Anyone else had trouble getting medication from doctors surgeries?

[Deleted User]

Not really an update , but I didn't know were else to post this?
Since about June of 2020 I've noticed problems with getting medication, or perhaps I should say the right medication from my doctors to the pharmacy.
I put my repeat prescription in the doctors once a month and wait to the pharmacy to text me my tablets are ready to collect, yet when I go with my partner to pick them up, alot of times the pharmacy says they can't get a certain tablet, they often provide an alternative but a few of them melted as soon as I put them in my mouth even before I can swallow water!!
I know nhs sometimes have to get cheaper tablets because of costs, but it seems to happening all the time since covid and brexit?
Just wondered if either of these are causing a problem with suppliers?
Anyone else noticed this?
Thank you.

janer1967

Hi sorry not noticed I'm still getting same meds as normal 

poppy123456

I've not noticed any problems with the medication i'm on now and still get it as normal each month, same with my daughters. In the past i've had a different brand but a brand name doesn't make any difference, they are still the correct medication that's prescribed. A pharmacy wouldn't be able to give you a completely different medication.

littleacorn

Yes this has been an issue for me but before covid. Especially with  paracetamol. As I take 8 a day along with other medication and cant stand cetain brands as they dissolve in your mouth. My pharmacy can provide all my other medication but when asked about thjs they said they cant guarentee what brand they will have as it depends on what the companys buyer does a deal with. I have asked at other pharmacy brands like Boots Llyods etc and they all say the same. I just cross my finger when I collect my prescription and hope for the best. The alternative is to speak to your GP and see if they can alter your presecription but that would mean a change to one or more of you meds which might turn out worse.

MarkM88

I have had a few issues in the past few months with getting my insulin. At one point I even asked the Diabetes UK advocacy team to step in on my behalf and after that happened and a chat with the GP over the telephone it was all sorted, it was so hard to get passed the receptionist, I couldn't believe I had to do all of that to get through to the actual GP. I did also raise a formal complaint with the practice manager. 

In December I also couldn't get hold of one of the insulins I needed from the pharmacy, and they had sent a text message to go and collect and when I got there they hadn't told me they didn't have the item and only told me when I arrived, this was two days before Christmas and I was in a panic, I then had to ask around, and another pharmacy didn't have it either. I ended up having to ring the diabetes specialist nurses team at the hospital and they had to provide me with some.

I've read on the Diabetes UK website that they have concerns with the Brexit situation that diabetic medication could become an issue in terms of supply, so here is me hoping not. 

gentlegee1976

I think the new EU rules combined with the current pandemic is making things harder for doctors, nurses and pharmacies everywhere. Hope you get things sorted soon.

[Deleted User]

Really the government should have had all this thing sorted regarding brexit, I mean 4 1/2 years....  

Ross_Scope

givingup said:

Really the government should have had all this thing sorted regarding brexit, I mean 4 1/2 years....  

You would think so wouldn't you? 

I hope everything turns out okay with your medication. My partner works in a pharmacy and I can say that a lot of them are struggling at the moment with staffing, Brexit and other things. But fingers crossed any issues can be ironed out soon and you get the medication you need.

BrettW

I have to be honest my doctors and pharmacy are situated right next to each other which is ideal

I order my medication online through the doctors surgery and then they pass it on to the pharmacy and I immediately get told the date it will be available (normally 4 to 5 days later).

I have to order 8 seperate medications each time and up until this point can honestly say that they have all arrived at the specified date or sometimes a day ot two earlier. Only slight problem I've experienced was this month when my partner had to wait until 5pm to collect my prescriptions because the chemist were waiting for paracetomol capsules to arrive of all things

(edited for bad typo's)

Valerieco

Yes I've had alternatives, my problem is I'm shielding and my pharmacy refused to deliver and told me to collect it

Ross_Scope

Have you considered switching pharmacy to one that delivers @Valerieco
?

woodbine

I must admit neither myself or she who must be obeyed have had any problems getting our meds during covid or brexit, I have 19 different ones and she has 9, we are lucky that a neighbour takes the scripts in for us and we pick them up from the village chemist 3 days later.

Waylay

I was only given half of my prescription last time (have to go back to get the rest), and it included 3 different makes of the med.

lisathomas50

@Waylay I had the same problem this month chemist told me its something to do with the comeing out of the EU I have had different makes even though the main ingredients are the same the extra things are different in some of my tablets they took longer to get this time aswel 

woodbine

They changed my diabetes med for a cheaper generic version about 3 years ago, before they did the surgery wrote and told me and said if I had any problems they would switch me back, everything was fine so hopefully i've saved the NHS  few bob

endowarrierqueen96

yes I got a boil and needed some medication for it. For about a week I or my mother spoke to a GP and also chased up on the urgent medication request at a local pharmacy via email and over the telephone as well. My understanding is this is a common issue nationally right now. Prescription paperwork errors, medication stock problems, lack of good communication between patient and surgery etc. I literally only went in there on last Thursday to pick up my prescription for my boil. I dread to think what is going on nationwide in pharmacies. I recommend taking a letter, showing them a clear recently taken  photo of the existing supply of prescribed medication, writing down the name on a empty slip of paper or taking the actual medication in the box either to the surgery or pharmacy.  Or you can simply email a colour photo of it to the surgery or pharmacy. Otherwise you can ask your specialist to help.  

shella

What people need to understand is that it is harder for the pharmacy to get a hold of the medications.
My problem is they do not give me enough for the month, But no one tells me. It is only because I check them. when I challenge it I get it with no problems. So why do I have to do it every month..  Rant over .lol

Steph123

Hello,

For a long time I've had some meds where I shouldn't switch brands for clinical reasons and others where the brand doesn't matter but there are ingredients which I can't have. Supply was a challenge and running out was really stressful as well as risky. There is a solution... most of the time.

1. Ask your GP to type every detail onto the prescription rather than picking from a list. Every medication should have the same info repeated so that the pharmacists can order the meds regardless of cost. i.e. Generic Med Name A, Brand Name Y only, 100mg x 3 capsules x 3 per day x 28 days, Must not contain Lactose. Generic Med Name B, 25mg x 1 tablet or capsule x 2 per day x 28 days, Must not contain Lactose. Be firm. If the GP doesn't do it, and the generic isn't available, the pharmacy has to send the prescription back to the GP and ask for it to be changed so they can order a more expensive brand. You will then get a partially filled prescription.
   
2. Set up electronic prescriptions if possible because if you have anything controlled you have to request it every month. When I have a weeks supply left, I click a few buttons, the GP has time to approve it and the pharmacy has time to order in if they need to. I might now extend that to 2 weeks but so far I click the buttons and because of the detail on the prescription the pharmacy calls in a couple of days to say it'll be a couple of days which is fine.
   
3. Find an independent pharmacy. The big chains are restricted to certain brands because they have negotiated contracts as a group. If a brand stops a certain dose or starts including an additive the pharmacists is less likely to be able to order from other suppliers. Some really lovely pharmacists working in well known places have tried but the only pharmacy which could get what I need is quite far so they deliver to me. I was embarrassed to ask but when I did their response was as if it was perfectly normal.
   

I found it all really scary when suddenly one of my meds became controlled and so I didn't notice I had been given one month rather than 3, was about to run out and none of the pharmacies I could physically get to could order it in. Talk to your GP and cast a wide net for an indipendent pharmacist and this bit of life should be much easier.

All that aside - generics are just as good as brands and wherever possible that'd be my choice - including for over the counter

Best of luck,

Steph

coylygirl

I had a bipolar relapse on Monday - manic phase - and urgently needed meds.  Finally arrived Thurs evening due to being out of stock (Brexit?).  Was sedated instead

leeCal

I’ve had no problems with the supply of meds.

Globster

@givingup
Hello giving up 
I have to be honest my doctors and pharmacy are situated right next to each other which is ideal 
I am sorry to hear that your problems getting your medication I hope you get a situation to your problem soon. 
I order my medication online through the doctor's surgery and then they pass it on to the pharmacy and I immediately get told the date it will be available (normally 4 to 5 days later).