Boots Pharmacy policy?

monstermash

:mad: I have just returned home from town where I was made to feel like a second class citizen.

I had been to the doctors today as I needed some medication for my disability. Normally I dont use boots for my prescriptions.

I went into Boots and handed them my prescription (due to the benefit I'm on I am entitled to free prescriptions). The pharmacy was very busy and the girl behind the till asked another colleage how long the prescription will take as I wanted to wait for it.
I couldn't believe the reply which was that It would be awhile as People who pay for their prescriptions go before the ones who get them free. I said that they were discriminating against people from all sorts of backgrounds (age,disability e.t.c) and I was told that this was Boots policy and if I didn't like to go else where!!

I walked out the shop and took it to Lloyds the chemist who were fantastic.

What I was led to believe is that if you were for example elderly and therefore receive free prescriptions and you were waiting for your prescription and 4 other people came in with prescriptions who pay for them, then these 4 people will be served first before you!!!!

KxMx

I am very shocked, never heard this in relation to Boots before, how awful. I use my local Boots Pharmacy all the time and prescriptions are always filled in the order you arrive to be served.
I think you need to contact Boots Head Office with this complaint.

charlie792

Have to say Ive never heard of this before in Boots, but there again I live in Wales and we all get free prescriptions here.... Pretty shocking though, as poster above said I would write to head office

dmg24

The pharmacy get the same amount for a prescription whether it is free to the customer or not, so there is no sense to what you think you heard.

winnie81

Never happened to me either and I have had paid for, free and pre-paid prescriptions from Boots i wouldn't be happy at all as Boots get the same for prescription like the previous poster said

Pollycat

monstermash wrote: »

:mad: I have just returned home from town where I was made to feel like a second class citizen.

I had been to the doctors today as I needed some medication for my disability. Normally I dont use boots for my prescriptions.

I went into Boots and handed them my prescription (due to the benefit I'm on I am entitled to free prescriptions). The pharmacy was very busy and the girl behind the till asked another colleage how long the prescription will take as I wanted to wait for it.
I couldn't believe the reply which was that It would be awhile as People who pay for their prescriptions go before the ones who get them free. I said that they were discriminating against people from all sorts of backgrounds (age,disability e.t.c) and I was told that this was Boots policy and if I didn't like to go else where!!

I walked out the shop and took it to Lloyds the chemist who were fantastic.

What I was led to believe is that if you were for example elderly and therefore receive free prescriptions and you were waiting for your prescription and 4 other people came in with prescriptions who pay for them, then these 4 people will be served first before you!!!!

monstermash
if you really did hear correctly, that is an appalling attitude for sales assistants to have AND an awful policy for Boots to have and I would definitely take it further.

However, I do find it hard to believe that the assistant then followed it up with 'if you didn't like it you could go elsewhere'.

I'm a little confused about your post and this allegation as you firstly say what you heard:

I couldn't believe the reply which was that It would be awhile as People who pay for their prescriptions go before the ones who get them free.

and then you say you were 'led to believe':

What I was led to believe is that if you were for example elderly and therefore receive free prescriptions and you were waiting for your prescription and 4 other people came in with prescriptions who pay for them, then these 4 people will be served first before you!!!!

Are you 100% sure that the sales assistant said people who pay take precedent over people who don't?

Didn't you consider asking to see a manager to confirm this policy?

I must say that whenever I've called into Boots to collect a prescription (paid for), I've always been served in turn.

BlueAngelCV

This doesn't sound right to me. I've collected prescriptions in the past where they don't even ask whether you pay or not until you are paying, after they've filled the prescription.

I am 99.99% certain this is not Boots policy. If it really did happen I think it was just an employee having a bad day.

I'd be interested to know what head office say though.

GlasweJen

Certainly doesn't happen in my local boots. Sometimes if it's busy they will prioritise urgent cases such as insulin and antibiotics for babies.

Nitha

I'm 100% sure that's not Boots policy. Sometimes 'company policy' is a rubbish excuse by staff (not just at Boots) not doing their jobs properly. I would complain about the member of staff as I'm sure Boots would like to know!

welshbookworm

I'm surprised at this as my Local Boots was wonderful with all my childrens prescriptions.(long term repeat prescriptions that HAD to be taken daily) When I couldn't get to the chemist the pharmacist would go out of her way to deliver them and on more than one occasion rang me to see if I needed delivery as there was a problem with supplies and they wouldn't be they when they said.

sarahg1969

Well, given that only approximately 20% of people pay for prescriptions, you wouldn't have that long to wait.