Prescription woes

[Johny London]

Whilst closer to London I had been visiting my local Boots every couple months to pick up my script. Naturally, as soon as I was out of range and decided to phone the surgery and ask for it to go to a different Boots, the apple cart has been well and truly upset...

It worked once or so, then I had to write a letter to the surgery explaining why I need my script, then it was ok another couple times. Now I phone with another location and they wont do it at all unless I go in in person to the surgery, which I can't because I'm away which is why I'm asking....

So they said if I go to Boots they can order it - but I tried that before and they need some kind of number, or something that the surgery doesn't have because they aren't on whatever kind of computer system that some surgeries are on, but not all...

So the surgery tells me I can order online so I tried that but online you need two different codes/reference numbers in order to generate the third, all important reference number in order to register. Only I am registered with the surgery, just not the online bit so I phoned them again and they said I'll have to (you guessed it) come into the surgery so I can fill out a paper form to register for those other numbers so I can register online. Honestly, it's nearly as bad as the tax!

So - is it even possible, once registered and with the online thing up and running? Or will the first time I change the Boots address muck it all up again? I expect someone on here must be in the same boat so to speak. You wouldn't think it was the twentieth century let alone the twenty first! Also, I don't want to end up with the surgery de registering me altogether because I'm no longer in the area.

 

What with this and the jobsworth at the post office the other day with that stupid bit of wood for the large letter...

[dor]

Have you registered with Patient Access?  this lets you order your repeat scrips, and lets you nominate your pharmacy.  Doesn't work for controlled drugs as the scrip hs to be picked up in person (at least, it does for mine).

It used to be difficult ot change your nominated pharmacy on P. A.  but I think it is easier now.

[Alan de Enfield]

Can you not request them to supply 6 moths at a time ?

 

Brother in law gets his this way.

[Boater Sam]

I sign on at the nearest surgery as a temporary patient and they issue the script.

 

I do sympathise, getting drugs for 4 months away abroad is impossible.

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Can you not request them to supply 6 moths at a time ?

 

Brother in law gets his this way.

I am told that a doctor can only issue 3 months maximum.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, Boater Sam said:

I sign on at the nearest surgery as a temporary patient and they issue the script.

 

I do sympathise, getting drugs for 4 months away abroad is impossible.

I am told that a doctor can only issue 3 months maximum.

I can only tell what happens to him.

 

He emigrates to Tenerife from November to April/May and he gets supplies for the duration'.

 

He has been doing it about 30 years. ('Medical grounds' early retirement from the Police)
I think before that a friend used to go and pick up the prescription and post them to him.

[mrsmelly]

31 minutes ago, Johny London said:

Whilst closer to London I had been visiting my local Boots every couple months to pick up my script. Naturally, as soon as I was out of range and decided to phone the surgery and ask for it to go to a different Boots, the apple cart has been well and truly upset...

It worked once or so, then I had to write a letter to the surgery explaining why I need my script, then it was ok another couple times. Now I phone with another location and they wont do it at all unless I go in in person to the surgery, which I can't because I'm away which is why I'm asking....

So they said if I go to Boots they can order it - but I tried that before and they need some kind of number, or something that the surgery doesn't have because they aren't on whatever kind of computer system that some surgeries are on, but not all...

So the surgery tells me I can order online so I tried that but online you need two different codes/reference numbers in order to generate the third, all important reference number in order to register. Only I am registered with the surgery, just not the online bit so I phoned them again and they said I'll have to (you guessed it) come into the surgery so I can fill out a paper form to register for those other numbers so I can register online. Honestly, it's nearly as bad as the tax!

So - is it even possible, once registered and with the online thing up and running? Or will the first time I change the Boots address muck it all up again? I expect someone on here must be in the same boat so to speak. You wouldn't think it was the twentieth century let alone the twenty first! Also, I don't want to end up with the surgery de registering me altogether because I'm no longer in the area.

 

What with this and the jobsworth at the post office the other day with that stupid bit of wood for the large letter...

They must all work differently. My surgery has a dedicated repeat prescription telefone line, no need for logging on patient access nonsense. I find any prescription servicing outlet which is quite often a Tesco or small chemist and I ring my repeat line and just give them the address and postcode of the premises and it appears every time by magic. I have had pick ups with zero problems in the past year from the midlands,  Cornwall, Bristol, Hungerford, Newbury and Yorkshire two locations.

[BruceinSanity]

It does seem to depend on the surgery, I’m afraid. There are boater friendly ones and those seemingly staffed by jobsworths. What has virtually always worked for me is writing to the surgery with a script request using the part 2 from the last one and enclosing an sae for your target pharmacy.

 

Another dodge whilst still near your surgery is to ask for an extra script to take away with you, explaining that this is to reduce the burden on the surgery staff of coping with your outlandish requests from a distance. If all else fails, ask for a meeting with the practice manager or even a principal partner to discuss the best way of managing the problem.

 

Good luck!

[pearley]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Can you not request them to supply 6 moths at a time ?

 

Brother in law gets his this way.

My doctor is adamant that I can only have one month prescription. However, they will give me 2 consecutive one month scripts!

[matty40s]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Can you not request them to supply 6 moths at a time ?

 

How did you know he had butterflies in his stomach?

[ditchcrawler]

A friend of mine use to get 3 X 2 monthly ones at a time

[Nightwatch]

I get 3 months at a time via Patient Access. It works.

[mrsmelly]

2 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

I get 3 months at a time via Patient Access. It works.

Do you just walk back for it?

[Nightwatch]

Depending where I am, it can take a long walk.

[Johny London]

Some useful tips there, thank you. I think regarding scripts for longer supply amounts, obviously you are getting more meds for the same one £8, so can understand reluctance to do more than a certain amount. Mine let me have two months. Of course, if its on separate scripts then of course you are paying more £8 fees so should be ok. 

It seems my best bet is to get signed up with that online thing next time I'm over there, though I'm going to walk into a Boots and see if they can make it happen from their end in the meantime. Failing that, meds off the shelf will have to suffice.

[mrsmelly]

13 minutes ago, Johny London said:

Some useful tips there, thank you. I think regarding scripts for longer supply amounts, obviously you are getting more meds for the same one £8, so can understand reluctance to do more than a certain amount. Mine let me have two months. Of course, if its on separate scripts then of course you are paying more £8 fees so should be ok. 

It seems my best bet is to get signed up with that online thing next time I'm over there, though I'm going to walk into a Boots and see if they can make it happen from their end in the meantime. Failing that, meds off the shelf will have to suffice.

I doubt the finance comes into it. Some are just run differently to others. I and I would think many people on this forum no longer pay for prescriptions but I can rarely get more than 3 months worth at one go. It may be something to do with what repeat prescriptions are given also? some of the stuff I get is worth a few quid to numpties as " recreational " drugs 

[starman]

18 minutes ago, Johny London said:

Some useful tips there, thank you. I think regarding scripts for longer supply amounts, obviously you are getting more meds for the same one £8, so can understand reluctance to do more than a certain amount. Mine let me have two months. Of course, if its on separate scripts then of course you are paying more £8 fees so should be ok. 

It seems my best bet is to get signed up with that online thing next time I'm over there, though I'm going to walk into a Boots and see if they can make it happen from their end in the meantime. Failing that, meds off the shelf will have to suffice.

My doc only prescribes one month at a time 'to avoid waste', which seems an odd reason given they're long term prescriptions. But I do get two months after special pleading that I was away a lot.

I use patient access for my local pharmacy but haven't enough faith to swap pharmacies on it - at my previous docs no-one noticed I'd done that and the script went to the wrong place which caused some panics.

Instead I've used the old fashioned post restante method - I send my repeat script form to the docs with a post paid envelope addressed to the local post office where I plan to be. It's never failed me ... yet.

Edited January 22, 2019 by starman

[Nightwatch]

Just a couple of comments.

 

if anyone gets more than one item there's always pre-paid prescriptions. And I repeat fir ease, Patient Access hasn't let me down, yet!

[mrsmelly]

4 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Just a couple of comments.

 

if anyone gets more than one item there's always pre-paid prescriptions. And I repeat fir ease, Patient Access hasn't let me down, yet!

Yes and its amazing how many people dont know about pre pay prescription. Presently £104 for 12 months and it covers all prescriptions nhs wise including dentist. I had one for about twenty years. Very soon pays for itself for anyone with any chronic illness that doesnt qualify for free prescriptions.

[Nightwatch]

Correct.

[Momac]

Currently I get 8 weeks worth at a time and just obtained a fresh lot today.

Next time I will be old enough for free prescriptions.

 

i am guessing the medics don't let you have more than a certain number of doses  - depending on the nature of the medication ?

 

 

 

[DandV]

8 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I can only tell what happens to him.

 

He emigrates to Tenerife from November to April/May and he gets supplies for the duration'.

 

He has been doing it about 30 years. ('Medical grounds' early retirement from the Police)
I think before that a friend used to go and pick up the prescription and post them to him.

We have the three months supply restriction in NZ too, which impacted our annual six months sojourn floating around your canals. A "work around" here was that our local cooperating surgery whould give me two, three months scripts. We could not get both filled by the same pharmacy on the same day, but could either wait a couple of days between them, or easier, just go to another pharmacy for the second one. I am not sure though you could get away with the same system in the UK.

 

[nb Innisfree]

I went to my local pharmacy for my repeat prescription. Assistant fetches the goodies and asks me to confirm my address which I do, she looks at the address on the sealed bag and nods, I sign for it but when I get home I realise I've got someone else's prescription, same name different address. We all make mistakes but she's done it three times now, perhaps she can't read... 

Edited January 22, 2019 by nb Innisfree

[David Schweizer]

24 minutes ago, MartynG said:

Currently I get 8 weeks worth at a time and just obtained a fresh lot today.

Next time I will be old enough for free prescriptions.

 

i am guessing the medics don't let you have more than a certain number of doses  - depending on the nature of the medication ?

 

 

 

You may be in for a shock, I always got eight weeks supply until my 65th birthday, when they reduced it to four weeks. No reason given, but they will give me more when I travel to Australia to visit my son. 

 

Fortunately we live only four doors from the (fairly) new Village Surgery which has a Pharmacy, so renewals are not really a problem. If I still had to go to the main surgery in the local Market Town, where parking is almost impossible I could well be making a bit of a fuss.

[nb Innisfree]

1 minute ago, nb Innisfree said:

Double post

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by nb Innisfree

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, nb Innisfree said:

I went to my local pharmacy for my repeat prescription. Assistant fetches the goodies and asks me to confirm my address which I do, she looks at the address on the sealed bag and nods, I sign for it but when I get home I realise I've got someone else's prescription, same name different address. We all make mistakes but she's done it the times now, perhaps she can't read... 

I always check mine before I leave, also that the right stuff is in the bag