How to Complain about a Pharmacist?

A pharmacist gave my daughter the wrong anti-biotics.

He gave it to her and 4 hours later turned up at are house and she he'd given her the wrong medicine and he needs it back.

I asked if it could harm her he said no it just wouldn't make her better. He didn't even say sorry he just said the one gave me is the most common anti biotic and de just gave it automatically.

She's 11 months old.

I want to complain because this senario could of been alot worse and I don't want it to happen to someone else.
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Comments

  • hardpressed
    hardpressed Posts: 2,099
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    If you contact your surgery they can give you the number for PALS or the PCT. speak to either of them and they should be able to tell you what to do.
  • I have to say i would always read the prescription before i hand it over in the chemist and hopefully would notice if i was given something different to what was written.
    :D:D:DNever worry 'till you get a worry...:D:D:D

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  • india
    india Posts: 685 Forumite
    I have to say i would always read the prescription before i hand it over in the chemist and hopefully would notice if i was given something different to what was written.

    I didn't actually give her the medicine. I probabaly would of noticed when I gave it to her but we had a mad morning. As I got out the chemist with her the school called and said my son had to be collected cause he was unwell.

    I gave my cousin my bags and the medicine to put in the fridge and shortly after we came home the pharmacist knocked the door.

    My worry is he should be checking prescriptions not just assume and there are people that can't read.
  • Millie's_Mum
    Millie's_Mum Posts: 1,199 Forumite
    I couldn't find it when I just did a search but there was a thread about this issue a few months ago and the MSE'r did go through all the channels to complain, can anyone remember who it was?
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  • Millie's_Mum
    Millie's_Mum Posts: 1,199 Forumite
    Found it but ndon't know how to post a link

    Its called pharmacy dispensed wrong item and its in the consumer vent board

    HTH
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  • inkie
    inkie Posts: 2,609
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    My worry is he should be checking prescriptions

    Absolutely! And how did he conclude that another prescription would have been the most common - he would have to know the diagnosis requiring treatment and there is no way of knowing this from a prescription! The checking procedures have not been adhered to in this case, and therefore this needs to be taken further.
    I'm a nurse, and suppose I 'assumed' that someone would be prescribed x and administered this to them without checking the prescription, when actually they were prescribed y....... ??
  • RoxieW
    RoxieW Posts: 3,016 Forumite
    my doctor prescribed meds for my son when he was a baby - I went to the chemist to pick it up and the chemist told me he couldn't give it to me as its not for under 12 months. I dont go to that doctor anymore - trouble is, everyone has the same idea as she's the only one ever available without a long wait!
    MANAGED TO CLEAR A 3K OVERDRAFT IN ONE FRUGAL, SUPER CHARGED MONEY EARNING MONTH!:j
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  • joannasmum
    joannasmum Posts: 1,145
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    Phone your local PCT and ask to speak to the Pharmaceutical Advisor or another member of the Medicines Management Team.
    Sorting my life out one day at a time
  • You can also make a complaint via the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, which all pharmacists working in the UK have to be registered with. I think their website has details. I'm assuming that the presciption was dispensed via a shop, rather than health centre or hospital? If so, you could also write to the owner/manager of the shop outlining what happened and asking what steps they could put in place to prevent it happening to somone else (of course the pharmacist could be the owner/manager ...)
  • I'm sorry to hear about what happened, and it sounds like the pharmacist involved didn't handle the situation too well. Pharmacists are only human and all pharmacists have made dispensing errors at some point in their life. We do what we can do reduce the risk, and hope that any errors we make are minor ones and not serious ones. One of the most common reasons for a complaint being made is not that an error has been made, but the way it has been dealt with by the pharmacist.

    The pharmacy involved should have a written complaints procedure, and that would be the first place I would turn to. If this does not resolve the complaint then you could consider complaining to the Royal Pharmacuetical Society - details at http://www.rpsgb.org/protectingthepublic/complaints/
    If complaining to RPSGB I would probably copy in the PCT as well.
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