Latest Moan From You and Me 2024

I agree totally with @Debs64 ,if you don't use it, you lose it.
But even the one in Morrisons has a long queue.
I think we need a dedicated prescription counter, and then another counter for advice or non prescription stuff.
It's the same story in Morrisons, only one customer at a time.

 

Had similar situation @pete, I used to have our prescription sent to Tesco's pharmacy (our nearest one), sounds so convenient? Everything possible used to go wrong, and it was so annoying. They were given plenty of time, and I never received any information if the pharmacy had received prescriptions from the doctor or not. Even though they weren't busy, they seemed to make a point of having customers wait. The staff in there were never the same either. There were quite a few occasions where I were told (at the counter) the drugs requested wasn't stocked and they were waiting for their delivery. I don't have to go out on frosty days anymore to pick up prescriptions, I just sit back and wait for the postman.

@Debs64 I do hear what you say, we either 'use it or lose it'. Like most things these days there's change in the air, for good or bad? I'd say it'd be a bit of both, but time will tell of course.

 

The services offered by pharmacies now are a nice extra but prescriptions are the bread and butter. We have been told we will lose the equivalent of 2-3 full time staff in September and we are struggling now. Every single working day we are shouted at and abused for things not our fault, it’s not a pleasant environment to work in. I am lucky we have an excellent team and I get support at home too but it’s not easy and at 60 finding another job for someone who spent many years at home with children isn’t really an option so if you do go to a chemist be kind. And it’s a case of use it or you will definitely lose it.

 

I've never been abusive to the staff, but I must admit, years ago, sending a couple of emails to Lloyd's telling them about the situation.

 

A pharmacy requiring 10 days to deliver would be absolutely no use when associated with our GP surgery. They require 10 working days to authorise a prescription request, so the request would have to made a month before running out of medication.

 

My parents prescription always comes to our local Boots but then it was delivered to their home by a lovely women who has now retired. They don't offer local delivery now, so I just collect it for them as I do for my own prescription. That is what I love about Thailand, pharmacies are everywhere with trained medical staff who can give you medication without a prescription. I had no issue on one of our trips when I stupidly left my medication in the hotel as we never tend to stay in one place when travelling out there. I had to show them my return flight ticket as they would only sell me the medication required to last me the remaining days of our holiday plus 3 extra days to cover the return flight and for me to sort out my prescription on return.

 

I was just about to mention the Lloyd's in Sainsburys situation @JWK .
I had a conversation with 2 ladies in a local charity shop at the time and neither of them could understand it.
Our local one was always busy and the system of booking to see the pharmacist worked well (in my experience). Add the benefits of plenty of free parking and the opportunity to do some shopping whilst there and if was a win-win situation (for the customers at any rate).
Lloyds Pharmacy to close all 237 Sainsbury’s outlets

Apparently Lloyds went into liquidation in January with massive debts (£293 million).

 

Yes, our huge Sainsbury's had a very well used Lloyds. Really convenient.

Given the population is ageing, so the number of prescriptions needed will increase hugely, having an excellent network of pharmacies in place is surely more important than ever.

 

I'm sure I saw a pharmacist being interviewed on TV a few weeks ago and he said that each prescription is dispensed at a loss,, he did quote figures but I can't remember them.
Apparently there is a drugs shortage since covid and they have trouble sourcing certain ones.

 

Our Lloyds in Sainsbury's was poorly stocked with few customers but there's a chemists practically next door to the surgery so that's where most people go anyway. It's been taken over by a chain recently and can be a bit chaotic at times but service is reasonably good. You just have to order your repeats well in advance, just in case there's a problem.

 

My pharmacist keeps giving me weird brands, which have a very short use by date. He says in the medicine market prices will drop so others buy up the stock, so there are none left. That's his excuse for either no tablets or weird brands.

Has Lloyds Pharmacy ceased to exist? Used to use them, but both online and their shops seem to have disappeared here.

 

Our Lloyd's is now called something like Allied I think.
But it's a bit odd in there.
But I think it's down to be demolished soon so probably they are not bothering too much.

 

Things are changing, and as I said previously, only time will tell if it's for the better.

From Pharmacy2U's website:

 

On another matter, I'm completely shocked to discover our car insurance has increased over 100%, and that's without ever making a claim! It's shocking! In 3 years we've only done about 7.5k miles.