Unused medicines refused by Boots

You need to tell them. It isn’t getting people into trouble but making the store function more efficiently.

I did email Boots, and have had a reply asking for the location of the store. Accordingly, they will ask the manager to contact us .
Now I just wanted to know whether they were obliged to take back unused meds. I don't want to get anyone in trouble, as I know how busy they have all been lately. So do I keep quiet?

Jane10, a couple of years ago, I returned some opiate drugs and a book had to be filled in with all the details, name address etc. I was surprised at how it was dealt with, and seemingly a very serious matter.

I remember when Boots was a bit of a flagship chain. Then it was eventually sold to a private equity firm who completely restructured it financially so that it runs at a loss and therefore pays no corporation tax. No idea about Lloyd’s and Superdrug.

I have worked in the pharmacy at Boots. My instructions were to accept back all unused medication unless they were controlled drugs in which case the pharmacist would have to deal with them separately. So I don’t know why they would refuse them

The thread is a coincidence. I was just wondering what to do with two unopened packs of v strong opioid painkillers I was given on discharge after my knee replacements. I expect they have a good 'street value'! I just don't want them in our cupboard and know you're not supposed to flush them down the loo.

This week our local independent chemist took some medication for disposal and I dropped off two pairs of glasses at the opticians for collection by the Rotary Club.

Yes, I had this in Sainsbury’s pharmacy. They did take them in the end, because when they told me to dispose of them safely, I asked how I was supposed to do that! I couldn’t really see how it was unsafe to take them. They went into a tray, and the assistant wore gloves.

We had the same problem as the OP with Lloyds. When we tried to return some prescription items (dispensed by that branch of Lloyds) for disposal after MIL died, they refused to take them. We took them to a local independent pharmacy who accepted them straight away. This was before the pandemic.

I would always try to support an independent pharmacy when I can, rather than these chains who don't seem to care about service, just about making money.

Its not a case of 'stockpiling'Nina,but if you've changed any meds when you've just received a prescription, or been taken off one for another etc., then yes you have some leftover to dispose of.I find its best to return to chemist where they issued them in first place, usually, but don't know during the pandemic what the advice is really- i don't know what they expect us to do with them otherwise? Except contact the hospital, who could incinerate them probably?

It also seems a shame Bluebelle, that the opticians arent still collecting the glasses for the other countries, as these people will still need them? Surely they could handle them safely and cleanse them etc during the process?

I think Boots may have been in the right, if these were issued from a different pharmacy other than a boots branch- especially during a pandemic- i think they should be returned to the chemist who issued the prescription? If not take them to local hospitals pharmacy who may safely dispose of them, if you explain they've been refused elsewhere?

ninathenana

My GP won't give me items on my repeat request if he deems it's not time. My list is eight items and I try to order everything at one time so I only have one trip to collect but I often have to reorder one maybe two items a week later because "they are not due"
I don't know how people manage to stock pile.

Exactly the same at my doctors, my repeat items all have the date when I can next order them online, I once had to beg to get my painrelief early as I was going on holiday for three weeks. No chance for me to stockpile!

But I had terrible trouble trying to get some repeat prescriptions cancelled for my mum. She no longer needed them but the pharmacy just kept on reordering them from the doctors and delivering them to mum. Even after telling the doctor to take the medication off her records, they kept on coming! Eventually they stopped and I thought it was sorted, then mum went into hospital and they,started giving her them again as they were still on her medical records. Again I explained that she was not taking the medication and it was dangerous to just restart them without careful monitoring only to find that when mum was discharged to a care home, they also sent her with some of the medication so the cycle started again? Luckily her new GP took the trouble to phone me for a review ( mum has Altzheimers so can't really speak for herself) and withdrew the prescription. I was quite upset though to be told that the medication could have contributed to her bad tempers moods while in hospital and at the care home as that is a side effect!

nina my GP surgery offers a really neat idea. It realised that being able to organise things so that all your meds could be ordered at the same time saved them time and the patient. So you can have a ‘synchronising ‘ prescription which gives you a one off prescription for the (approx) numbers of each med so that they finish together and then from then all all become due on the same date. I wonder if yours would do that? We can tick a box online when ordering repeat meds tbat says ‘synchronisation request’ I just ❤️ my GPs

I took OH's part used meds and dressings to the Co-op pharmacy for disposal following his death and was told they couldn't accept them "because they might be infected with covid".

I pointed out that he died in an accident, not the bliddy virus and all the pharmacy staff are in hazmat clothing to sell you a packet of Setlers but it was still a No.

I was furious and tempted to just dump the bag in the nearest litter bin but refrained. The bag is still in the bottom of the wardrobe.?

Boots annoyed me the other day I took a bag of specs which they used to collect for overseas use I went to the pharmacy as I ve done before and they said no we re not taking them take them to our opticians so I toddled off down the road to the opticians and they refused as well, as I had a lot more shopping to do I said very reasonably I thought oh that’s a shame but can you dispose of them for me as I m now starting my shopping and haven’t room for another bag and I got a firm, no we can’t, I thought she’d misunderstood and said oh I mean just pop them in your bin and got a rather curt, no we can’t, again so I walked off with them

My GP won't give me items on my repeat request if he deems it's not time. My list is eight items and I try to order everything at one time so I only have one trip to collect but I often have to reorder one maybe two items a week later because "they are not due"
I don't know how people manage to stock pile.

MayBee70, yes, the prescription was dispensed by Boots, that why DH took it back to them.

At the start of lockdown, when everyone was demanding extra and early prescriptions, the little Boots pharmacy next door to the GP surgery had horrendous queues, short staffed, reduced opening hours.
I went to collect our repeat prescriptions, arrived 8.40am, they were due to open 10am, was about 12th in queue. They finally opened the door at 10.40am, only two in at a time, I was dealt with at 11.20am. Lots of people didn’t get seen as they closed for lunch at 12 I think.
Some people took chairs to sit on while they waited. The socially distanced queue stretched out of the grounds onto the main road.
Fortunately a month later things had got back to a more normal way.

Our Boots have revolving pharmacists, rarely the same one for more than a few days. A few weeks ago they had a new pharmacy assistant and a new pharmacist. The queue went right round the block.

Was the medicine dispensed by Boots?

Boots were really bad for just filling everything on my prescription even when I had said I only needed one item .It worked in my favour though as I never ran out of HRT when there was a shortage and in fact still have one month left from then.I have far more inhalers than I'll use though just as well they have long use by dates .I changed chemist and they said it was a common complaint about Boots ,one way to make money I suppose

The issuing pharmacy is legally bound to accept them for disposal and only from the person issued or family member.

Thanks for your replies.
I have indeed returned unused, part packs of meds in the past. That is why we were surprised.

My prescriptions contain repeats, but if I don't need something that month, I just don't tick the box, so don't receive something that I am not going to use. Why would someone keep receiving meds that you are not going to use?

We will try another pharmacy next week.

Our pharmacy is at the surgery and they do take them for disposal. I took a great bagful after my OH died. I felt really bad about it; but they kept changing his drugs and there were several years' worth of rejects there.

Bouts make plenty of money out of the NHS - they were failing in their duty not to accept the drugs.