Refund for wrong prescription item

rafhelp

Recently I had a prescription dispensed from a big chain pharmacy.


After they dispensed it i realised it had an ingrediet that i couldnt take. I spoke to the pharmacist who fobbed me off saying get a new prescription.



I got a new presciption from GP. I then got it dispensed by the same pharmacist and they knew the medication should not have that ingredient as I was told it was written on the notes on my PMR.


After i got this new medication dispensed I read the ingredients and found it had the same ingredient again.


I then rang their head office and was told after some discussion that they would give me a refund of the prescription charge and some vouchers as a gesture of goodwill.


They asked for my bank details and address.


I sent this info by email 26th September.


It is now 18th october, so we are approaching almost 30 days after i sent it.


I have emailed them twice to tell them i have not got the refund or anything. She said she was looking into it with her various departments and that she would update me But still hasnt.


The second time I got this medication both the GP and pharmacist were aware and had been told that I could not take this ingredient.


What are my rights?

KeithP

There are various exceptions in the Consumer Rights Act concerning medicines.

You do however have the right to ask a Board Guide to move your thread to:

The Health & Beauty MoneySaving Board.

hollydays

Post on their social media page to jog their memory?

davidmcn

Go back to the shop and kick up a fuss?

rafhelp

davidmcn wrote: »

Go back to the shop and kick up a fuss?

When i tried to do that the chemist was busy for upto an hours, then came out for a few seconds and told me to go back to the gp, nothing else they can do

born_again

Why would they want your bank details for the refund?
They need to refund the card they took the payment on, but if you had taken the drug home and opened it. They have to destroy it.
Only your doctor can give you the prescription. The Chemist can query it, but it up to your doctor to ensure that they are giving you a safe drug.

rafhelp

born_again wrote: »

Why would they want your bank details for the refund?
They need to refund the card they took the payment on, but if you had taken the drug home and opened it. They have to destroy it.
Only your doctor can give you the prescription. The Chemist can query it, but it up to your doctor to ensure that they are giving you a safe drug.

The refund was offered by the head office not the branch maybe thats why

Not really a gp will give the right drug as they percieve it,
the pharmacist are 'supposed' to the experts on medicines and drugs

Manxman_in_exile

Hopefully I'm not being nosey, but what is the prescribed medication/lotion/ointment etc that has been dispensed including an ingredient that you "cannot take". Does this medication (or whatever) come ready prepared or does it have to be made up by the pharmacist?


On the first prescription, why didn't your GP specify that the item in question must not contain whatever it is you cannot take.


As someone who used to work in the NHS, I'm surprised a pharmacist would get this "wrong" if the prescription is clear. My local (independent) pharmacist has in the past corrected my GP when the GP inadvertently duplicated my drug dosage. (I would generally trust my pharmacist far more in this regard than a doctor...)

in_my_wellies

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

As someone who used to work in the NHS, I'm surprised a pharmacist would get this "wrong" if the prescription is clear. My local (independent) pharmacist has in the past corrected my GP when the GP inadvertently duplicated my drug dosage. (I would generally trust my pharmacist far more in this regard than a doctor...)

I also trust my local pharmacist. He always notices any change in medication or dose and questions it and has done since long before computer systems. I'm surprised he dispensed it twice.

rafhelp

in_my_wellies wrote: »

I also trust my local pharmacist. He always notices any change in medication or dose and questions it and has done since long before computer systems. I'm surprised he dispensed it twice.

It was a She.


ting is most of the time they wouldnt bother checking ingredients, they just check name and strenght off prescription. thye must have forgotton and also not read the note. But no excuse really in a job where you're patients lives may depend on a little note like "cant take the peanut flavoured liquid shake" in their PMR

Manxman_in_exile

So you are allergic to peanuts but your doctor is prescribing some sort of dietary shake containing them and your pharmacist is dispensing this, despite the GP and pharmacist both being aware of your allergy.


Is this what is happening? (Sorry - your posts are a bit unclear as to whether it is just the pharmacist at fault here in not following the prescription, or whether the GP is at fault too by not making the prescription clear).


Depending on what has actually happened I would be making formal complaints against the pharmacist and possibly the GP to ensure this does not happen again. I don't think I'd be satisfied with the response you've had so far from the head office of the chain pharmacy. If you have a potentially fatal nut allergy you need an assurance from them that they will put checks and procedures in place to ensure this doesn't happen again. I'd also complain about the apparently off-hand response from the original pharmacist to your complaint. That was not professional. (I would not want a pharmacist with that attitude dispensing medicine to me).


If they only said on 26 September that they'd refund you, it's only just over three weeks - not too long. It's up to you, but I'd give them a bit longer to process the refund.