If I had someone to collect it - I would be sending them!

Our lovely pharmacist would probably have delivered it himself as he did during lockdowns.

I'm sorry ferry23, they could have done better and have let you down.

I know it's no consolation but I have to get to a hospital 18 miles away to pick up my medication because they won't post it or deliver it to the local community hospital. Parking is hellish and it is a long trudge through the hospital to the department. Sometimes I wonder if they care or even think of the difficulties some people have to face.

Sorry to hear that.
No chance of asking a neighbour?

welbeck

Sorry to hear that.
No chance of asking a neighbour?

No. otherwise I would have asked.

welbeck

Sorry to hear that.
No chance of asking a neighbour?

Yes, why not ask a neighbour?

So sorry you are in so much pain ferry23. Hope you feel better after getting your medication and having a vent on here! It is great you have such a wonderful cousin, Hope they have time when they deliver your meds for a cup of tea and a chat.

My hubby delivers prescriptions as a part time job. He does two afternoons and delivers all till done. Some days he has far too many but never stops till they are all done. He says that they might be desperate for them and won’t leave anyone without. That’s why I love him so much.

Have a lovely local chemist that does deliveries but sometimes they need a prompting for non regular/one off deliveries - I ring as soon as I know the prescription has gone through to check availability and when delivery.

Other social media could be your friend here. Do you have a Facebook community page where you could put out an SOS for someone local to help?

I do understand your frustration but you also need a plan for yourself when other such emergency situations occur. Do you have neighbours or do you live somewhere remote ? If you do have neighbours or know anybody else who lives closeish, you need to put measures in place - exchanging phone numbers with several people so you always have someone you can call on. Or maybe you do and they are all out on this warm Saturday afternoon.

I haven't lived here long so I don't really know any of the neighbours well, certainly not well enough to ask for favours.

In the normal course of events I can get out and I get reminders to order to my normal medication in plenty of time.

This was a combination of the arthritis flare up, the onset of the gout, not being able to get out and needing a "one off" prescription.

When my cousin was in there collecting it there was someone else there complaining that they were leaving sick, elderly and vulnerable people without medication for 5 days without even informing them and that it's a poor show when they're running a vital service that people rely on. Should have hired a car/van for today and got it done.

Your hubby sounds lovely Harris27 - can I borrow him?

Sorry you're having such a tough time of it ferry. Gout is agony. Just incase (hopefully not) you find yourself in a similar predicament you could ask a local taxi firm to pick it up for you.
Hope you feel better soon 💐

You may find there are local volunteers who would do this for you.
Try age concern or your gps surgery.

Or a local carers agency might he able to help.
Just a thought.

ferry you are in the same situation as me. Are we not the lucky ones to have 6 able - bodied young fellows living in our respective houses?

The last time somebody asked me that stupid question I said I have no relatives, they are all dead which is mostly true. I have 4 cousins in Ireland, not much help.

My pharmacy charges a fiver to deliver, I hope that is for the pack and not individual prescriptions.

Delivery is free for mine, they are clearly retired people earning a bob or two and I'm so very grateful, however it's a town and probably not long routes. but they don't do afternoons, you have to plan, ring and do some of the nudging at times as I said.

Whilst I feel for you Ferry and totally understand your anger we who live alone have to have a back up plan
You haven’t lived there long so don’t know your neighbours it won’t help this time but I strongly urge you when you feel better to make an effort to introduce yourself and get to know some people around you

In this situation I would have rung and booked a taxi to collect your meds from the pharmacy yes it would have cost but necessary this time

Dear Ferry. I hope the pain is easing. Glad you have a helpful cousin. Your post has made me think about how I can be a better neighbour.

Good point, Franski.

I also had to move on my own and have no relatives anywhere nearby. I found the local community action group. They are the place to go to to find out what things are available in the locality and know all the things like where the doctors are and so forth. So I would definitely look into something like that when you are able to. It is very much a shared thing so now I help in various ways so that we all give and take . It has been a great starting point to find out information from who do you find is the best plumber, to filling in forms. Another area is if you are a church goer, there are usually volunteers or helpers attached to the church who could help. I used to be a voluteer car driver for many different things in my church.

Having moved a great deal, in Britian and abroad I do understand that difficult time but then as you make friends and get to know groups, then I have arranged with friends to have a spare key and so forth, so that we support each other and in cases of being locked out, or someone being ill having a key so that you can help is very worthwhile. Hoping that you are now feeling a bit better

BlueBelle

Whilst I feel for you Ferry and totally understand your anger we who live alone have to have a back up plan
You haven’t lived there long so don’t know your neighbours it won’t help this time but I strongly urge you when you feel better to make an effort to introduce yourself and get to know some people around you

In this situation I would have rung and booked a taxi to collect your meds from the pharmacy yes it would have cost but necessary this time

When I moved here I changed from an online delivery service to the chemist in the village so that I was using a local business. Having never had a problem previously, it never occurred to me that I would need a "back up" plan - particularly with medication that is a need - not a want.

Whilst I understand why you're saying I need a back up plan, it's really their responsibility to have a back up plan, not mine.

We don't have a local taxi service any more, so many drivers swapped to supermarket delivery driving during covid and haven't returned. I did consider shelling out the £20+ it would have cost me but on this occasion it would have been too late in the day to get a taxi to the chemist and pick up before they closed.

You have moved to what appears to be quite a small village.
You haven't made any friends yet.
You have no back up plans .
You appear to be quite isolated.
I really think as soon as you recover you should try and make some contacts in the village.
Yes, the pharmacy could have done more to help you.

Hope you are feeling bit better. Since Covid we have a neighbourhood Whats App group. It works very well. Last week someone was looking for ladders and we were able to provide them. We have a few people receiving cancer treatment in our street and offers are posted from more able bodied to collect prescriptions etc. you just never know when help is needed and with family over 300miles away. Best wishes.

I would have a word with your GP and ask him to double up the prescription for a month so that you always have some extra in case this happens again.

Gout is awful. I had it once, years ago. Hope you are sorted and you are feeling much better.

Oldbat1

Hope you are feeling bit better. Since Covid we have a neighbourhood Whats App group. It works very well. Last week someone was looking for ladders and we were able to provide them. We have a few people receiving cancer treatment in our street and offers are posted from more able bodied to collect prescriptions etc. you just never know when help is needed and with family over 300miles away. Best wishes.

Our local WhatsApp group is very good and helpful too. Also started during Covid but continued, “The oldies” are kept an eye on- but I also was able to collect a prescription for a young family when everyone in the family had a vomiting bug ! Things get loaned out like extra chairs or tools . Make some enquiries around .