Collecting a prescription

Not as bad as that Daisy but I was slightly shocked once when I collected a prescription from my local (very small) Boots to be asked if I'd like my husband's prescription too.
They may have been trying to be helpful but it is still a breach of confidentiality.

That sounds very bad, that they gave out a prescription without checking the name and address.

They only ask for the first line of the address though, don't they?

I know it sounds daft, but it just could have been a coincidence that this man had the same surname as you, Daisy (I don't think they bother about the sex of whoever's picking up the prescription) and had a similar first line address.

If that's the case he'll probably return the pills to Boots when he realises he hasn't got the right ones.

My pharmacy is very fussy about full name and address. I couldn't (wouldn't want to) get away with surname only. This should be the general rule - no exceptions.

Maybe he was there when you went in the first time, overheard the conversation and hoped there might be codeine or something in the prescription? Or the lapse was because they rushed to get the prescription done because they'd inconvenienced you. As with most things, accidents do happen. I always used to say to people that everything needs checking right down to the patient picking up the prescription and that if there was any doubt or confusion about anything to always double check especially with generic names etc.

I do hope the missing items were suppositories.

because they rushed to get the prescription done because they'd inconvenienced you

Sorry Tegan that made me smile, That wouldn't happen in my local independent pharmacy.
Sloppy procedure in my opinion.

I have only once been given the wrong prescription, so it shows that mistakes don't happen very often, bad luck for you Daisy.

I think that might actually happen in my local pharmacy - but not in Boots!

I dispensed medicine for 20 years and I have to admit to the fact that mistakes were sometimes made, and that was with a system of at least two people checking . When people are involved human error is always a possibility [not saying it's right, though]

(re the rushing suggestion)

That is quite worrying and probably a deliberate act by someone who overheard the pharmacist. An unscrupulous person would not care what the tablets were, there is probably a market for everything in a druggie's world.

I'm inclined to agree with others that this was a deliberate theft, after someone overhead the original request. A good case for non-verbal prescription collections - a receipt for the prescription which you produce on collection. Nothing would need to be said. Of course, there is the risk of the receipt being mislaid, but on the whole probably a safer system.

I have been going to my local pharmacy for many years. They know me well but we still go through the performance of full name, address and occasionally date of birth.

I'll be popping up to our village drop in surgery/pharmacy to collect a prescription for DH this morning.

It opens at 10am although nothing happens until 10.30. You queue outside the door to see the GP (this starts at 9.45) and only the first twelve patients are allocated an appointment so it's first come, first served. This is a bit chaotic because people who only want to collect or hand in repeat prescriptions are mixed in with patients who want to see the practice nurse. Yesterday the queue stretched a long way down the road and most of us with dodgy knees were perched on garden walls!!

It turned out there were only four of us needing the doc as it was market day in town and the sun was shining!!

The trick is to go for prescriptions a bit later when there is no queue and nurse/doctor's appointments have been allocated but.....if it's been a quiet morning they shut up shop and go home so it's a bit of a gamble

I can't get a receipt for my prescriptions because they are sent electronically from the surgery. Therefore I have to give my name and address, though if only they kept the same staff from year to year they would know me very well by now.

Our GPs surgery has a box on the receptionists counter with a slit for putting in requests for repeat prescriptions. You come back later to collect them after they have been printed out and signed. You can also send them in by post, with a SAE. They are mailed out to you. There are even two locked boxes outside the door, for after hours. One is for repeat prescription requests, the other for specimens (there is also a specimen box indoors).

Our surgery has a very efficient online facility for repeat prescriptions. After inputting one's details for the first time it is simply a case of ticking which drugs are required, entering which pharmacist you want from the drop down menu and clicking to send. Two days later the RX is ready to be collected at the chosen chemist shop.

I've often collected DH's and have always been asked for his full name, address and postcode though.

I'm sick to death of being told that our prescriptions are ready and then to walk, as I don't drive, to the chemist a half mile away, only to be told that they don't have them in stock.. My husband takes heart meds, and it's just not on when this happens..

I also order on line. I gave a book of stamps to reception and they will post the prescription out to me any time that this suits me better.
I phone first to check that all items have been included because quite often theyve missed one or two items in error.

Went into our local Boots for some Sensodyne toothpaste only to find that particular shelf empty. I asked, of course and it appears that the whole lot had been swiped by a shoplifter during one of the times when their Security was not on duty by the door!
Anybody seen any shady-looking characters with bleeding gums recently?

Oh apparently loo paper is another popular target, so the suspect might also appear to be in a bit of a hurry

We have automatic repeat prescriptions and most of the staff at our pharmacy know us enough now to tie a face to a name, but they do have different people on at the weekend. They do check the full address and the medication being collected. I suppose one should no longer be shocked at the lengths some people will go to get their hands on other people's property. My sister in law was telling me how shoplifting is really getting out of control in their small town, and the police don't seem to prosecute even when they catch them.

I'll be back home soon and will update you on any progress.

I haven't had any reply from the Boots manager, but the police have let me know that the man returned the prescription the following morning, realising there had been a mistake. I'm relieved, but still think there was a lapse in security. Thanks for all the replies. An email from the police on the 1st June didn't reach me. They apologise.