Gransnet forums

Chat

Royal Mail Health …… do they really think we are that stupid?

(53 Posts)
Sago Wed 25-Sept-24 15:16:13

I am fortunate enough to have an excellent independent pharmacy a 5 minute walk away.

I support them because they offer a huge range of services, staff is always pleasant and knowledgeable.
They are open 6 days a week and carry a great stock.

Today I had a leaflet to say Royal Mail Health has teamed up with Pharmacy2U to deliver meds direct to my door.

I have a number of issues with this.
Firstly our postal staff are useless and the service is dire particularly during school holidays.
Despite being in a City we sometimes only get three deliveries a week.

Medication could easily get into the wrong hands and most importantly if local pharmacies are not used we will lose them!

Royal Mail must think the great British public are completely stupid to think that because they now have a health app they are all caring, the app is only a collaboration with Pharmacy2U, it has no other benefits.

escaped Fri 25-Oct-24 18:32:30

Never had a problem with Royal Mail delivering our medication.
My only wory is that our postman leaves it in our closed porch, which the dogs often sit in, so I need to be vigilant. But that's my problem, not Royal Mail's.

Witzend Fri 25-Oct-24 18:29:00

We must be lucky with RM around here. If there’s a choice between RM and say Evri when I’m shopping online, I pick RM for delivery every time, even if it costs a fraction more.
At least I know our postman won’t dump my parcel on someone else’s doorstep.

merlotgran Fri 25-Oct-24 18:21:46

Pittcity

Never had a problem with Pharmacy2u.

Neither have I. I’ve been using them for three years.

Janetashbolt Fri 25-Oct-24 18:16:30

I was a GP receptionist for 4 years. We always advised people NOT to use postal pharmacies. All our local ones do deliveries for the house bound and Christmas was a nightmare, patienrs not getting mail ordered meds in time because of the excessive mail at Christmas. We used to have to changd their record to a local chemist, reorder, then tell them they had to change back to postal if they still wanted postal.

Lydie45 Thu 03-Oct-24 14:56:16

The bit that stands out in this post is they live in a city. Living in a village in the countryside is completely different. Our doctors surgery is incredibly difficult to get to without a car as there is no direct bus route and that’s just to pick up your prescription before taking it to a pharmacy, so having your medication delivered is a lifeline for many people.

Mt61 Sat 28-Sept-24 10:59:27

Oh ok- still won’t be using that service

Buttonjugs Fri 27-Sept-24 09:41:36

Mt61

I am on some controlled drugs, so surely they can’t post those?

Yes they can, my son was getting a controlled drug delivered,it had to be signed for. Unfortunately that drug is out of stock across the country at the moment.

David49 Thu 26-Sept-24 21:52:39

Royal Mails problem is that it is loosing £million, currently it is reinventing itself as a parcel delivery service, having to compete with all the other carriers, when they lost the bulk delivery contracts it crippled them.

An offer has been made for Royal Mail by a a foreign company, who thinks it’s worth £5bn, maybe they will asset strip it, how they will make money delivering letters I have no idea. There are many parcel delivery companies next day delivery costs a lot more than a stamp today, so don’t expect better or cheaper service IF the takeover is approved.

Elegran Thu 26-Sept-24 21:19:14

kittylester

Our pharmacy deliver - free.

So do several on my area. When my husband was ill we used them a lot, but I have not yet had to take advantage of the service. You nominate them at the surgery, and they regularly pick up the prescription forms and deliver the stuff to you.

MissAdventure Thu 26-Sept-24 21:00:25

There is no value to me, I'm afraid.
All it does is cause me an awful lot of stress, and puts upon other people.

Getting there costs me taxi money, as it is just that bit too far from the bus route, and I can't walk far.

My best hope of getting a little better is by taking the meds I'm prescribed regularly, without being reduced to tears trying to do just that.

Sarahr Thu 26-Sept-24 20:35:57

My DH has regular prescriptions. They are sent to our local pharmacy and we collect on our daily walk. Several people I know were having meds delivered but have now realised the value of getting the prescription sent to our local pharmacy instead. If people use these mail order pharmacies we will lose our local pharmacy and with it a fabulous service within the community. Where else can you drop in and ask health advice or buy your over the counter meds if we lose our local chemist?

Maru Thu 26-Sept-24 19:28:56

My pharmacy used to deliver my meds, then it stopped and there was no where to park nearby so now Lloyds delivers by Royal Mail and I’ve never had a problem

Milest0ne Thu 26-Sept-24 19:26:38

We only live a mile from the town centre but still only get. one postal delivery a week, by van. If we had some icy/snowy weather post would not be able to get here with prescriptions. The local hospital sends texts or e mails about appointments rather than letters. The postal service is abysmal but our post lady is very friendly and helpful

downtoearth Thu 26-Sept-24 17:04:10

You can only get your prescriptions from GP pharmacy if you live more than 1 mile from a pharmacy.
Its those of us that live just outside this restriction but not near enough touse the service and nit a reasinable dustance to the next reliable pharmacy.

EEJit Thu 26-Sept-24 16:42:22

We use the dispensary within our GP peactice

MissAdventure Thu 26-Sept-24 15:47:52

Post is generally awful here, but somehow pharmacy2u manage to always deliver mine in time.

SillyNanny321 Thu 26-Sept-24 14:04:49

My previous pharmacy used to deliver but on moving found that the local one will only deliver at a cost of £5 per time. Pension will not run to that so I make myself go to the Pharmacy to pick up my meds. A good thing really as it makes me work round my disability & walk! Postal delivery here is 2-3 times a week if lucky but sometimes a week or more between then a massive amount of post in one delivery. Not the postmans fault but could not rely on getting meds when needed!

Lupatria Thu 26-Sept-24 13:03:47

i order my medication on my gp's website and they send my request to pharmacy2u within hours.
i get an email from pharmacy2u confirming they've received my request and a further email telling me they've dispatched it.
later the same day i get an email from royal mail that they've got my medication and telling me when i can expect it.
royal mail then deliver my medication via my postman when they said it will.
really good service from pharmacy2u and my surgery too.

Schnackie2 Thu 26-Sept-24 13:00:24

I've used Pharmacy2U for years without any problem. I have a pharmacy a 5 minute walk from my home, directly across the street from my GP surgery. They have the most dire service I have ever encountered. No matter if you've had a prescription on repeat for years, they will be out of it, half the time. I've also had the pharmacist call (yell) out to me in the shop about one of my medications, with multiple other customers standing around. I was so thankful when I started using the mail order pharmacy and have never had a problem. (Yes, that incident was reported to their head office.)

Livingthedream Thu 26-Sept-24 12:22:24

When boots closed the pharmacy next to our doctors surgery it put a great strain on the resources of the Boots branch in the town who got desperately behind with orders. I switched to Lloyds pharmacy online who merged with Pharmacy 2u, and deliveries have been very reliable. I'm in a rural area which does make a difference, buy I agree that the marketing is very intrusive.

Georgesgran Thu 26-Sept-24 07:39:40

I only have one medication and have used Pharmacy2U, without any problem, for years. Like Doodle I ignore reminders that are too early, then order on my GP website and delivery is always prompt and I’ve never been left high and dry. My GP surgery is miles away in a remote village and I’m out of range (long story) for a delivery.
I’ve recommended the service to friends, as they’ve now brought in a sort of third party ordering - handy for one friend whose son has MH problems and keeps running out of his meds. However, it doesn’t appeal to my hypochondriac friend, who gets a carrier bag of stuff every month!

Astitchintime Thu 26-Sept-24 07:30:28

Both of us order, and collect, our own medications. We are both prescribed items that we take 'as and when required'. If we had our medication supplied and delivered through a third party we would receive a months supply of everything which we don't need and is a complete waste of NHS money.

Pittcity Thu 26-Sept-24 07:19:56

I agree that they never seem to know how many you've got left Doodle. I'm forever adjusting the amount in the app to no avail.
A click or two and our medications drop through the letterbox a couple of days later at no cost. What's not to like.

Doodledog Thu 26-Sept-24 06:58:38

I use Pharmacy 2 U and find it very reliable. Royal Mail delivers with no problem. My only complaint is that the P2U reminder emails are way out of synch with my prescriptions, but I just ignore them and order as I’m about to run out.

Why is it ‘stupid’ to get medication this way? It works for me.

NotSpaghetti Thu 26-Sept-24 06:53:51

Charleygirl5

My local pharmacy used to deliver free but now if one cannot pick them up they can be delivered but it is a fiver a box, not cheap. I would find it cheaper to get a local taxi firm to pick up and deliver.

Oh!
Is this possible?
I had no idea taxi firms could do that!