Has anyone else had this happen?

I order my meds, including controlled one, two weeks before and it is usually signed off the same day. I then get a text from our local independent chemist a few days later to say they are ready for collection. they also put them in bottles for me as I have great difficulty using the pop out things.

Our surgery will do repeat meds just a month at a time but you can order the next lot as long as it’s a week after you collect the first ones.

Ah well, I’ve changed pharmacy today. We’ll see what happens next!

Sorry Sue I didn’t know that
It’s so easy to use and never gives me a problem but you can only get your tablets a week before you run out which is understandable
Obviously I m lucky in as much as I ve so far never had a problem with the surgery or the app (mind you I m only on a couple of low level meds ) fingers crossed for you all who are having problems

Why don’t you all use the NHS app instead of these outsourced companies ?

Because we don’t have an app in Scotland! I wish we did.

Delays in prescriptions coming from the surgery can be down to money. The longer the delay in issuing it, the longer it is until they have to pay for it.

BlueBelle

I use the NHS app and have never had a problem I tick the box of the tablet needed It is so simple it takes about one minute and within a couple of days my supply of the tablet is ready at pharmacy of my choice (one nearest by)
I ve never had a problem

Why don’t you all use the NHS app instead of these outsourced companies ?

But presumably this still needs to be signed off by the GP. My problem isn’t with he chemist. We have a good chemist. My problem is with the GP surgery inasmuch as the person who manages prescriptions sits on my prescriptions and doesn’t send them to be signed off until I have nearly run out. It happens all the time. Have complained before but am going to do it in writing to the manager of the practice because it dies say on some of my tablets that I shouldn’t take a break from taking them.

I use the NHS app and have never had a problem I tick the box of the tablet needed It is so simple it takes about one minute and within a couple of days my supply of the tablet is ready at pharmacy of my choice (one nearest by)
I ve never had a problem

Why don’t you all use the NHS app instead of these outsourced companies ?

I used to be able to order meds for 2 months at a time, then our surgery changed it to only one month at a time. Last year I went to visit my DD for 3 weeks around Christmas necessitating 2 months of meds the last time I ordered as I was going to be away when the next order was due. They allowed me to order the 2 month supply when I explained. I'm not on anything controlled so I guess that is why.

Earlier this year I was staying with my DS and family when I injured my leg and was unable to walk, so had to stay longer than planned. I had not taken enough of some of my meds to last the extra days but I rang 111 and they organised a prescription for a couple of my meds to go to a local pharmacy. I now have quite a few of these left each month when about to run out of others but they still supply the full prescription every month.

At one time some of my meds came in packs of 30 while others came in 28's. The chemist used to give me the packs of 30 with 2 removed, then every now and again I'd get a packet with lots of little oddments in to make the 28 days worth. It was really difficult to get the pills out of the blister packs if it was only 2 together so I spaoke to my doctor about it and he changed the regular prescription to multiples of 30 so I no longer have to deal with packets with lots of small bits in.. After a while I have enough left of that drug that when I order the next prescription I can leave that one off so I'm not stockpiling.

They said that moving to only giving out one month at a time was to prevent wastage as some patients were stockpiling. At that time I had to take a physical paper repeat prescription into the doctor's every month which was particularly inconvenient before I retired, but with ordering online, that is less of a problem now. Getting a smartphone made life easier on that front as I could order on 'patient access' or the NHS app. The surgery have never accepted requests by phone or email so I had to use a paper repeat prescription before I could use an app!

My surgery have always been understanding about these sorts of thing but I think the problem must be if you are on something controlled.

I don't blame the chemist, they have been very helpful, the problem lies with the GP surgery who should know better. The chemist always tell me they are still waiting for the prescription and they have x amount in stock and once they receive the prescription they will order in the rest. Why do the GP surgery sit on the repeat request until the very last minute, causing the problem with obtaining the drugs I need. Do they think I take these meds for fun? I'd understand an occasional blip but it seems to happen routinely. This month I was down to my last dose and had to ring the surgery multiple times until the prescription was finally sent to the chemist at 6.30 in the evening. Luckily my chemist which I knew had stock of a few days tablets is open till 9 in the evening but I really don't need this aggravation month after month. My Dil ended up at the chemist that evening to collect the 6 pills they had in stock which will last for 3 days and then has to go back and get the rest hoping the chemists delivery arrives on time. Luckily it did but they still couldn't fulfill the whole prescription so has to go back again for the rest. The surgery just doesn't comprehend the problems they cause. All they see is they issued the prescription at the last minute but it was issued so what's the problem. I'd change surgeries but my GP is so lovely, just a shame he's so popular and it's so difficult to get to see him. When I do get a telephone appointment with him, no matter what time the app says the appointment is for I know he'll ring me as close to 9am as possible and is always so helpful.

FlexibleFriend

I've had loads of problems, I'm on controlled drugs and if I order them early they sit on them as long as possible. Several times I have ordered them in good time and I get to the last day of tablets and still haven't received them, I get my Son or Daughter in law to phone them and give them a rocket up their ar** as if I do it I get accused of being unreasonable etc etc. I've spoken to the practice manager who assures me it wouldn't happen again but it does. It happened this week, yet again my very strong painkillers hadn't been issued and I'd taken all the ones I had after multiple phone calls and promises my Dil ended up at the pharmacy in the evening collecting my meds so that I could take them at 9.30 that evening. They don't seem to comprehend that issuing the prescription late causes knock on problems as the pharmacy doesn't hold stock or very little stock of controlled drugs.

You have my sympathy. I have had a battle with my chemist for a long time. I have 17 items on my repeat, so it might be a bit complicated. I can wait for some things, but not for the meds that keep me alive, and have had to beg for the painkillers sometimes.

The leaflet warns me not to stop taking the medicine without consulting the GP, so when I have run out and still none delivered, I have rung the surgery and it usually produces results. It is one thing when you don't take them, but a completely different scenario when a chemist, who should know better causes you to miss doses.

Read the leaflet with your medication. If it advises you ''NOT TO STOP TAKING THE MEDICINE WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR DOCTOR'' Tell your surgery what is happening, because it is a serious thing.

It is one thing for you to miss a pill, but something entirely different if your chemist is delaying sending your medication and causing you to miss doses.

There’s no NHS app in Scotland, unfortunately. It sounds useful, for. What GNers say.

Repeats are two-monthly here but the pharmacy app we have to use is so confusing. It sends endless messages which disappear when I try to read them. This month, it’s now telling me to reorder the medications I just received yesterday but says I can’t reorder the ones I’m about to run out of until the end of November! 🤯🤯🤯

mrswoo

I always use the NHS app the request is sent directly to my GP and are ready for collection in roughly 2 days.
If you go into the NHS app it will show what meds are ready to order - I then check in a couple of days to see if they are ready for collection. It is very straightforward and I've often requested my meds well before they run out.

Same. And very efficient it is, too.

sharonarnott

Quizzer

Assuming this is in the UK.
If you re-order prescriptions on the NHS app is goes direct to your GP, who can then send the request direct to your chosen pharmacy.
You are able to order the meds 7 days before the next prescription is due. Works very well in our area.

Not all meds work in this way. Controlled drugs like Tramadol are an example

I am on 2 controlled drugs and can order mine as soon as the circle on the website prescription can be ticked which is up to 10days before I run out, I have never had a problem. Problems can occur if the pharmacy do not carry the stock obviously, but ours is excellent and that very rarely happens. They are limited for space as most of them are and can only hold so much.

Mine and MrRosie's prescriptions are for two months at a time. My sister-in-law has strong painkillers and that element of her prescription can only be done for one month.

Am wondering how people request their meds 2 weeks before they run out. Are some of you getting more than one months meds? We can only ever order meds for a month at a time, though would be more sensible to order at least 2 months supply.

growstuff

Interesting reviews of Dr Iq on Trustpilot:

uk.trustpilot.com/review/dr-iq.com

We have this app, thought it would streamline service and make it easier to contact a GP. It hasn't done either. Most of the time it is not working and we have to ring the surgery anyway, and we can't use the facility to book an appointment, can only order repeat medication. We still have to ring at 8 in the morning.
Trustpilot reviews reflect my own experience.

Not exactly the same scenario as you, Babs but between our surgery and the chemist, it’s sometimes gone down to the wire for us, too. It’s mainly the chemist that’s at fault, they just seem incompetent. Half the time they simply seem to lose track of the medications and they spent 20 minutes searching the shop for them.

If you need a one off prescription outwith your regular one eg for antibiotics or similar, they take an age to do it. They say 20 minutes so you go away to do your shopping then go back and it’s still 20 minutes before it’s ready. You might say to go somewhere else in that case but because we’re signed up the that particular pharmacy, the other local ones won’t dispense a one-off prescription, you have to go to the one you normally use. I don’t know if that’s a local scheme as I’ve never come across it before.

Having changed once, we’re now looking to move again or maybe just go back to collecting prescriptions from the surgery.

I used to work in hospital and retail pharmacy and my old bosses would be turning in their graves at the poor service we get nowadays.

Interesting reviews of Dr Iq on Trustpilot:

uk.trustpilot.com/review/dr-iq.com

I wonder how much our NHS pays this American company to operate this service.

I didn't realise how lucky we are. We have a nominated pharmacy, the lovely independent one a 5 minute walk away. I never request a repeat prescription just pop in there about a week before I'm out of medication and she has it bagged ready for me. On the rare occasion she hadn't got my medication she would make sure it was there within two days. I assume she monitors and requests medication as it's needed. Same for Mr Rosie. The only time I need to ask for it is if I'm going on holiday and will either run out while away or on the weekend of my return. She's brilliant and just gets it in early for me.

I also order mine through the NHS app same as you mrswoo and never have a problem. I can check that they have been approved so know that the pharmacy will have my prescription. Good system that works.

I always use the NHS app the request is sent directly to my GP and are ready for collection in roughly 2 days.
If you go into the NHS app it will show what meds are ready to order - I then check in a couple of days to see if they are ready for collection. It is very straightforward and I've often requested my meds well before they run out.

A few years ago now but we went through this for months with a child who needed multiple drugs due to cystic fibrosis. Surgeries differ, one was downright obstructive and individual doctors in the practice picked and chose which of the consultant prescribed drugs they were willing to let us have. You couldn't choose which doctor you you could get an appointment with or find out who would be the duty doctor who did the prescriptions that day so it was a real lottery. They never had the courtesy to contact me to say what they had decided to withhold or why. It was a nightmare to be honest, so unpredictable and a vile way to behave towards a young child and stressed out parent carer. The things that we found worked were to change to a new practice and use a small independent pharmacy and order through them as the pharmacist would ensure the right drugs actually got prescribed and ordered in good time. One amazing pharmacist even dropped meds off at home when my child was particularly unwell. Currently, we're struggling with the new online system but I do feel they are trying to do their best these days in a very difficult environment.

When I collect my meds from my local pharmacy here in the north east the name and address label indicates they were packed in cheshire. It seems they outsource regular repeat prescriptions to one of their other branches, and this explains why I am sonetimes told my meds 'haven't come in yet' it's a bit of a worry even though I always order in plentu of time