Why do NHS prescriptions take so long to dispense?

Abraham said:
I understand the reasoning for it, and I'm not suggesting it means they are better/worse, just clarifying the level of their qualification in response to it being suggested they are just shop keepers.
Click to expand...

I agree. They are very valuable and essential members of a successful team.
 
Diddums said:
Walk in to the pharmacy in a hospital, hand over prescription, answer a few questions, wait.

Been 45 mins so far, loads of people waiting. I see this as nothing more than incompetence, is there a valid reason this takes so long?
Click to expand...

If you see it as nothing more than incompetence you are obviously a uneducated buffoon. Sorry if that quick generalisation smarted, but that's essentially what you've just done to the thousands of pharmacists who train for 5 years to ensure they don't dispense something that will kill you, and to check your Dr hasn't prescribed you something that will kill you (which is more often the case). Sorry if that takes up a bit of your time.
 
Django x2 said:
If you see it as nothing more than incompetence you are obviously a uneducated buffoon. Sorry if that quick generalisation smarted, but that's essentially what you've just done to the thousands of pharmacists who train for 5 years to ensure they don't dispense something that will kill you, and to check your Dr hasn't prescribed you something that will kill you (which is more often the case). Sorry if that takes up a bit of your time.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

This is an example of pharmacist incompetence: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4943760.stm

You having to wait an extra 10 minutes because they're double checking your medication to make sure the above doesn't happen is called "doing their job properly".
 
Last edited:
Diddums said:
Walk in to the pharmacy in a hospital, hand over prescription, answer a few questions, wait.

Been 45 mins so far, loads of people waiting. I see this as nothing more than incompetence, is there a valid reason this takes so long?
Click to expand...

No, it normally takes 5 mins, 10 mins tops
 
In contrast, I had a glorious trip to the hospital today. I had to have both a walk in x-ray and various blood tests. I left my house at 9.55, and I was back by 10.25! It's 5 minutes away. I couldn't believe it!

I did, however, wait for my specialist the other day who was 2 bloody hours late! Having said that, he was excellent when I saw him and was late because he's actually interested in each case.
 
Better to wait and get the right medication than have a fast turn around and be given deathly drugs!!!!!
 
Took an hour in the end. I can understand them having to double check the meds and quantity but an hour is ridiculous. I counted four people working there, and eight in the waiting room. That just screams incompetence to me. None of the staff seemed to be moving with any sort of urgency or efficiency either, I'd probably use the word dawdling to describe their pace.

I'm not too bothered really, I had nowhere to go so wasn't in a hurry but it did strike me as a bit odd that it took so long.
 
Because it's a retarded system PLUS they love making you wait better to have it on repeat and going in collecting i when you know its ready most offer a phone call to let you know they also do home deliveries
 
I agree it is incompetence. Incompetence you can't even read the replies to your own thread where it has been highlighted to you that the pharmacy will cover the whole hospital. So equating the 4 pharmacists only to the 8 people in the waiting room is pretty stupid.
 
Xordium said:
I agree it is incompetence. Incompetence you can't even read the replies to your own thread where it has been highlighted to you that the pharmacy will cover the whole hospital. So equating the 4 pharmacists only to the 8 people in the waiting room is pretty stupid.
Click to expand...

This was not for the whole hospital. They had a separate dispensary for that.
 
Diddums said:
Walk in to the pharmacy in a hospital, hand over prescription, answer a few questions, wait.

Been 45 mins so far, loads of people waiting. I see this as nothing more than incompetence, is there a valid reason this takes so long?
Click to expand...

Per chance were you collecting your meds to cure your "the world revolves around me syndrome?":)

The pharmacy at our local hospital is responsible for meeting the daily needs of almost a 1000 bedded hospital on top of that the need of A&E, theatres and walk-ins to the pharmacy. Add to that the deliveries that need to be checked and booked in, bearing in mind deliveries to hospitals are more frequent and generally larger. Some of those prescriptions are urgent and quite rightly those that are the ones that go to the top of the list. As has been pointed out all those medications are checked and double checked and that in itself takes time. Re the "dawdling" I'm not sure I'd want people rushing issuing medication in any circumstances. Even in my local pharmacy a 15-20min is the norm. That said that varies depending what time you role up, morning and following the doctors surgery they are always pretty busy.
 
It would seem odd for them to have a totally different dispensary for the rest of hospital. Are you sure about that? Also 4 people doesnt mean they were pharmacists either, it might have been the pharmacist was away elsewhere and that until they had come back to make final checks your script couldn't be issued
 
Does it make you feel better to be a bell?

Edit: @DampDog

I said it didn't bother me, I was just curious and stated what I thought caused it. Some folks gave some very valid reasons why it would take longer which made perfect sense, I was merely saying that this didn't seem to be the case here. When I worked at Central Middlesex Hospital they installed a robotic system which retrieved meds from a huge rack and were checked and counted by a member of staff. I never saw people waiting, patients simpy walked in, and within 5 minutes they were out again.


Also, if I performed like these pharmacists at work I'd be sacked, hence my curiosity.
 
LOL.. you're seriously grumpy mate, just chill. Just trying to keep it all light hearted thats all.

Is having to wait a few extra minutes really enough to ruin your day? If it didn't bother you why are you ****ging these folk off? Hospital pharmacy's are busy places, we'd all like to be in and out, but I think an hours wait isn't that ott.
 
Yeah, I am a bit moody. Had surgery today :p

As I said it didn't really bother me, I was just curious.
 
Cheers, went fine. Just means I get to be a baby for a weekend and have my wife cater to my every whim :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom