other people picking up your script - problems?

[F.U.B.A.R.]

My Mrs has just been to pick up my methadone script - as she has done numerous times over the last decade - with a hand written and signed letter by myself, only to be told by the pharmacist that they don't allow other people to pick your script up anymore. So the Mrs told them I was in Manchester working (fair play to her, I'm actually off this week, but I could be anywhere), still no deal. 'He's got to come in in person' they said. So I was straight on the phone to the drug clinic saying 'you want us to be productive and get jobs then you drop this on us without warning? What the hells going on?' Long story short, they've now ok'd it for the Mrs to pick my script up. That's fuckin good of them considering I'm in full time employment, only pick up once a week and am down to 3mg/day (they don't know I stopped taking it over a week ago, but that's not the point). I'm fuckin livid....

Anyone else experienced this yet?

 

[pjd555]

There has been no change in legislation in this area that has caused this to happen. However, individual pharmacy outlets can set rules for employees which can create this situation. In law a pharmacist is entitled to refuse to dispense a controlled drug MD prescription to someone other than the patient using the professional discretion rule which makes him judge, jury and executioner when considering whether there is a likelihood the drug will not get to the patient.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Fair enough, but in my case my Mrs has been picking my script up when I can't make it for years. The problem is that there are no regular pharmacists at my local chemist anymore, they change every few weeks and are ever increasingly younger locums.

 

[Allein]

I'm unsure of how much my experience is comparable having been scripted morphine over an extended period of time, the scrips were always marked 'CD', I assume for controlled drug.

My missus regularly picked up for me and we only use one of 2 Pharmacies and I purchase a yearly pass fro prescription (about £90) fees, she was never refused. There is a huge inconstancy in dispensing though, sometimes they want ID, sometimes not, sometimes you have to sign the script, sometimes not, sometimes they want to see the prepaid card, sometimes not.

From that and the above I suspect your missus happened across someone who had a bad weekend, or maybe a God complex...of which I am the resident expert...apparently

 

[BigG]

I've had the chemist refuse to give me my fentanyl patches before based on the fact that while the script contained my dob it didn't have my age on as well. I've since been told that this was bollocks and as long as the DOB is writtenbon it doesn't need the actual age but whether it's true or not, if the pharmacist doesn't like the look of you then they will just make up some random reason not to give you your script. Some can to total arsehole at times. Especially locums....especially young locums.

 

[pjd555]

I've had the chemist refuse to give me my fentanyl patches before based on the fact that while the script contained my dob it didn't have my age on as well. I've since been told that this was bollocks and as long as the DOB is writtenbon it doesn't need the actual age but whether it's true or not, if the pharmacist doesn't like the look of you then they will just make up some random reason not to give you your script. Some can to total arsehole at times. Especially locums....especially young locums.

Provided the DOB is there there is no mandatory requirement to fill in the age box unless the patient is under 12 or over 60.

 

[BigG]

Yeah...that's what my GP said. I tried arguing this with the chemist but unfortunately he still wouldn't give me them. Even if you know your in the right if the person with the key to the CD cabinet refuses to hand you your prescription there's nothing you can do. I did complain the next day but I had to go without until then

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Then there is something inherently wrong with the system surely?

 

[BigG]

Maybe I just look like a dodgy cunt FUBAR

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Obviously my Mrs does as well

Edit: picked my script up earlier and it transpires it wasn't the phatmacists decision, some bigwig twat at my clinic has instructed all pharmacies not to hand out CDs to anyone other than the patient. This is utter bullshit and just to spite them I'm going to ask to have my script increased instead of coming off it - just to fuck their stats up..

 

[THECATINTHEHAT]

So I was straight on the phone to the drug clinic saying 'you want us to be productive and get jobs then you drop this on us without warning? What the hells going on?'

Typical junkie, always someone else's fault.

Why be awkward and give them shit just because you're sat at home on your arse and can't be fucked to go down the chemist? Granted they should have warned you but given it had no negative effect on you why make life difficult for them rather than just politely informing them it wasn't really appropriate next time you go in?

What exactly are you livid about? Them doing something that had no real negative effect on you and then going out of their way to sort it out so that the new rules are circumvented just for you?

ffs

this is the sort of bullshit behaviour that drives a wedge between service users and the service (on both sides really)

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Typical junkie, always someone else's fault.

Why be awkward and give them shit just because you're sat at home on your arse and can't be fucked to go down the chemist? Granted they should have warned you but given it had no negative effect on you why make life difficult for them rather than just politely informing them it wasn't really appropriate next time you go in?

What exactly are you livid about? Them doing something that had no real negative effect on you and then going out of their way to sort it out so that the new rules are circumvented just for you?

ffs

this is the sort of bullshit behaviour that drives a wedge between service users and the service (on both sides really)

Not that your rather vitriolic post warrants a reply, but I was annoyed at the fact that this directive from our clinic has been dropped on everyone (not just me) without warning.

The supposed purpose of methadone treatment is rehabilitation - i.e. being functional/getting a job. Then all of a sudden, their clients are expected to be available to go to a certain pharmacy between 10am and 5.30pm - which pretty much makes it unfeasible for most working people.

Had they given us prior warning, we could have arranged to switch to one of the supermarket pharmacies which stay open later. Granted, on this occasion I was off work (decorating, not 'sat on my arse') and had asked my partner to collect my prescription as she was passing the chemist on her way home from work - is that so unreasonable?

But what about when I'm back at work? I could be anywhere in the country. Do you expect me to just teleport back to my local pharmacy for five minutes? They haven't 'circumvented the rules' for me at all, just allowed my partner to collect on this occasion only (which she didn't, as I actually managed to get off my arse long enough to stagger down the road).

Also, you do realise that you can't just pop into the nearest Boots for methadone, that you have to stick to one agreed pharmacy?

Furthermore I did not give any of the staff 'shit' (and never said I did), I just wanted to know what was going on - as is my right - and make sure they knew I wasn't happy.

Therefore, I can't really see what you're so angry about Mr angrypants, so why not get back in yer fuckin hat and stay there?

PLUR

 

[Allein]

I've had similar issues with drug abuse counseling, aside from the seeming inability to even contemplate anything other than opiate addiction the services seem to be setup around the presumption that if you have problems with drug abuse you must be unemployed ( and sat on your arse )

The last time I tried to engage with the local service I had to book leave from work in order to attend and couldn't go on a regular basis as the meetings were Thursday at 1PM FFS. I appreciate these services aren't well funded but there is a painful irony in them not being available to those in employment

 

[THECATINTHEHAT]

Not that your rather vitriolic post warrants a reply, but I was annoyed at the fact that this directive from our clinic has been dropped on everyone (not just me) without warning. The supposed purpose of methadone treatment is rehabilitation - i.e. being functional/getting a job. Then all of a sudden, their clients are expected to be available to go to a certain pharmacy between 10am and 5.30pm - which pretty much makes it unfeasible for most working people. Had they given us prior warning, we could have arranged to switch to one of the supermarket pharmacies which stay open later. Granted, on this occasion I was off work (decorating, not 'sat on my arse') and had asked my partner to collect my prescription as she was passing the chemist on her way home from work - is that so unreasonable? But what about when I'm back at work? I could be anywhere in the country. Do you expect me to just teleport back to my local pharmacy for five minutes? You do realise that you can't just pop into the nearest Boots for methadone, that you have to stick to one agreed pharmacy? Furthermore I did not give any staff 'shit' (and never said I did) I just wanted to know what was going on - as is my right. Therefore, I can't really see what you're so angry about Mr angrypants, so why not get back in yer fuckin hat and stay there?

PLUR

The pharmacy has refused to let someone else pick up your controlled drugs without pre-arrangement (perfectly reasonable) and you have got straight on the phone to your clinic asking 'what the hell is going on' when you didn't even know if it had anything to do with them. Did it in the end?

This typically rude behaviour is the sort of stuff that fucks up relations between service users and the service. Idiotic, rude self-entitled service users who want the clinic to wipe their arse for them and uneducated, rude workers lacking empathy are the two things that really stop everyone working together for the benefit of service users.

You've decided you want to get angry and rant at them for a perceived slight on other service users (do you even know whether anyone else was affected bby this change...what even was the change?). Why not tackle the issue in a professional manner if it concerns you so much and take the issue to your drug worker and the service users forum? Or are you, as I suspect, just looking for any reason to have a go at them...

 

[NightsEpiphany]

hmm when we're battling some kind of addiction (especially if its opiate addictions) its like the fight is internalised. Personally, I think we can have permission to sit on our backsides from time to time when we're facing hissing opiate dragons.

 

[Allein]

hmm when we're battling some kind of addiction (especially if its opiate addictions) its like the fight is internalised. Personally, I think we can have permission to sit on our backsides from time to time when we're facing hissing opiate dragons.

Don't misconstrue my words (not sure if you are or not) I've no issue with people being unable to work due to addiction or a multitude of other reasons, WTF would I know about their circumstances ?

However I do think such services should be available to both the working and non-working and not at the convenience of those providing such services, that's not how a 'service' is supposed to work.

The irony I was referring to was that it is, of course the tax payer that funds these services, that's not a pop at those that aren't working, it's a bare fact, even in the case of charitable contribution, the vast majority of that is going to come via money acquired via PAYE.

Like so many 'health' services these days they seem to want to wait until you are in total crisis before kicking in, I've found Mental health to be just the same

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

The pharmacy has refused to let someone else pick up your controlled drugs without pre-arrangement (perfectly reasonable) and you have got straight on the phone to your clinic asking 'what the hell is going on' when you didn't even know if it had anything to do with them. Did it in the end?

This typically rude behaviour is the sort of stuff that fucks up relations between service users and the service. Idiotic, rude self-entitled service users who want the clinic to wipe their arse for them and uneducated, rude workers lacking empathy are the two things that really stop everyone working together for the benefit of service users.

You've decided you want to get angry and rant at them for a perceived slight on other service users (do you even know whether anyone else was affected bby this change...what even was the change?). Why not tackle the issue in a professional manner if it concerns you so much and take the issue to your drug worker and the service users forum? Or are you, as I suspect, just looking for any reason to have a go at them...

Who said anything about ranting at them? Who said it wasn't pre-arranged for my partner to collect for me? It was pre-arranged for me years ago as long as i provided a signed letter - until today that is.

If you could manage to read my posts properly, you'd see that my clinic has instructed the pharmacy that CD patients must collect their own prescriptions from now on. I knew it had come from the clinic as the pharmacist had told my partner - that's why I was straight on the phone to them to see what was going on.

Furthermore, I was neither rude, nor offensive - just firm. I did not rant or get angry and managed to wipe my OWN arse.

The purpose of my post was to see if anyone else had experienced similar problems. I may have exaggerated my indignation somewhat for comedic effect - which i now realise was an epic fail.

But I must say, I find your posts rather presumptuous and quite offensive. You're reading things into my original post that weren't there and you appear to have a very narrow minded, stereotypical view of the service users - and are classing me among them. Do you read the daily mail by any chance?

Or are you just a cunt?

 

[NightsEpiphany]

well i'm very grateful to the tax payer and our NHS. The system helped me when I had bit of a wobble recently. But the drugs imo can ultimately make you feel worse.

I spent all last Summer off everything except an occasional pill Allien.. and I felt great. Stronger.I don't know why I went back on them. Think it may have been dread of Winter.

And I always seem to look my worse when in the chemist. One time I was all sweaty, wearing a shawl, shaky, hair in a bun but messy, missing tooth. Les Miserables. :D

 

[Allein]

well i'm very grateful to the tax payer and our NHS. The system helped me when I had bit of a wobble recently. But the drugs imo can ultimately make you feel worse.

I spent all last Summer off everything except an occasional pill Allien.. and I felt great. Stronger.I don't know why I went back on them. Think it may have been dread of Winter.

And I always seem to look my worse when in the chemist. One time I was all sweaty, wearing a shawl, shaky, hair in a bun but messy, missing tooth. Les Miserables. :D

I guess your talking about 'medication' rather then your Tramadol problem, ADs and such are far from a solution IME and I say that despite still taking them. December to March are certainly the darkest of days ...still is almost over.

BTW I'm Allein not Allien as well as being a pedant

 

[THECATINTHEHAT]

Who said anything about ranting at them? Who said it wasn't pre-arranged for my partner to collect for me? It was pre-arranged for me years ago as long as i provided a signed letter - until today that is.

If you could manage to read my posts properly, you'd see that my clinic has instructed the pharmacy that CD patients must collect their own prescriptions from now on. I knew it had come from the clinic as the pharmacist had told my partner - that's why I was straight on the phone to them to see what was going on.

Furthermore, I was neither rude, nor offensive - just firm. I did not rant or get angry and managed to wipe my OWN arse.

The purpose of my post was to see if anyone else had experienced similar problems. I may have exaggerated my indignation somewhat for comedic effect - which i now realise was an epic fail.

But I must say, I find your posts rather presumptuous and quite offensive. You're reading things into my original post that weren't there and you appear to have a very narrow minded, stereotypical view of the service users - and are classing me among them. Do you read the daily mail by any chance?

Or are you just a cunt?

I am a cunt but that's not really relevant to this discussion.

Nothing in your opening post said that the clinic instructed your pharmacy, you just said that you were...'told by the pharmacist that they don't allow other people to pick your script up anymore'. Should have noticed the clarification in your reply.

I don't have a narrow minded sceptical view of service users at all, I am one. I do however talk to loads who seem to make it their sole mission to stir up some shit at the clinic just for the sake of it, nothing is ever their fault and I feel for the drug workers that have to deal with these idiots just as much as I feel for the service users who have to deal with idiotic drug workers.

You said you called up the clinic and asked them 'what the hell is going on' whilst livid...sounds like ranting to me. Changing your story to saying how you politely called up and asked what was going on now....comic effect? Not the thing that usually comes to mind for me when I feel like I have been genuinely wronged.