That is awful…I’m sorry for you.
My chemist sends you a pin number by text when the prescription is ready, and you go along at anytime outwith business hours to a box type thing, input your (one time use) number, and your meds fall out into a dispensing tray.
That’s a very civilised method.
I must stress that the one pharmacy I was complaining about was the one in the hospital. I wonder whether they work on a shoestring with as few staff as possible and have consequently won the contract for the Eye Hospital.
“Outwith” - that’s a typical Scottish term, isn’t it? I would say “outside of”.
I didn’t realise it was Scottish until I looked up just then! I assumed everyone used it 
To me “outside of” sounds quite americanised…?
But yes, hospital pharmacies are completely inept…I have waited longer for medication there than my actual appointment took 
[quote=“PixieKnuckles, post:63, topic:89574”]
I didn’t realise it was Scottish until I looked up just then! I assumed everyone used it To me “outside of” sounds quite americanised…?[/quote]
No, not really. For example: “Please don’t call outside of business hours”.
Oh, you too? I have been to other hospitals where their pharmacies have been far more efficient.
Many years ago, when my son was a baby, the old village doctor used to do something like that, Pixie, but no pin numbers or texts in those days.
He had a sort of wooden cupboard thing in the back garden at his home. We just used to go in open the cupboard, and look for the bag with our name on.
Hard to imagine that sort of trust nowadays isnt it. Anyone could have taken all the drugs, or even picked up the wrong ones!
I wonder if it was even legal, certainly wouldnt be nowadays.
Wow Mups, that would be unheard of nowadays! Such a lovely way of working back then though (even if it was a bit risky!) They would be struck off nowadays for that.
Yes, not half. It was only a small village with the one doctor.
He was a strange old chap. The village vicar was even stranger.
I felt they both had the makings of dirty old men, but I was too young and naive to be sure.
haha! Sorry, i shouldn’t find it funny, but it does sound very Midsomer Murder-ish!
Hi
I am regularly in hospital and my medication is changed on every visit.
The changes are emailed to my GP Surgery which take a minimum of two weeks, sometimes, 4, to alter the prescriptions and send them off to the Pharmacy which delivers them.
The last twice, not including this one, the GP Surgery has not included the medication I have to take if I am having a heart attack.
Saw the oncologist yesterday, not the same one as last time and obviously had not bothered to look at my medical records as I was answering the same questions as last time. That aside he thinks that the balance issue is related to high blood pressure and then he cracked a joke by suggesting I see my GP. Lol.
Gave my practice a call when I got home at 4 pm to be told that I need to phone first thing in the morning if I an to try for an appointment.
I am also signed up for another scan and another appointment in 3 months which of course could morph into 6 months
On the phone to the practice dead on 08:00am this morning and I am number 26 in the queue, how is that possible as I originally phoned at one minute to eight and got the message the surgery was closed?
Oh and if I do not get to speak or god forbid see a GP today I have to start all over again tomorrow.
EDIT: In fairness I only waited 18 minutes and will be expecting a call back before 1pm.
I agree. This is typical at my surgery too and I don’t understand how it can happen, other than the possibility of 27 people all getting through at exactly the same time and the telephone system somehow automatically prioritising them into an order.
One new development at our surgery is that when you are umpteenth in the queue, they offer you the option of pressing ‘1’ to be recorded as to position and they will call you back - unless all the appointment slots are filled by then!
I never understood that either mr F.
Rather than a moan about my GP practice after speaking to the GP she asked me to see her within the hour and after an examination advised me to head down to a hospital when more exhaustive tests could be done.
Got there at 11.11 and 6 hours later got home unfortunately with no definitive diagnosis. That aside it was an expensive day out. 40 quid for taxis to and from. £2.60 for a flat white which was quite disgusting and £2.80 for a paper.
But I met some really lovely staff there and I think those of you who know me know I try to find humour in every situation so a few laughs were had, long day though doing nothing for most of it.
That’s a long wait, and I’ve been moaning about being there for four hours.
You not really just waiting all that time as there are various medical professionals who which to poke and probe you, I also had a CT scan on my brain and yes they find one and of course you need to wait on results from the scans and blood tests.
After the usual 18th in the queue responses, I, finally, tried access by e-consult.
Filled out the on line form, and the response was that I would get a call today (Tuesday).
Cancelled all my refitting work & shopping, sat with mobile phone, PC & Landline phone all ready, and guess what.
No call;
Lost day.
Then went back on line and their web page says “use econsult & tell practice no call was received & they will ring you back asap!”
No response yet, could be today, tomorrow, next year, never.
All I want is my blood thinners!
Disgusting.
There has been a lot of talk about penalising GPs who refuse to see patients face to face, to the extent that some GPs are being put off and opting to leave the profession, or probably to work abroad or in private practice. In either of those cases, the chances are that they’d be seeing MORE patients face to face, but being paid more!
I think it’s important for the government to step in and do something about this.
Actually, I believe that some things are suitable for telephone consultations, but there are those which definitely require face to face, and examples have been quoted where patients have suffered as a consequence of a face to face consultation not being carried out.
Up here in Scotland the GP issue is being totally ignored by our health minister and GP’s are well aware that there is little the patient can do as complaining would incur sanctions from your practice. I won’t repeat my own experience with my GP but speakng to neighbours it is quite scary how we the patient are being treated.
The GP’s can dress it up anyway they want to excuse their continued reluctance to see more patients face to face but I suspect they rather like the current set up as one assumes it is less work.
I think that I might be on to one of the reasons that response calls, from the surgery Doctors, do not get to me, after I’ve been on to talk about prescriptions, or a medical problem.
I must be stupid (I am) not to have realised this before.
I’d appreciate if someone more skilled with mobile phones can confirm this.
Back in the day, my Doctor’s surgery number would be in my Mobile telephone list.
So, if a call came in, from the Doctors’ surgery, it would be recognised as OK.
However, I have been missing call backs, after only chats ,requesting call backs, etc., which were answered by the many Doctors, at the Surgery (or they might be at home!)- mostly using their own mobile phones!
Since my mobile is set to “ignore Unknown incoming numbers”, I think I’ve caused the problem.
If they don’t use the Surgery Number, they don’t get through, they just bounce.
On the other hand, if I switch off the “unknown caller number” blocking, I’m back in the world of all the scam calls getting in.
Should I just ask them for all of their numbers?
I suspect you are worrying unnecessarily about scam calls, you are right about the GP’s sometimes using their own numbers which will not get through if you are blockng unknown numbers.
If I get what I consider a scam call and I get very few I block that number. My mobile is my only phone these days so it would be silly to block unknown numbers because most of my calls will be from them.
