like it's golden years

Great post Bb. Good to see a view from the other side.

I have to take seven pills every day.  A few years ago I worked the system for a few months so that I always had one month's supply in hand.  This is because when I put an important note with my request in May for two months supply as I will be in Europe till July, the surgery will only order one months from the chemist. I then have to go to the surgery and nice ask the lady who manages their pharmacy to read my request, after which she will send the second months supply which I may or may not be able to collect before we leave home.  This has been an annual event for around fifteen years!!!!!

With my inescapable charm, I can get 3 months in one go!!!