Lloyds Pharmacy

peachyprice

Bella_M wrote: »

I didn't realise it had to be put through this way until I got home and looked up the info online. It makes sense but at the time I thought the woman was trying to be extra mean.

If they don't go through the whole prescription rigamarol they don't get the money back for it from the NHS, I know it's not that expensive, but if they gave it away to everyone it would soon add up.

I agree though that while she was right, she could have gone about telling you that it a much nicer way, she sounds like one of these people who has let a little bit of power go to her head, she's probably in training to be a doctors receptionist *




*I know, they're not all like that, my current ones are lovely, but I'm sure we've all met the wrath of the not so amiable ones.

Bella_M_2

ILW wrote: »

Sounds like she was trying to give advice rather than just handing over potentially dangerous medicines. Still cannot see what your complaint is.

At no point did she offer advice. What she offered was her own opinion based on her own judgements as a non qualified medical practitioner on how I am potentially abusing a minor ailments system.
Not only is this deeply offensive but it's inaccurate.

Personally I wouldn't take medical advice from a cashier for my children, regardless of age, but that's just me.

Also, as anyone who has ever used infacol will know, there is nothing potentially dangerous about it at all.

ILW

So your complaint is that she gave an opinion?
Sorry just trying to get to the bottom of what you mean.

grannyjo

complain about her attitude to head office and next time- just say I wish to speak to the pharmacist please- No need to be rude back- just keep saying you wish to speak to the pharmacist.Perhaps you could add you don't feel her attitude is helpful to you. With a 5 week baby, you have enough to deal with.
When you compain to the head office you could ask them for the correct procedure, Try to analyse it was her manner- or manner and choice of words. - or was she in breach of procedures.- All are bad and it would seem she needs some more customer training.

Bella_M_2

ILW wrote: »

So your complaint is that she gave an opinion?
Sorry just trying to get to the bottom of what you mean.

No my complaint is regarding her snotty attitude and below par customer service. Whether she was forcing her opinion down my throat or talking to me about the weather is irrelevant. If you work in a customer facing role you should at the very least be good at it.

Oh & there's nothing to get to the bottom of, my query was answered by the first poster but thank you for your interest.

ILW

Bella_M wrote: »

No my complaint is regarding her snotty attitude and below par customer service. Whether she was forcing her opinion down my throat or talking to me about the weather is irrelevant. If you work in a customer facing role you should at the very least be good at it.

Oh & there's nothing to get to the bottom of, my query was answered by the first poster but thank you for your interest.

Do you wants her sacked, reprimanded, demoted, retrained or what?

halibut2209

I read that as "smacked"

bris

The way I read it is that you have a prescription for a minor ailment treatment, this you will get for free but is also available over the counter. You pick it up from the shop floor and try and take it there and then skipping the prescription process that needs to be done.

The way she sees is is that you are trying to skip the queue of other people waiting for their prescriptions. She is a bit off with you because your trying to beat the system at the expense of everyone else waiting in line to be served.

Would you be happy if someone went straight to the front of the queue whilst you were waiting patiently to be served, no I thought not.

chocdonuty

Pharmacy counter staff are trained, obviously not to pharmacist level but trained all the same so she wont just be a cashier, they need to know all the processes for prescriptions ect as well as have the knowledge to advice customers.

If the item you needed was on the minor ailments scheme then yes it would have to be processed like as prescription and checked also probably using pharmacy stock not the shop stock, therefore it takes longer
You cant just pick up anything from the shop and just demand you take it away for free, processes need to be followed, otherwise stuff would be given away left right and center, not used appropriatly or safely plus costing the nhs far more than it needs to.

However if you do have a problem with the assistants attitude then a complaint is probably necessary but I suspect a misunderstanding may have played a big part

MamaMoo_2

Curious as to whether people are actually reading what the OP has said.
Firstly, the OP was unaware that she couldn't just bring the item to the counter and hmget it via the minor ailments scheme. OK, OP made a mistake. However, rather than quietly saying "sorry, you need to wait for it to be processed via the pharmacist who will dispense the medicine", the cashier seems to have berate the OP and told her off for "handling goods she shouldn't be". Rather rude and unprofessional IMHO.

Secondly, the cashier made comments about the medicine that were based on opinion, not fact. This is unprofessional, especially as her "opinion" is wrong as Infacol *does* make a difference, thus why it's highly recommended and so popular.

OP has also been told not to just come in and ask for the prescription on minor ailments, despite this being exactly what the OP has been told she should do by both GP and health visitor.
It's also ridiculous of the cashier to make accusations about OP abusing the system when OP is simply following the advice of medical professionals.

As OP has said, this is not the first time this woman has been like this, and probably won't be the last.
Also, a 45 minute wait for a prescription seems ridiculous!