Insulin

I think come the winter this will be a common problem. Problems with manufacturing, Brexit, Covid all these things will impact so many things.

I use pharmacy2u and have the same prescription every month, always order in plenty of time and yet every few months they have no morphine and I have to wait for them to get it in. That said Morphine is a controlled drug and a few months ago I ran out completely and had to get an emergency prescription from the surgery but because it's controlled I was only given 2 days supply but they still didn't arrive and had to go back twice more to get emergency prescriptions and get treated like a criminal for my trouble. The GP's pharmacist was awful to deal with and refused to accept that because they'd been sent did not mean they had arrived. They have to be signed for each time because they're controlled.

This has really shocked me - Tesco’s should have arranged for a delivery from the store that had supplies in. I’d complain to their customer services and maybe the GPC - they simply cannot behave like that with a drug that is literally life saving

I would have expected delivery from another store too suzie

Update:
I spoke to the other Tesco pharmacy.
The note he gave DH is worthless. I'd need to call 111. Fortunately I have enough until tomorrow.

I know complaining can be a drag but I really think you should nina. This is completely unacceptable professional behaviour. Tesco’s have professional regulatory responsibilities to fulfil in the provision of their pharmacy services and they are not so doing. They are not doing for your good but to make money - they should earn it by providing what they signed up for. The individual pharmacist on duty also has professional responsibilities to fulfil and is personally answerable to her/ his regulatory body.

Surely the pharmacy at Tesco could have arranged for the stock to be sent over from the other Tesco’s simply by them contacting them!

How have you run so short? I always make sure I have at least one box of five pens spare. A box will last 50 days or 70 days depending on type of insulin. I order mine every other month, so there is always a good supply on hand.

Speak to your doctor and see if he can prescribe double the amount of insulin you usually have on prescription then you will not be short of them, as long as you re-order regularly.

If doctor seems a bit slow to do this then email the prescription clerk and/or the surgery manager and that should get things sorted.

Or you could change to an independent pharmacy who may be more inclined to phone around and check suppliers
rather than the supermarket. I have just changed to an independent after Loyds in Sainsbury closed down and already found them a better service Good luck.

Seriously worrying- and I don't think it is a problem with just this pharmacy. And midgey is right.

There is currently a world shortage of insulin. Countries with good Trade Deals and well performin currencies are getting the supplies- poorer countries do not. Insulin has a limited shelf life, and the Government is stockpiling 16 weeks of supply in case of No Deal, adding to the shortage. 16 weeks - what then?

Exactly Biba. We were warned this would happen and the Tories labelled it Project Fear.

As a close relative and good friend of several diabetics, reliant on Insulin, I take no pleasure whatsoever in confirming this is not Project Fear. I wish.

The expiry dates on mine are Sept 2021 and Feb 2022.

I hope your insulin comes in quickly!

This is scary stuff! My youngest DD is a type 1 Diabetic and a lone parent to 3 very young children! I dread to think what will happen if she can’t get her insulin pens!

mary51 my GP will not renew my prescription for any of my drugs until I am near the end of my supply. I have had requests refused before as I am "not due"
It's the cartridge refills I need.

We had this issue with our old GP I used to say that whatever the reason that she had run out she could not be refused it as the alternative is death! I always won the day

Like Nina we have had prescriptions refused because they say ( wrongly) we atemot due. Because
some,Often older, people can over order and build up medication it’s a good idea and less wasteful to check but this is not the pharmacy but another separate (private?) organisation.

ninathenana The GP should realise that prescribing near the end of your supply is not good enough allowing for shortfalls over bank holiday weekends etc and the vagaries of staffing rotas in pharmacy.

I could suggest that you ring him and explain that you really need to have an extra supply in, which in the long term is better for your peace of mind saving you worry. It is also better for the NHS you could say as then they won't have to deal with hyperglycaemic complications. It is a matter of keeping people with diabetes Type 1 alive after all.

If there is a younger practitioner in the surgery you might find them more sympathetic. Or write a polite but firm email to doctor, pharmacy clerk and surgery manager so that between them they could give you at least a double supply to tide you over at times like this. Also say you will send a copy to whoever is in charge of GPs in your area and your MP. That should do it. If they go on about guidelines remind them you are a person and rules can be bent.

Well anyway I hope you get it all sorted.

Above should have read 'prescription clerk' in paragraph 3 line 4! Hope all is sorted.

Thanks for the suggestions.
mary51 are you in UK ? Just wondering as I'm pretty sure my small GP practice doesn't have anyone with this title. In fact it's not something I've hear of.
Prescriptions are requested via e-mail and sent electronically to your designated pharmacy or they are printed off by the receptionist if you don't want the sent direct.

I'm in South Wales. Quite a large GP practice. Since change to new pharmacy last month I can email them for list of items I need, they send requests to GP and pick them up from there every weekday. So a change for the better as supermarket pharmacy only picked up scripts twice a week.