Royal Mail Parcelforce - do not use if you want your item to arrive!

Lifeisbutadream

We were on holiday in Gran Canaria when we all came down with Swine Flu - when DS (aged 6) started with it we were really concerned and so after a few calls to the UK, managed to get some Tamiflu, which my Dad sent to us through Royal Mail 24 hour delivery on 23rd July.

It cost £43 to send, but it didn't turn up whilst we were there (we were another 2 weeks after it was sent) - luckily my son was fine (and after reading some of the reports on Tamiflu I am probably pleased that he didn't take it) when we got home we made a claim and got the money back, but it eventually turned up, back at my Dad's house on 23rd September!

Good service. Not.

Amanita_2

Customs can be funny about drugs. Maybe it was refused entry and returned?

sandiep

Are they not a prohibited item?

Lifeisbutadream

Amanita wrote: »

Customs can be funny about drugs. Maybe it was refused entry and returned?

It was returned unopened - when it didn't arrive we thought that was what might have happened, but obviously not, they just weren't delivered.

If there was a problem like that they would have been confiscated I presume.

Lifeisbutadream

sandiep wrote: »

Are they not a prohibited item?

I don't know - Royal Mail knew what was in the parcel.

nicechap

I'm not saying whether Tamiflu is a controlled drug, or whether what Royal Mail did was right ot wrong, but why didn't you get Tamiflu form the local doctors in Gran Canaria on your holiday insurance or just pay for it (many drugs are cheaper over the counter in Spain)?

Extract from http://www.parcelforce.com/portal/pw/content1;jsessionid=FFVLFVDBO2MRQFB2IGVERWQUHRA0WQ2K?catId=25800694&mediaId=25900690


OTHER PROHIBITED GOODS


Drugs
Controlled drugs may not be sent by any Parcelforce Worldwide service. Those discovered in transit will be stopped, and handed to Customs or the Police, who may take legal action against the sender and/or addressee. Examples: Cocaine, Cannabis resin, LSD, Narcotics, Morphine, Opium, Psychotropic substances etc.

Lifeisbutadream

nicechap wrote: »

I'm not saying whether Tamiflu is a controlled drug, or whether what Royal Mail did was right ot wrong, but why didn't you get Tamiflu form the local doctors in Gran Canaria on your holiday insurance or just pay for it (many drugs are cheaper over the counter in Spain)?

Extract from http://www.parcelforce.com/portal/pw/content1;jsessionid=FFVLFVDBO2MRQFB2IGVERWQUHRA0WQ2K?catId=25800694&mediaId=25900690


OTHER PROHIBITED GOODS


Drugs
Controlled drugs may not be sent by any Parcelforce Worldwide service. Those discovered in transit will be stopped, and handed to Customs or the Police, who may take legal action against the sender and/or addressee. Examples: Cocaine, Cannabis resin, LSD, Narcotics, Morphine, Opium, Psychotropic substances etc.

Long story, but we weren't diagnosed with Swine Flu over there, we were diagnosed here after speaking to our own doctor. The hotel where we were staying were in denial about Swine Flu and we were really worried about making a fuss about it. At best we would have been expected to leave and as we were all ill we were not really in a position to do that.

We certainly werent trying to save money by getting it free - it cost £43!

Everything is easy in hindsight but we did what we thought was best at the time.

Anyway the point of the thread was that I think Royal Mail did not do the job that they were paid to do, not how I dealt with a problem that I had.

geordie_joe

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

Long story, but we weren't diagnosed with Swine Flu over there, we were diagnosed here after speaking to our own doctor.

Hang on, you weren't diagnosed OVER THERE, you were diagnosed OVER HERE after speaking with your doctor.

You decided you had swine flu and phoned your dad to ask him to post you some tamiflu, why didn't you phone your doctor?

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

The hotel where we were staying were in denial about Swine Flu

I'm sure they were, nobody had diagnosed you at that time. Do they not have doctors and hospitals over there?

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

and we were really worried about making a fuss about it.

Yes, I can understand that. If I were in Gran Canaria and my family had swine flu I would be worried about making a fuss. I'd like to think I'm man enough to look at my DS (aged 6) and say "I know some kids die from swine flu, but don't worry, Daddy won't make a fuss".

No hang on, I'm getting myself mixed up with someone who doesn't shive a git about thier family. I would have grabbed the nearest person by the throat and said "get a doctor or I'll squeeze the life out of you".

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

At best we would have been expected to leave and as we were all ill we were not really in a position to do that.

You were fit enough to make phone calls back to your dad, why didn't you phone someone who could actually help you?

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

Anyway the point of the thread was that I think Royal Mail did not do the job that they were paid to do, not how I dealt with a problem that I had.

Well that may be true, but with you saying your entire family had swine flu, could it be that nobody wanted to bring your parcel to your room? After all, they didn't lose the parcel they took it back to your dad. In my experience they only do that when they can't deliver it.

Lifeisbutadream

geordie_joe wrote: »

Hang on, you weren't diagnosed OVER THERE, you were diagnosed OVER HERE after speaking with your doctor.

You decided you had swine flu and phoned your dad to ask him to post you some tamiflu, why didn't you phone your doctor?

We did. We phoned our doctor whilst we were there.



I'm sure they were, nobody had diagnosed you at that time. Do they not have doctors and hospitals over there?

Yes they do and we saw one for our son. His words were that it wasnt Swine flu because we hadnt been to Mexico.

Yes, I can understand that. If I were in Gran Canaria and my family had swine flu I would be worried about making a fuss. I'd like to think I'm man enough to look at my DS (aged 6) and say "I know some kids die from swine flu, but don't worry, Daddy won't make a fuss".

I am a woman and therefore a mother, not a 'daddy'. but whatever.

No hang on, I'm getting myself mixed up with someone who doesn't shive a git about thier family. I would have grabbed the nearest person by the throat and said "get a doctor or I'll squeeze the life out of you".

ooookay and that would have helped. Sorry - were you there? take yourself back to July - there were places throwing people out who had swine flu - that wasnt what I wanted for my family believe it or not. I made a decision after talking to our family doctor.

You were fit enough to make phone calls back to your dad, why didn't you phone someone who could actually help you?

I did and everything was sorted out - the thread is about Royal Mail - did you not notice?:rolleyes:



Well that may be true, but with you saying your entire family had swine flu, could it be that nobody wanted to bring your parcel to your room? After all, they didn't lose the parcel they took it back to your dad. In my experience they only do that when they can't deliver it.

No I went every day to ask whether the parcel arrived and it hadn't

Are you completely insane?

Does it really matter what happened and why it happened? please do feel free to completely go mental over what you think I should have done but didn't... :rolleyes:

juliescot

Have you enquired of Parcelforce why it was not delivered and returned to sender?

Lifeisbutadream

juliescot wrote: »

Have you enquired of Parcelforce why it was not delivered and returned to sender?

Yes. They were not interested in what had happened. They were happy to refund the money (eventually - Dad only got it back last week), but it seems pretty pointless to me to have a 24 hour service that obviously doesnt work!